Catherine Holstein started Khaite in New York in 2016, and she added footwear for autumn/winter 2019. By September 2020 Vogue was saying that the Khaite knee-high boot was already climbing the ranks toward It-boot status, in suede and in leather.

The reason is easy to read once you see it. Holstein told British Vogue that a perfect boot is "the combination of style and ease of wearability", and the line is made in Italy from leathers sourced from Italian tanneries. The signature is skinny square toes and angular heels, with the Davis named, like its siblings, after an American place. Vogue described the knee-high as low-heeled, wide-calf and square-toed. That is the shape people have in mind when they type Khaite boots dupe into a search bar.

So here is what this edit is: boots from other labels that share the idea. A slouched suede shaft, a warm cognac leather, a pointed toe, a Western nod, a brown suede bootie. Nothing here is the original. It is alternatives in the same spirit, and in October, over tights with a skirt, they earn their place.

Start the slouch with the Bozeman from Steve Madden in brown, a suede-finish knee-high with a buckled strap and a block heel, which is the easy one for jeans. The Harriet from Schutz in black has a pointed toe and a block heel, and the Dawn from Michael Kors in dark brown swaps in a stiletto heel. The Layla from MALLET in nude has the deepest scrunch, and the Kalila from ALOHAS in brown pairs its slouch with a square toe and a petite kitten heel. Harper's Bazaar praised a "supple, unstructured shaft" in suede, and that is what to look for: a shaft that folds softly instead of standing like a pipe. Sit down in them and check where the fabric lands at the back of the knee.

Holstein has said her boots are built in Italy from tannery leathers, and the first thing I would check on any cognac pair is whether the leather looks like it has depth. Burnished color that goes a shade darker at the toe and the seams reads as rich in photos and in a mirror. Flat, even color does not.

The Rubi from Steve Madden in cognac is the closest to that idea: burnished, Italian-made leather on a walkable block heel. The Bercla from Vince Camuto in brandy has an almond toe, a low stacked heel and a full-length side zip, which makes it the one I would pull on in a hurry. The Tristen from Johnston & Murphy in cognac is full-grain leather with raised seams and a notched topline, and the Campus riding boot from Frye has topstitching and a Goodyear welt. That welt is real construction, and it is the detail that tells you a boot can be resoled.

For October, I would put the Campus or the Rubi under a corduroy skirt with dark tights, then a chunky cream knit on top. In my fashion dreams she is walking to a Sunday market in that exact outfit, with the tan of the leather doing all the talking.

The buying test: the shaft should stay upright and meet your leg at the calf without gaping. The Frisco from Chocolat Blu has elastic gore insets, which is the honest fix for a wider calf. What I would skip: a cognac with shiny plastic-looking hardware, since the look depends on the leather being the loudest thing about it.

Vogue called the Khaite knee-high wearable and walkable, and that is the benchmark for a pointed-toe boot too. A point looks sharp, but if the heel is tapered and low you can actually cross a street in it. The toe box is where a pointed boot shows its quality, so I would look at the angle from the side: an even taper, not a sudden pinch.

The Sylvia from Sam Edelman in black is a sleek suede knee-high with a slim shaft and a sculpted heel, and the Lorthey from Nine West has a tapered heel on the same silhouette. The Meezo from Vince Camuto adds a kitten heel and a small gold twist, and the Akenzie from Calvin Klein is velvety black suede with seam details at the shaft. For a softer color, the Mabel from Arezzo in taupe is a suede boot with a clean pointed toe and a slim heel. The Elara from Open Edit is a faux-leather option with a kitten heel and an elastic side zip.

Wear them with a slip skirt and a cashmere crew, or with straight black trousers that break just at the ankle. I would keep the shaft tucked under the hem so the line from knee to toe is unbroken.

What I would skip: the Cook from Nine West and its stiletto, unless you know you will be standing at a dinner and not walking to it.

Holstein's current favorite, per British Vogue, was a minimalist take on the Western boot, and that restraint is the thing to look for here. The best Western-inspired pairs keep the shaft clean and let one detail, a stitch or a heel shape, do the work.

The Wyatt from Sam Edelman in black is a knee-high Western with a pointed toe and a sturdy block heel. The Klancy from Dolce Vita is hand-burnished at the toe and heel, which gives black leather some life. The Rosco from Nine West and the Tayla from Marc Fisher LTD both have whipstitch trim on black suede, and the Rancher from Jeffrey Campbell in dark brown goes bolder with decorative stitching and a chunky stacked heel. If weather is on your mind, the Opal from Blondo has a Western-inspired shape in black suede with AquaProtect waterproof construction.

Pair one with a straight dark jean and a worn leather jacket, or with a plain midi skirt so the boot is the only loud thing. I would pick based on the heel: a stacked block works with most hems.

The test is walking. Western shafts can feel stiff at the top, so bend your knee in the fitting room and check that the edge does not dig. What I would skip: heavy fringe or conchos if the point is a quiet look.

Not everyone wants a boot that reaches the knee, and the brand has a shorter version of the story too: Vogue pointed to the Khaite ankle boot in leather as easy to style with denim, minis and maxis. Brown suede does the same job in a softer voice.

The Rutger from Dolce Vita is a faux suede ankle boot in chocolate brown with a pointed toe and a stacked block heel. The Define from Steve Madden has a blunt toe and a low slanted block heel, the most minimalist of the set. The Harmony from Sam Edelman has a snip toe and chunky block heel with a full-length side zip. The Tarrin from Marc Fisher LTD has a concave stacked heel, and the Dimes from Madewell is a kitten-heel bootie with a back zip and padded insole. For comfort the Gage from Gentle Souls by Kenneth Cole has an almond toe and PORON cushioning, and the Paige from Sam Edelman is brown suede with a square toe and a low block heel.

Wear brown suede booties with cropped straight jeans or with a knit skirt and bare ankles in a warm week. Tonal brown from head to toe looks deliberate.

The care fact is plain: suede wants a protector spray before the first wear and a soft brush after. Check the nap is even in the store. What I would skip: a bright patchy tan that will mark in the first rain.

If I had to pick one, I would decide on the shaft first. Slouchy suede is the closest to what Vogue saw in 2020, so the Bozeman or the Harriet would be my first try, in brown for jeans and in black for dresses. Then I would consider the leather, a cognac for the days that need warmth.

Check the toe, the heel and the calf in that order, because one of them will be wrong. Then walk, and sit down. Holstein asked for style and ease in the same boot, and that is a fair standard for any pair.

In my fashion dreams she is crossing the street in October with the suede soft and the heel low, and nobody can tell which label she chose.

If navy suits you better than cognac, I also went through Khaite navy boots and how the shaft and calf fit.