How to Wear Suede Ankle Boots in Winter

Yes, suede ankle boots work all winter, with the right layers: opaque tights under a midi skirt or knitted dress, straight jeans, or wool trousers, in a colour close to the boot. Keep them dry, and brush them once they have dried. Black Tulip's Iris Kitten Heel Ankle Boot is suede, in Black and Chocolate.

In short:

• Jeans: straight or slim, ending at the ankle or just above it.
• Dresses and skirts: a midi or knitted dress, with opaque tights in the boot's shade.
• Trousers: wool or tailored, with the hem skimming the top of the boot.
• Wet days: suede marks in the wet, so let a damp pair dry naturally, then brush it.

Below: how to wear suede ankle boots in winter with jeans, dresses and trousers, which colour to choose, and how to look after suede through the season.

Why do suede ankle boots suit winter outfits?

Suede is soft, matt leather with a brushed surface, and it sits well beside the textures of winter: wool, knitwear, corduroy, tweed and denim. The matt finish keeps the boot quiet, so the outfit reads as one considered whole. The simplest rule is to keep the colours close: a boot in the shade of your tights or trousers draws the eye along a single line.

The Iris Kitten Heel Ankle Boot in Black is made for that. It has a pointed square toe, a zip and a slim kitten heel of 43 mm at UK 3 to 5 and 45 mm at UK 6 to 8: lift without the height of a stiletto.

Can you wear suede ankle boots with jeans in winter?

Yes. Choose straight or slim jeans that end at the ankle or just above it, so the boot shows, and cuff the hem once for a clean line. Wider jeans that fall over the boot are fine too, with only the toe and heel showing. Add a chunky knit and a wool coat and the suede does the rest.

The Iris in Black suits dark denim and charcoal or navy knitwear. The Iris in Chocolate suits mid-blue denim with cream or camel.

Can you wear suede ankle boots with a dress or skirt in winter?

Yes, with opaque tights. A knitted dress or a midi skirt that ends below the knee leaves a short stretch of leg above an ankle boot, and tights fill it. Match the tights to the boot, not the dress: black tights with the Black, a dark close shade with the Chocolate, so skirt, tights and boot read as one line.

Chocolate suede is the softer match for camel, cream, rust, burgundy and deep green. Black suits black, navy, grey and jewel colours, and carries a dress from day into the evening.

Can you wear suede ankle boots with wool trousers?

Yes, and it is the dressiest winter pairing after a long skirt. Take wool or tailored trousers with a hem that skims the top of the boot. The zip keeps the line clean and the slim heel keeps it sharp. The Iris in Black goes with the grey, navy and black of most work wardrobes.

For more outfits on a slim heel, see our guide to what to wear with kitten heel ankle boots.

Which suede ankle boot for winter: Black or Chocolate?

Choose Black first if you want one pair for everything: it goes with black, navy, grey and jewel colours, and suits evening. Choose Chocolate if your winter wardrobe is camel, cream, rust, burgundy and deep green, where it looks most at home by day. See the Iris in Black, the Iris in Chocolate, or both colours side by side in the Iris Kitten Heel Ankle Boots collection.

Both come in whole sizes only, UK 3 to 8. Measure your foot once, then check it against the size chart in millimetres, which also gives the heel height for every size.

Can you wear suede ankle boots in rain or snow?

Suede marks in the wet, so on a soaking day it is kinder to the boot to wear another pair and keep suede for dry ones. If a pair does get wet, let it dry naturally, away from direct heat such as a radiator, with a little plain paper loosely in the toe to hold the shape. Once it is dry, brush it.

How do you look after suede ankle boots in winter?

Brush them with a soft suede brush after wearing, in one direction, to lift dust and bring the surface back. Brush off dried mud or salt marks once the boot is dry, never while it is damp. Store them upright, away from heat, so the shaft keeps its shape between wears.

For taller outfits, see our guide to what to wear with knee high boots.

Suede Ankle Boots in Winter: Questions Answered

Can you wear suede ankle boots in winter?

Yes, on dry days. Suede suits the textures of winter, from wool and knitwear to denim, and works with jeans, tights and wool trousers. It marks in the wet, so let a damp pair dry naturally, away from direct heat, and brush it once it is dry.

What do you wear with suede ankle boots in winter?

Straight or slim jeans that end at the ankle, a midi skirt or knitted dress with opaque tights in the boot's shade, or wool trousers with a hem that skims the top of the boot. Keep the colours close to the boot's.

What colour tights go with suede ankle boots?

Match your tights to the boot, not the dress. Black tights suit a black suede boot, and a dark shade close to the boot suits Chocolate. Opaque tights keep the line unbroken in winter.

How do you clean suede ankle boots?

Let the boots dry naturally, away from direct heat, then brush them with a soft suede brush in one direction. Brush off dried mud or salt once the suede is dry, not while it is damp.