In New York City on June 11 and 12, 2014, Jessica Alba showed how a shoe change could shift the character of the same army-green BB Dakota Monrovia utility jacket. Standing at 5’6¼” (168.3 cm) and wearing a US shoe size 8, she first paired the jacket with cropped jeans and gold-studded gladiator sandals, then switched to slouchy printed pants and chunky black boots.
The two outfits also capture two very different sides of Alba’s footwear style. Louise et Cie’s slim “Apolla” sandals kept the first look light and open, while Dr. Martens’ substantial leather 1460 boots added weight to the second outfit. The army-green utility jacket tied them together.
Jessica Alba pairs an army-green BB Dakota Monrovia jacket and cropped jeans with gold-studded Louise et Cie gladiator sandals while heading to the Javits Center in New York City on June 11, 2014 (Credit: WENN)
Jessica Alba Styles Louise et Cie Apolla Gladiator Sandals With Cropped Jeans
For her June 11 visit to the Javits Center, Alba wore the BB Dakota Monrovia jacket over a studded black T-shirt with cropped jeans. She added a floppy hat and classic black Salvatore Ferragamo cross-body bag, but the most distinctive detail was her pair of Louise et Cie “Apolla” gladiator sandals.
The flat sandals feature slender T-bar straps punctuated with gold-tone studs and very low metallic heels. Against the heavier utility jacket and denim, the exposed design kept the outfit visually lighter, while the gold hardware echoed the studs on her T-shirt.
Jessica Alba’s Louise et Cie Apolla sandals feature a T-bar silhouette, polished gold-tone studs, and low metallic heels
The Apolla clearly earned a place in Alba’s wardrobe. In March 2015, she wore the same Louise et Cie gladiator sandals again, this time with distressed black Current/Elliott jeans, a gray T-shirt, and a Red 23 jacket. YNS noted at the time that the Apolla had already sold out at Nordstrom, making it an older style rather than part of Louise et Cie’s current footwear selection.
Louise et Cie “Apolla” gladiator sandals with polished gold-tone studs and low metallic heels
Gladiator sandals were a recurring choice for Alba during this period. At Coachella in April 2013, she wore Matt Bernson KM gladiator sandals with skinny jeans, showing a similar preference for strappy flat footwear in casual outfits.
Jessica Alba Switches to Black Dr. Martens 1460 Boots
The following day, June 12, Alba left her Manhattan hotel wearing the same BB Dakota utility jacket, but the footwear change gave the outfit a noticeably different proportion.
She layered the jacket over a denim shirt and loose white tank, adding slouchy printed Isabel Marant for HM silk pants. The relaxed trousers were grounded by black Dr. Martens 1460 boots, creating a heavier contrast than the delicate gladiator sandals she had worn the day before.
Jessica Alba teams her BB Dakota utility jacket with Isabel Marant for HM silk pants and black Dr. Martens 1460 boots while leaving her hotel in Manhattan on June 12, 2014 (Credit: WENN)
She repeated the floppy hat and Salvatore Ferragamo cross-body bag but replaced the slim sandals with Dr. Martens 1460 boots. Introduced on April 1, 1960, the eight-eyelet 1460 became the brand’s defining boot, recognizable by its air-cushioned sole and welt construction.
Alba was already wearing the same boot style around this period. On May 21, 2014, just a few weeks before the New York appearance, she paired black 1460s with a sheer maxi dress, black blazer, scarf, and tote in Los Angeles. The repeated sightings suggest the boots were a practical part of her off-duty wardrobe, not footwear chosen for a single outfit.
Jessica Alba’s black Dr. Martens 1460 boots add a substantial leather-and-rubber finish beneath her loose printed silk pants
From Flat Gladiators to Chunky Boots: Alba’s Contrasting Shoe Choices
Seen side by side, the outfits are less about changing the utility jacket than changing what happens below it. The open Louise et Cie sandals exposed more of the foot and worked naturally with cropped denim, while the closed, ankle-high Dr. Martens created a stronger visual endpoint beneath Alba’s loose trousers.
That contrast also fits a broader pattern in Alba’s footwear archive. She has worn gladiator styles ranging from casual flats to much more elaborate heels, including buckled Michael Kors gladiator heels at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. Her black boots represent the other side of that mix: practical, substantial footwear used to offset softer or looser clothing.
The Salvatore Ferragamo bag was another repeat element rather than an isolated designer choice. Alba had previously carried a Salvatore Ferragamo Sofia bag while promoting The Honest Life in New York in March 2013. The Italian house has since shortened its consumer-facing name to Ferragamo, but its footwear and leather-goods heritage remains central to the brand.
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