Footwear to go with our jackets

[Drzdave58]

Viberg Navvy

 

[christianGV]

I have to admit not giving as much attention to my footwear as I have done for jackets so far, so now I am thinking to remedy this but... I am lacking in ideas.

Technically, we can wear almost any shoes or boots with our jackets as they are in general versatile. But ideally, we would want something as nice as the jackets we spend so much on. So here goes:

- Engineer boots: this is probably the quintessential boot to go with the jackets we wear.
- Work boots: another favourite
- Dress boots: wearing these takes the outfit in another direction, I personally like the look of Jodhpur boots.
- Dress shoes: getting more formal
- Sneakers: certainly not ideal but so damn convenient

So in my case, I have a pair of chippewa engineers but don't wear them that often. It's not a practical shoe to travel with as I always need a boot jack to take them off. How do you guys manage these?
I am thinking it might be interesting to get Lewis Leathers motorcycle boots with zippers such as the westway boots: http://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=boo-w10
Are these comfortable to walk with as well as riding?

No experience with work boots, should probably try something

Dress boots, I have a pair of Jodhpur boots that I like and wear more often then the chippewas but they can sometimes look a bit too dressy (dress shoes even more so). And they are not supposed to be worn everyday in any case.

Sneakers, I am guilty of wearing them much more often than I should. It's just very practical. But I would like to find an alternative.

I know this has probably been discussed many times, but I would be curious to take a fresh new look into this. So please share your experiences and your ideas

I’ve always felt that footwear shapes the entire tone of a jacket — it’s what grounds everything.
Engineer boots have presence, but I agree they’re impractical unless you’re really in the mood for them. Personally, I tend to reach for something quieter: well-aged suede chukkas or a slim side-zip boot in soft calf. They bridge that space between function and refinement without trying too hard — which, to me, makes them the most versatile companion to a good jacket.

 

[Pandemic]

I’ll ask here because I don’t want to annoy the Brisselblack folks with too many silly questions. I asked for a status update and they said:

‘your boots at the moment are in upper process’

Would they typically do the bottoms first or second? Does this mean that they are nearing completion or they’ve just started on them?

Thanks! At the end of the day, they are done when they are done and hopefully worth the wait. I’m just hoping to receive them before an upcoming trip (hoping to put some miles on them to break them in that week).

 

[Bfd70]

I decided to wear my Red Wing Iron Rangers this morning, which I hadn't worn in ages as I've been wearing the Nicks and my RM Williams as of late.

I fear the Nicks might have ruined the IRs for me. Already when I grabbed them I thought how thin and flimsy the leather was, as well as how light the boots were. Curiously, this didn't happen with the RM Williams, which obviously aren't as rugged as the Nicks but at no point I registered them being as such a downgrade to Nicks, just a different kind of boot (dressier, easier to put on, easier on the feet, still quite good).

Just a further confirmation of the Nicks being an absolute beast, which we all already knew.

Conversely it was the weight of my PNW boots that caused me to sell them. I had a chance to try them on in store and the arches were the best i ever felt and i immediately fell in love. 6 months later i couldn’t get past how heavy they were.

 

[Zoro]

Conversely it was the wait of my PNW boots that caused me to sell them. I had a chance to try them on in store and the arches were the best i ever felt and i immediately fell in love. 6 months later i couldn’t get past how heavy they were.

Clearly different strokes for different folks! My IRs have been broken in and comfortable for years now, yet I also found them noticeably less comfortable than the Nicks (clearly due to the lack of midsole).

I had initially bought them because I had tried Thursday Captains and I thought they were quite poor, with the IRs feeling like much better quality. The other day I thought the difference between the Nicks and the IRs was akin (or greater than) the difference between IRs and Captains. Similarly, I thought the difference in comfort between Nicks and max-cushioned running shoes was akin to the difference in comfort between IRs and Nicks.

The weight is noticeable, but it can also be an advantage when going around with my lady: I have long legs and usually walk very fast while she's quite shorter than me, so the weight makes it easier to slow down to her pace

 

[codex]

I’ll ask here because I don’t want to annoy the Brisselblack folks with too many silly questions. I asked for a status update and they said:

‘your boots at the moment are in upper process’

Would they typically do the bottoms first or second? Does this mean that they are nearing completion or they’ve just started on them?

