Leather Thigh High Boots

Believe it or not, the first thigh high boots were not worn by women of ill-repute, but rather by members of the gentlemen class of the late 1600s. Marlborough Buckets, as they were known at the time, were thigh high riding boots. Made from stiff leather and featuring an enormous, cup-like top, Marlborough Bucket boots had a square toe and a heel somewhere between one and two inches in height.

Marlborough Bucket boots made their debut in Europe around the last quarter of the 17th century. They were popular with sailors (and pirates, too) but also with soldiers and horsemen. Their ample “bucket”-like tops allowed for the occasional smuggling of items–hence the term “bootlegging.”

Beyond their capability for hiding plunder, thigh high boots were eminently practical. They acted as a sort of armor. They provided maximum protection against the elements. Wading or riding knee high in unknown waters, one would be protected not only from the wet, but from snakes. In fact, until the creation of “gum boots” or “waders” which rise to the mid-waist, these thigh high boots were the best any fisherman could hope for.

Today, thigh high boots can still be found. However, they are more evocative of 19th-century English gentlemen than 17th-century pirates of the mighty seas. Heights continue to rise well above the knee at 18 to 19 inches, but they don’t rise all the way to the mid-thigh. Bespoke boots are exceptions, of course. Marlborough boots today are typically found with roper heels, and are available in stiff, gleaming black or brown leather.

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