Bavarian winter clothing: winter boots

As promised in last week’s piece about Bavarian jackets and overcoats, we’re continuing our mini-series about Bavarian winter wear. And after looking at knitwear from Bavaria and long lederhosen and dirndls  in recent weeks, it’s time we turned our attention to appropriate winter footwear.

So what does Bavarian Alpine fashion offer us in terms of winter shoes?

Well, for a start, the typical “Haferlschuhe” are pretty weather-proof as it is, what with their thick, insulating soles and warm, relatively waterproof leather. Then again, these classic lederhosen shoes are literally out of their depth when there’s more than 5 inches of snow on the ground on account of their low cut around the bottom of the ankle; that’s when you need to move up from Bavarian shoes to Bavarian winter boots.

For the ladies, there are a range of options out there, from elegant ankle snow boots in an unfinished leather or velour look through to full-blown winter boots with 100% waterproof glossy finish. Whichever type you go for, though, what’s astonishing is how practical winter boots made of leather and linen can be cut to look feminine and playful: our favourite model this season, for example, has two-tone decorative seams and an inner plaid pattern lining which picks up on these colours. The highlight on them is the fact that these checked interior can be turned out and shown when the boots are worn at ankle length or laced up to cover more of your legs.

We’re also quite partial to a pair of bootees we’ve seen in black nappa leather with lovely detail work on the heel and border design; the full-length eyelets allow the boot to be tied close to your legs so that you can really show off their shape, and make an ideal accompaniment to sturdy Bavarian fashion items like full-length dirndls or heavy skirts and bodices with leather details.

For the guys, the selection of winter boots is quite limited, but when it comes to men’s winter footwear, there’s only really one question of any importance anyway: light or dark leather? Our favourite models this year are in deerskin in tobacco tone and moreland-colour buckskin and, with their timeless traditional look and with their sturdy build, solid soles, and leather lining, will serve you as everything from snow boots to Oktoberfest boots.

After all, the only way to make it through a harsh winter with any trace of style, only boots and shoes that can stand up to the consequences of an Alpine snow storm will cut the mustard.