Thanks! At the end of the day, they are done when they are done and hopefully worth the wait. I’m just hoping to receive them before an upcoming trip (hoping to put some miles on them to break them in that week).

They do the uppers first, there might still be a long while until they're ready.

 

[Pandemic]

They do the uppers first, there might still be a long while until they're ready

Thanks. Sounds like they won’t be ready for my trip, but at least they are in production now!

 

[codex]

These are on their way to me. Customized for me in washed horsebutt. Will do a small review when they arrive.

 

[Tom71]

TGIF…

 

[codex]

These are my 6.75" JohnnyWorks boots, customized.

Backstory:
Johnny is a relatively new brand to the international scene and if one goes by their instagram posts, they began to seriously advertise just earlier this year. I was instantly drawn to one particular last, their 616 last which is based on the famous munson last. The reason why is because I knew I could make my dream boot come true on this last. My boots actually draw heavy inspiration from a particular pair of boots that I really love the look of, made by a respected japanese boot maker (if you know you know). The thing is, those boots are pretty much unobtainable for me due their demand.

So I reached out to Johnny, who happened to be very interested in making these for me. So I went for it. The process was very exciting but also kind of nerve wracking. I customized pretty much everything on the boots (leather, all the colors, construction etc.), except for the pattern and the last of course. I even went as far as to specify the positioning of the toecap and thickness of the midsoles. It was very fun. I would say that their customer support is 10/10. Very patient and open to ideas.

Construction:
These boots are handlasted and have a stitchdown construction. I'm pretty sure the sitchdown sewing is done by hand, but don't quote me on that. It just looks like it is.
They are lined only in the vamp, are fully veg-tanned and have a leather structured heel and toe.
The tongue is fully gusseted. I will say I learned a lesson here, the fully gusseted tongue is not as comfortable as half-gusseted.
The half-sole is redbrown and the heel is black, both are from Dr. Sole. The mismatched soles are a fun detail in my opinion. It's not really noticable until you flip them.
I don't have anything negative to say about the construction. Everything looks really solid, the stitching is clean and precise, almost perfect to my eyes. The way they did the stitching on the pull tab is really neat (that pull tab is really functional by the way!). The soles seem very well put together and the boots are of good weight.

Sizing/fit:
These are a size 10 in Johnny's sizes. The sizes are big, they told me that their sizes are half a size larger than Redwing. So a 10 in Redwing boots is a 9.5 in a Johnny size. My brannock size is US11 and Johnny recommended me going 1.5 down from brannock to a 9.5. I was hesitant due this brand being asian and ordered size 10.
I have used them for about 2 days now and have a good idea on the fit. They are slightly large on me, but completely wearable with my thick wool socks. It's the same fit I go for as when I buy hiking shoes. Johnnys size recommendation was spot on, if one were to wear these with typical crew socks. Comfort is supreme, the last has a lot of arch support and an anatomical shape for the toebox.

Leather:
This is the main thing. Man, what a leather. It is called washed horsebutt in a tuscany brown color, veg tanned by the Maryam tannery in Italy. It's an aniline leather. I picked it kind of by luck, I requested a change from another leather to this one at the last minute. Totally the right move. It's super thick but still buttery smooth. Still, it will take some time for the shaft to mold to me.
The leather is really beautiful and Johnny did a good job of matching the leather pieces together. The shafts have these kind of ripples in the surface, it looks very cool. The pull tabs especially. Only time will tell, but I think this leather will age really nicely.

Overall:
I am very satisfied with the boots. I got my dream boots (in my hands 26 days from ordering!) and then some, I like the look even more than the original.

 

[cbez]

those look nice. I would have thought RDT roots are first glance.

 

[codex]

those look nice. I would have thought RDT roots are first glance.

Thank you. And your guess is a good one, as per the inspiration.

 

[Tom71]

These are my 6.75" JohnnyWorks boots, customized.

