If I think of Ariana Grande onstage, I think of thigh-high boots.
They’ve been part of her look for so long, from the oversized hoodie era to the polished Eternal Sunshine Tour, that seeing her without them is kind of like seeing Slash without his top hat.
Which is why Grande revealing she’s dealing with a minor foot injury comes with one very Ariana consequence: the boots might be getting a temporary break.
The singer told fans she had suffered what she described as a “deep cut” and would be switching to “cozy footwear” while it heals, confirming she’d need it for her August 31 London show and possibly again for the September 1 tour finale.
Thankfully, it doesn’t sound too serious.
Grande clarified that the injury isn’t a sprain or muscular issue, said she was “on the mend”, and confirmed the shows would still go ahead.
For most artists, a shoe change probably wouldn’t be too much of a story, but for Grande, the boots have been part of the look for years.
Thigh-highs became a pretty defining part of her mid-2010s style, usually paired with oversized hoodies, mini dresses and the kind of heels most people would struggle to walk from one end of the room to the other in, let alone perform a full arena show.
They’ve stuck around, although the Eternal Sunshine Tour has given them a major update.
Grande and stylist Law Roach have leaned heavily into custom boots throughout the tour, with Christian Louboutin footwear accompanying looks from Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Ludovic de Saint Sernin.
The Givenchy couture looks even come with custom Givenchy boots.
So while fans heading to the London tour finale can still expect the Eternal Sunshine Tour setlist and the show to go ahead as planned, one very Ariana detail might be missing.
Given she’s spent years making thigh-high stilettos look far too easy, a show in comfortable shoes probably isn’t the worst thing.
After all, Ariana Grande’s still the queen – boots or not.
