The story usually goes something like this: You find a pair of shoes you really like, and they quickly become your everyday shoe. For Kate Middleton, that can’t-stop-wearing essential is a pair of riding boots she’s actually been sporting for more than 15 years (that’s how much she loves them).
It’s no secret that the Duchess of Cambridge has built up quite the impressive footwear collection that’s chock-full of designer labels like Gianvito Rossi and Aquatalia. But regardless of her vast array of shoe options, Kate seems to favor a particular pair of tall brown equestrian boots, dubbed the Long Tassel Boot, from Penelope Chilvers.
She’s kept them in her rotation since 2004 (before she was technically a royal), proving the style’s timeless nature. Adorned with a fringe tassel (per the shoe’s name), her go-to pair features a sleek, slender silhouette in a dark brown shade.
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Kate’s exact riding boots, which are still in stock in nearly every size, go for $695. They’re a splurge, but as the Duchess proves, they’ll last you a very long time. If you’re a bit more hesitant to dish out nearly $700 on a pair of shoes, though, you’ll be happy to learn that Nordstrom’s boot section includes a number of lookalikes that go for under $200 a pair.
Aside from being a classic style you can reach for time and again, equestrian boots are also a practical, all-weather pick. Shop five under-$200 boots from Nordstrom that would earn Kate’s stamp of approval, below.
Buy It! Born Uchee Knee High Boots, $159.90 (orig. $239.95); nordstrom.com
Buy It! Frye Melissa Button 2 Knee High Boots, $199.90 (orig. $347.95); nordstrom.com
Buy It! Vince Camuto Pearley Knee High Riding Boot, $113.40 (orig. $188.95); nordstrom.com
Buy It! Naturalizer Daelynn Tall Boot, $129.99 (orig. $178.95); nordstrom.com
Buy It! Cole Haan Isabell Stretch Back Riding Boot, $199.90 (orig. $250); nordstrom.com