Backstory:
Johnny is a relatively new brand to the international scene and if one goes by their instagram posts, they began to seriously advertise just earlier this year. I was instantly drawn to one particular last, their 616 last which is based on the famous munson last. The reason why is because I knew I could make my dream boot come true on this last. My boots actually draw heavy inspiration from a particular pair of boots that I really love the look of, made by a respected japanese boot maker (if you know you know). The thing is, those boots are pretty much unobtainable for me due their demand.

So I reached out to Johnny, who happened to be very interested in making these for me. So I went for it. The process was very exciting but also kind of nerve wracking. I customized pretty much everything on the boots (leather, all the colors, construction etc.), except for the pattern and the last of course. I even went as far as to specify the positioning of the toecap and thickness of the midsoles. It was very fun. I would say that their customer support is 10/10. Very patient and open to ideas.

Construction:
These boots are handwelted and have a stitchdown construction. I'm pretty sure the sitchdown sewing is done by hand, but don't quote me on that. It just looks like it is.
They are lined only in the vamp, are fully veg-tanned and have a leather structured heel and toe.
The tongue is fully gusseted. I will say I learned a lesson here, the fully gusseted tongue is not as comfortable as half-gusseted.
The half-sole is redbrown and the heel is black, both are from Dr. Sole. The mismatched soles are a fun detail in my opinion. It's not really noticable until you flip them.
I don't have anything negative to say about the construction. Everything looks really solid, the stitching is clean and precise, almost perfect to my eyes. The way they did the stitching on the pull tab is really neat (that pull tab is really functional by the way!). The soles seem very well put together and the boots are of good weight.

Sizing/fit:
These are a size 10 in Johnny's sizes. The sizes are big, they told me that their sizes are half a size larger than Redwing. So a 10 in Redwing boots is a 9.5 in a Johnny size. My brannock size is US11 and Johnny recommended me going 1.5 down from brannock to a 9.5. I was hesitant due this brand being asian and ordered size 10.
I have used them for about 2 days now and have a good idea on the fit. They are slightly large on me, but completely wearable with my thick wool socks. It's the same fit I go for as when I buy hiking shoes. Johnnys size recommendation was spot on, if one were to wear these with typical crew socks. Comfort is supreme, the last has a lot of arch support and an anatomical shape for the toebox.

Leather:
This is the main thing. Man, what a leather. It is called washed horsebutt in a tuscany brown color, veg tanned by the Maryam tannery in Italy. It's an aniline leather. I picked it kind of by luck, I requested a change from another leather to this one at the last minute. Totally the right move. It's super thick but still buttery smooth. Still, it will take some time for the shaft to mold to me.
The leather is really beautiful and Johnny did a good job of matching the leather pieces together. The shafts have these kind of ripples in the surface, it looks very cool. The pull tabs especially. Only time will tell, but I think this leather will age really nicely.

Overall:
I am very satisfied with the boots. I got my dream boots (in 20 days from ordering!) and then some, I like the look even more than the original.

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Very nice! Thanks you for the detailed write up. Extremely useful!

 

[Harris HTM]

My good old Aldens.

 

[Bfd70]

These are my 6.75" JohnnyWorks boots, customized.

Backstory:
Johnny is a relatively new brand to the international scene and if one goes by their instagram posts, they began to seriously advertise just earlier this year. I was instantly drawn to one particular last, their 616 last which is based on the famous munson last. The reason why is because I knew I could make my dream boot come true on this last. My boots actually draw heavy inspiration from a particular pair of boots that I really love the look of, made by a respected japanese boot maker (if you know you know). The thing is, those boots are pretty much unobtainable for me due their demand.

So I reached out to Johnny, who happened to be very interested in making these for me. So I went for it. The process was very exciting but also kind of nerve wracking. I customized pretty much everything on the boots (leather, all the colors, construction etc.), except for the pattern and the last of course. I even went as far as to specify the positioning of the toecap and thickness of the midsoles. It was very fun. I would say that their customer support is 10/10. Very patient and open to ideas.

