A trench coat and black boots are the season's no-fail duo.
As much as I enjoy playing with my wardrobe, I also want outfits that I know work; sometimes, I need to be dressed in two minutes, but I’d prefer to not look like it. This is when I turn to my tried-and-true combinations. For me, it’s wide-leg jeans, a button down, and heels. For Brooke Shields and Angelina Jolie, it’s a trench and tall black boots, a pairing I’m fully prepared to copy this fall.
Shields arrived at the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2025 runway show in New York City wearing that very combo, and it only solidified what I first thought when Jolie initially stepped out in it just a few weeks prior: This is fall’s chicest look.
While a trench coat will be a forever-staple, Shields’s exact style was perfection in my eyes. The big lapels and oversized fit gave the sophisticated, double-breasted jacket a cool feel, while the belted waist added shape. But it wasn’t just that the oversized silhouette looked modern, it also made the style ideal for layering; Shields herself rocked a white button-down and navy blue blazer underneath.
Farktop Oversized Trench Coat
Orig. $86 $80 at Amazon
Modatope Knee-High Boots
Orig. $80 $60 at Amazon
But my obsession didn’t stop at her khaki-colored coat, it was also the shoes she paired it with. While a trench looks great with more casual shoes—sneakers give it a cool edge while flats lean into those French-girl vibes—I loved how she played up the topper’s polished-feel by pairing it with black knee-high boots.
When it comes to fall footwear, there’s nothing more classic than a heeled leather boots; it’s a style that goes with everything and dresses up any look it touches. Shields relied on the knee-high style to make her mini skirt a little more cold-weather appropriate, while the fitted calf reeled in her coat’s volume. TBH, I can’t think of a shoe that would have been better-suited for her look.
Even on their own, trench coats and knee-high boots are wardrobe heroes. They’re so versatile and practical, you’ll rarely find yourself not reaching for one. But, together, they create a look that’s both incredibly elegant and undeniably cool. And given how easy they are to put together, it’s one I’m immediately adding to my fall rotation. Below, shop more jackets and boots inspired by the combination Shields and Jolie are fans of.
Get the Look:
Dolce Vita Annika Pointed-Toe Boots
Shop now: $150 (Originally $260); nordstrom.com
J.Crew New Icon Trench Coat
Shop now: $275 (Originally $348); jcrew.com
Sam Edelman Sylvia Wide-Calf Knee-High Boots
Shop now: $200; zappos.com
Gap Icon Trench Coat
Shop now: $118 (Originally $168); gap.com
Lifestride Tall Riding Boots
Shop now: $60 (Originally $100); amazon.com
Banana Republic Classic Cotton Trench Coat
Shop now: $350; bananarepublic.gap.com
Everlane Knee-High Banana Heel Boots
Shop now: $350; everlane.com
Levi’s Belted Long Trench Coat
Shop now: $140 (Originally $200); nordstrom.com and amazon.com