Stockings with Boots: Ankle, Knee-High and Chelsea Styles
Stockings work with every kind of boot if you match them to the boot and the hemline. Black stockings with black ankle, chelsea or knee-high boots give one long, easy line; skin colour suits tan and brown boots and daytime looks. Inside the boot, wear footed stockings, or footless ones with socks, choose a size that doesn't bag at the ankle, and zip slowly.
Boots are the easiest warm shoe for a skirt or dress in a Delhi December or on a trip to Shimla, and stockings make them comfortable to wear for a full day. The look goes wrong in predictable ways, though: wrinkles at the ankle above an ankle boot, a zip that catches the knit, a heel that slides inside the boot, or an awkward gap between the hem and the boot top. Each has a simple fix.
Which stockings go with which boots?
| Boot | Best hemline | Stocking shade | Inside the boot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heeled ankle boots | Mini or knee-length dress, shorts | Black, or skin colour for daytime | Footed stockings |
| Chelsea boots | Denim skirt, knit dress, A-line midi | Black, or fleece-lined skin tone | Footed stockings, or footless with socks |
| Knee-high boots | A midi or sweater dress that meets or overlaps the boot top | Either; very little shows | Fleece-lined footed pair for warmth |
| Over-the-knee boots | Mini skirt or short dress | Black | Footed stockings |
| Lace-up or combat boots | Shorts, checked or denim skirts | Black | Footed stockings, plus a thin sock if the boot rubs |
| Snow or walking boots in the hills | Woollen skirts, or under trousers | Fleece-lined skin tone | Footless stockings with thermal socks |
How do you match the colour and the hemline?
- Black stockings with black boots are the easiest pairing. Legs and boots read as one line, which lengthens the leg and works with almost any dark skirt.
- Skin colour with tan, brown, cognac or beige boots looks fresh and daytime. The stockings read as bare legs, so the boot stays the focus.
- Skin colour with black boots works best under midi lengths, where only a few inches of leg show. With a mini, the dark boot can look cut off from the rest of the outfit.
- Mind the gap. With knee-high boots, the hem should cover the boot top or leave a small gap of a few inches. A large gap between a knee-length skirt and a mid-calf boot shortens the leg.
- Keep one texture loud. Suede, patent or studded boots look best with plain stockings; save fishnets for plain leather boots.
Our anti-scratch stretchable stockings come in black and a warm skin shade made for Indian skin tones, two pairs to a pack, so one of each covers both black and tan boots. When the boots come off for the evening, our guide to stockings with sandals, heels and juttis covers open shoes.
Footed or footless: what goes inside the boot?
What you wear inside the boot matters as much as what shows above it.
- Footed stockings on their own are the thinnest option and suit snug, heeled ankle boots. In a roomy boot, a sheer foot can slide around and wear at the heel.
- Fleece-lined stockings with socks. The fleece-lined winter stockings come with socks, the version meant for closed shoes and boots, or footless. Both have warm brushed fleece inside and an outer knit that turns a sheer skin tone once stretched on, so your legs look close to bare from a distance.
- Footless stockings with thermal socks give the warmest feet. The socks take the rubbing at the heel instead of the stockings. Our fleece-lined thermal skin socks are skin-coloured, so even if they peep out of a low boot they look like bare skin from a distance.
Thick layers need room. Fleece-lined stockings plus thermal socks may not fit a boot that was snug with bare feet, so try the whole combination on together before you leave home. If the boot pinches, drop the socks or switch to footed stockings alone.
How do you stop stockings bagging and snagging in boots?
- Get the size right. Measure your waist and hips and use the stockings size chart; a 34 to 35 inch waist with 41 to 43 inch hips is an XL. Between sizes, choose the larger, and for fleece-lined pairs lean larger if you are on the line.
- Start at the foot. Gather each leg down to the end, slip your foot in and settle it smoothly before you pull the leg up.
- Ease the fabric up in sections. Most ankle wrinkles come from fabric that hasn't been worked up the leg evenly. Smooth it from ankle to knee to thigh until the ankle sits flat.
- Open the zip all the way. Slide your foot in, then zip slowly with two fingers between the zip and your leg, so the teeth can't bite the knit.
- Check inside the boot. Rough inner seams, hook-and-loop tabs, buckles and the metal lace hooks on combat boots all catch stockings. Run your hand around the inside once.
- Walk a few steps. If your heel slips, add a thin sock or tighten the laces. A slipping heel is what wears holes in stocking feet.
- Take boots off properly. Unzip fully instead of tugging the boot off by the heel, which drags the stocking with it.
A tear-resistant knit helps with all of this, though no stocking is indestructible.
How do you wear boots and stockings in Delhi winters and the hills?
In the plains, the challenge is cold mornings and warm offices. Fleece-lined stockings with chelsea or knee-high boots and a woollen skirt keep you warm at a foggy bus stop; footless stockings with removable socks give you a way to cool down if the office heater is on full. For skirts and dresses through the season, our guide on how to wear a skirt in winter covers the rest of the outfit.
In the hills, the problem is damp. Slush and wet roads in Manali or Mussoorie soak through suede, and damp stockings inside boots feel cold fast. Carry a spare pair of socks, change into dry stockings in the evening, and dry wet pairs inside out in the shade, away from room heaters, which flatten the fleece. Our hill-station packing list has the rest of the trip covered.
Match the stockings to the boots and the hemline, decide what goes inside the boot before you leave home, and size by waist and hips so nothing bags at the ankle. Zip slowly, check the lining once, and both the boots and the stockings will last the season.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you wear sheer stockings with ankle boots?
Yes. Sheer black with black ankle boots looks sharp for evenings, and skin colour with tan ankle boots looks easy for daytime. Make sure the stockings sit smoothly at the ankle, where wrinkles show most.
Should I wear socks over stockings inside boots?
If the boot is roomy or the day is cold, yes. A thin sock over footed stockings helps stop the heel slipping, and thermal socks with footless stockings are warmest.
Do stockings have to match the boots?
No, but matching black stockings with black boots is the easiest look to get right. Skin colour suits tan and brown boots, and works with black boots under midi lengths.
How do I stop a boot zip catching my stockings?
Open the zip fully, slide your foot in, and zip slowly with two fingers between the teeth and your leg. Unzip completely before taking the boot off.
Are fleece-lined stockings too thick for boots?
Not usually, but with thermal socks as well they can fill a snug boot. Try the full combination on before you leave home.