First let’s talk comfort. While I’m not necessarily opposed to shoes that pinch and squeeze (I like to think I have a high pain tolerance when it comes to fashion), the Steve Madden Jones boots are so damn comfortable. The first day I wore them, I walked nearly 12,000 steps and felt nary an ache or blister. The leather upper is beyond soft, and the chunky sole with 2-inch heel feels cushioned and supportive. I’ve worn them on 30-degree and 80-degree days, and they felt great in both situations. (I wouldn’t call them warm winter boots, but I was super pleased to find that they didn’t make my feet overheat in summer-like weather.) As for sizing, I wear a size 11 in pretty much all shoes, and find that these fit true to size. I do want to shout out Steve Madden’s impressively wide size range: These boots are available in sizes 5 to 14.
Now onto the aesthetics. I adore the style of these boots (I was first drawn to them because of how similar they look to The Row’s Zipped Boot I, which, priced at a cool $1,490, are sadly out of my budget). The silhouette is streamlined, the 6.5-inch shaft hits at a flattering spot on the lower calf and the silver zipper up the front provides a nice contrast amid all the black. They come in eight additional colors and textures, from tan suede to bone leather with faux-fur trim, though I’m partial to the black leather I opted for because it’s so damn versatile (though I’m also quite taken by the brown suede version). So far, I’ve worn my Jones boots with black, white and blue jeans, trousers, poplin shorts and even a mini dress.
And I’m far from the only person who’s obsessed. A Steve Madden reviewer raves (in a review titled “Iconic, no notes”), “I bought these boots back in September and just bought a second pair on sale. These boots are my savior, so comfortable, and I wore the heck out of them this winter and they still look so frickin great. I want to hoard these boots like eggs or toilet paper.” Another adds, “Bought these after hearing so many great things about them and they live up to the hype. A staple in my wardrobe.”