An ankle boot with elastic side panels and usually a pull tab, designed to slip on without laces.
A Chelsea boot uses elastic side panels to allow the foot through the ankle opening without undoing laces. The panels stretch as the boot is pulled on, while a pull tab can provide a grip at the back. The V&A’s account of nineteenth-century elastic-sided boots describes the use of a fabric loop for this purpose. Christian Louboutin’s Samson ankle boot offers a further example of side elastic panels used for easy wear. These features concern access through the upper, so identifying them does not establish how the sole is attached.
In job listings
Boots are usually covered by a general request for footwear knowledge. A sales advisor or buyer in men’s or women’s shoes would still be expected to recognise a Chelsea boot and explain its elastic side panels to a client. Search local jobs for “footwear”.
