I live in NorCal, so it's not like we get "winter", per se. What we get is some rain, sometimes. However, on those occasions, or when it's our version of cold, I have been wishing that I had some dress boots to wear with my work clothes. I have an aversion to rain soaking my ankles if I happen to step into a puddle.
I started looking, but didn't find anything that suited me (no pun intended). Pointy toes, leather soles, boring design or shiny leather; none of those fit the bill.
Then I stumbled upon an English classic that ticked all the boxes: Grenson. Specifically, the Fred boot - a lovely brogue wing tip - with the rubber commando sole. Just the right combination of classic and classy, stylish and flexible. They can be dressed up or down and should last a lifetime, especially since they can be resoled, and all for a reasonable price for a pair of "forever" boots.
I placed my order on the Outdoor Attire site. I didn't realize that the company is in the UK, because I was on their US site. The order went smoothly enough and I was given a delivery date, with free shipping, just two business days in the future...and then I realized the boots were coming from England! I was prepared to wait two weeks rather than two days.
However, true to their word, the boots just arrived, mid-morning on the second day. Thinking about the fact that I'll have to ship them back to the UK if they don't fit, I opened the box to have a look.
Oh, my - just as handsome as in the pictures! This was going well so far, but they still had to fit. I wear a 9M in AE, Kenneth Cole and Johnston & Murphy, so the US 9/UK 8 should be correct...
I put them on, and...perfect! Oh, yes, these will do nicely. Now I get to wear them around the house (as I work from home) to break them in.
Apologies for the dirty mirror, but I was so excited that I didn't take the time to clean it. These will work with jeans, chinos and a well-chosen suit - the navy blue, I believe.
Success! From "I've never heard of this brand" to "OMGthesearesoawesome" in just a couple of days. Now, do I spring for the black ones, too?
I started looking, but didn't find anything that suited me (no pun intended). Pointy toes, leather soles, boring design or shiny leather; none of those fit the bill.
Then I stumbled upon an English classic that ticked all the boxes: Grenson. Specifically, the Fred boot - a lovely brogue wing tip - with the rubber commando sole. Just the right combination of classic and classy, stylish and flexible. They can be dressed up or down and should last a lifetime, especially since they can be resoled, and all for a reasonable price for a pair of "forever" boots.
I placed my order on the Outdoor Attire site. I didn't realize that the company is in the UK, because I was on their US site. The order went smoothly enough and I was given a delivery date, with free shipping, just two business days in the future...and then I realized the boots were coming from England! I was prepared to wait two weeks rather than two days.
However, true to their word, the boots just arrived, mid-morning on the second day. Thinking about the fact that I'll have to ship them back to the UK if they don't fit, I opened the box to have a look.
Oh, my - just as handsome as in the pictures! This was going well so far, but they still had to fit. I wear a 9M in AE, Kenneth Cole and Johnston & Murphy, so the US 9/UK 8 should be correct...
I put them on, and...perfect! Oh, yes, these will do nicely. Now I get to wear them around the house (as I work from home) to break them in.
Apologies for the dirty mirror, but I was so excited that I didn't take the time to clean it. These will work with jeans, chinos and a well-chosen suit - the navy blue, I believe.
Success! From "I've never heard of this brand" to "OMGthesearesoawesome" in just a couple of days. Now, do I spring for the black ones, too?