It's officially colder out, fellas. The time to really start dressin' is here and now. And that means building from the ground up with a strong foundation. Sure, we might be fans of an autumnal Birkenstock around these parts, but when you're attempting to assemble a truly big fall fit-one that goes heavy on the cords and the knits and all manner of jackets -you're gonna need something a little more substantial, a little sturdier, that makes its presence felt. In other words: you're gonna need some boots.
The fun thing about fall boots is that, unlike a lot of their winter counterparts, you'll actually look forward to wearing them. They're your last bastion of real style before you're stuck trudging through slurries and slush in clunky, double-lined behemoths for months. A bunch of our picks here are practical and weatherproof, yes, but that practicality is kind of besides the point-the main thing, really, is that they look fine as hell and all fulfill a different purpose. Some are polished and office-ready, some are rugged and indestructible, some are high-concept fashion bangers. This is your final opportunity to have variety like that until probably April. Make the most of it.