As an editor who isn’t adjusted to winter dressing by any means, I have to admit that I panic at the sight of snowfall. Admittedly, I still haven’t bought any true winter boots given the lack of any severe winters in New York City. Most of the time, my chic (but dangerous) studded ballet flats will be fine, but given the amount of snow New Yorkers are expecting in the coming weeks and days, my on-trend footwear isn’t going to cut it.
Instead of combing TikTok for hours for video footage on how to buy the best snow boots, I went straight to the source. Yep, Arctic Circle influencers. After a deep dive through my hyper-niche algorithm, I reached out to Thea Selven, or @svalbardthea on TikTok. As her username suggests, Selven lives on Svalbard. Svalbard is a small, rugged island situated between Norway and the North Pole, making it one of the northernmost inhabited places in the world. Naturally, I knew her advice on getting the best snow boots was invaluable.
“In winter, we can have degrees below -30° Celsius! So it’s all about keeping warm and functional, not so much about what’s trendy and not,” Selven explained. It’s a lesson I can learn as a fickle fashion editor—sometimes, function outweighs fashion!
Below, read Selven’s hidden secrets for buying the best snow boots, and scroll on to discover a few chic pairs worth adding to your cart before more snow falls.
According to Selven, not all snow boots are made equal. “The first thing I look for is something with a thick sole. The reason for that is that the thicker the sole, the more isolation you have from the cold ground,” she explained. “The second thing I look at is the thickness and quality of the material it’s made of. You want something that is water- and windproof.”
The tighter the boots, Selven explained, the more likely it is that you’ll be cold. She prefers looser boots for better air circulation and to layer socks with.
