The History of Combat Boots

Combat boots date back to 1943, when they were introduced to the American military during World War II. Troops cycled through several iterations as improvements were constantly made to the footwear, including the additions of steel toes and reversed leather. Over time, out-of-service versions trickled down to the public via surplus stores and were picked up by various subcultures. Combat boots were first introduced into pop culture by John Sturges’ 1963 film, The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen. Later, after 1980s London became an incubator for punk culture, the London-based punk rock band The Clash introduced combat boots to the US punk fashion scene. Later, models and celebrity fans brought combat boots into the mainstream consciousness throughout the 1990s and 2000s. However, despite their mainstream appeal, combat boots have never lost their subculture association and they remain an eternally cool, stylish staple as well as a practical footwear choice for many people today.