Kate Middleton's tasseled Penelope Chilvers boots might have become iconic through the years, but she's not the only one with trusty, season-appropriate footwear. Plenty of the duchess's royal counterparts — including Queen Maxima, Queen Letizia, and Princess Charlene — own styles that feel fresh and modern.
These, along with the pairs that power women like Angelina Jolie and Michelle Obama keep in rotation, will inspire your on-duty wardrobe through Fall and Winter. Read on for a comprehensive guide to the boot silhouettes these trendsetters have worn to work, then shop inspired designs (and don't forget to check out these ladies' go-to sneaker brands!).
The former FLOTUS wore this pair with a structured button-front blazer while welcoming the White House Christmas tree in November 2016.
The sisters and princesses of York both style knee-high boots with tights for daytime events in the Fall and Winter. Beatrice went for a stiletto heel, while Eugenie chose a wedge for a Christmas Day church service in 2010.
The Queen of Spain definitely loves a good heel, but that doesn't mean boots are out of the question. She attended the Discapnet Awards in March 2011 wearing a closed-toe pump style with a leather trench jacket.
Most of Angelina's boots come up to right below the knee, and she usually plays with proportions by pairing them with midi skirts. We like how this sleek leather pair that she wore in Soho in September 2011 played up her chain-strap bag.
Princess Diana's boots are actually very popular today. In fact, supermodel Emily Ratajkowski owns a similar pair from Aquazzura, and they look gorgeous styled with everything from jeans and a tee to a feminine pleated skirt, just like the late royal did here on a visit to the gardens of Kensington Palace with Prince William in December 1983.
We love how Queen Maxima completed her neutral-toned look with coffee-colored knee-high boots to attend the Women Inc. seminar in March 2016.
Queen Rania's off-duty style includes plenty of bohemian staples. She pulled her straight-leg jeans over a pair of sturdy heeled booties for an outing in New York in September 2010.
Princess Charlene looked undeniably chic for Sainte-Devote festivities at the Monaco Cathedral in January 2017. She worked her asymmetrical duster coat with heeled booties in a neutral shade that definitely added flow to her outfit and made her legs, though hidden under her dress, appear miles long.
Every girl needs to play with textures and fabrics from time to time, and Huma Abedin showed us how to pull this off with a pair of shoes. The political figure styled her suede and leather boots with lavish separates when she arrived to the Prabal Gurung show in February 2017.
Victoria's boots, which come from her Fall 2017 collection, speak to the colors of the season. They aren't cherry-red, so they're not necessarily flashy, but they're definitely noticeable when worn with a monochrome look. Victoria put these boots on display in Paris in May 2017.
Kate's worn her Penelope Chilvers tasseled boots for years. Whenever she's partaking in an outdoor activity, you can find her in these now-iconic shoes. They're way more luxe than a work boot or combat boot, but still completely practical.
Leave it to fashion influencer and entrepreneur Mira Duma to style Fall 2017's trendiest boot in an unexpected way: with a denim skirt, tights, and a pinstripe blazer. She showed off this look at Paris Fashion Week in October 2017.
The human rights lawyer and activist is big on bohemian trends, so we weren't surprised to see her show off these knee-high Altuzarra stunners in March 2016. She completed her outfit with a ribbed Akris turtleneck dress and a white Maison Margiela tote.
Oasis Skye Slouch Suede Boot ($138)