Construction:
These boots are handlasted and have a stitchdown construction. I'm pretty sure the sitchdown sewing is done by hand, but don't quote me on that. It just looks like it is.
They are lined only in the vamp, are fully veg-tanned and have a leather structured heel and toe.
The tongue is fully gusseted. I will say I learned a lesson here, the fully gusseted tongue is not as comfortable as half-gusseted.
The half-sole is redbrown and the heel is black, both are from Dr. Sole. The mismatched soles are a fun detail in my opinion. It's not really noticable until you flip them.
I don't have anything negative to say about the construction. Everything looks really solid, the stitching is clean and precise, almost perfect to my eyes. The way they did the stitching on the pull tab is really neat (that pull tab is really functional by the way!). The soles seem very well put together and the boots are of good weight.

Sizing/fit:
These are a size 10 in Johnny's sizes. The sizes are big, they told me that their sizes are half a size larger than Redwing. So a 10 in Redwing boots is a 9.5 in a Johnny size. My brannock size is US11 and Johnny recommended me going 1.5 down from brannock to a 9.5. I was hesitant due this brand being asian and ordered size 10.
I have used them for about 2 days now and have a good idea on the fit. They are slightly large on me, but completely wearable with my thick wool socks. It's the same fit I go for as when I buy hiking shoes. Johnnys size recommendation was spot on, if one were to wear these with typical crew socks. Comfort is supreme, the last has a lot of arch support and an anatomical shape for the toebox.

Leather:
This is the main thing. Man, what a leather. It is called washed horsebutt in a tuscany brown color, veg tanned by the Maryam tannery in Italy. It's an aniline leather. I picked it kind of by luck, I requested a change from another leather to this one at the last minute. Totally the right move. It's super thick but still buttery smooth. Still, it will take some time for the shaft to mold to me.
The leather is really beautiful and Johnny did a good job of matching the leather pieces together. The shafts have these kind of ripples in the surface, it looks very cool. The pull tabs especially. Only time will tell, but I think this leather will age really nicely.

Overall:
I am very satisfied with the boots. I got my dream boots (in my hands 26 days from ordering!) and then some, I like the look even more than the original.

View attachment 745561 View attachment 745562
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View attachment 745569 View attachment 745570

Great write up. I had the chance to see their boots in person and watch them do custom tracings for peoples orders. I suspect we will be hearing about them a lot more in the future.

 

[Harris HTM]

C&J Northcote

 

[Harris HTM]

Meermin shearling lined derbies in soft calf

 

[Rakusak]

I have to admit not giving as much attention to my footwear as I have done for jackets so far, so now I am thinking to remedy this but... I am lacking in ideas.

Technically, we can wear almost any shoes or boots with our jackets as they are in general versatile. But ideally, we would want something as nice as the jackets we spend so much on. So here goes:

- Engineer boots: this is probably the quintessential boot to go with the jackets we wear.
- Work boots: another favourite
- Dress boots: wearing these takes the outfit in another direction, I personally like the look of Jodhpur boots.
- Dress shoes: getting more formal
- Sneakers: certainly not ideal but so damn convenient

So in my case, I have a pair of chippewa engineers but don't wear them that often. It's not a practical shoe to travel with as I always need a boot jack to take them off. How do you guys manage these?
I am thinking it might be interesting to get Lewis Leathers motorcycle boots with zippers such as the westway boots: http://www.lewisleathers.com/productinfo.html?code=boo-w10
Are these comfortable to walk with as well as riding?

No experience with work boots, should probably try something

Dress boots, I have a pair of Jodhpur boots that I like and wear more often then the chippewas but they can sometimes look a bit too dressy (dress shoes even more so). And they are not supposed to be worn everyday in any case.

Sneakers, I am guilty of wearing them much more often than I should. It's just very practical. But I would like to find an alternative.

I know this has probably been discussed many times, but I would be curious to take a fresh new look into this. So please share your experiences and your ideas

Id add Chukka "boots" as another category, give you a work boot/casual feel and super comfortable and easy to put on... i grab mine a lot...

 

[Steve S]

Viberg 2040 service boot in sand waxy commander

 

[DancingDecker]

Whites Okanogans in Horween Dark Brown Waxed Flex