Men’s Boots Styles
Our guide to men’s boots is here to help you decipher the different styles and designs. With so many styles on the market, deciding which men’s boots are best for your occasion can be difficult. We take a look at the fantastic Chelsea boot, obviously! We also look at the many other designs, including the Desert, Jodhpur, and Alpine boots. There are many different boots available, all made from different materials like Suede, Nubuck and traditional Leather.
Chelsea Boots
The classic and always stylish Chelsea boot, a close-fitting ankle-high boot, made with elastic side panels, also known as gussets. The Chelsea boot, usually made with finger loop pull tabs at the rear or sometimes front and rear enables an easy pull-on of the boot. The iconic footwear of the ’60s and still today, worn by the Beatles, Rolling Stones and many more. Often associated with the mod scene, today people like Beckham and Pitt wear these stylish men’s boots.
Desert Boots
The Desert Boot, introduced by Nathan Clark in 1941 while stationed in Burma in the British Army continues to be a fashion staple now. A Desert traditional Desert boot design should have a Suede upper and Crepe sole. The Desert boot is an ankle boot with 2 or 3 eyelets and an open lacing system to fasten.
Chukka Boots
The Chukka boot, very similar to the Desert boot in looks and design, however, there are many variations between these boots. The Chukka boot, traditionally made with leather uppers and fitted with a variety of sole materials like rubber. Also an ankle-high boot, like the Desert boot, the Chukka first became a casual form of footwear in the 1940s.
Work Boots
The work boot, designed to be a hard-wearing and rugged boot has become as popular in fashion as on the building site. Usually with a protective steel-toe cap reinforcement to protect the wearer’s toes. A heavy-duty boot with a mid-sole plate to protect from nails and spikes. As well as keeping your feet safe at work, the design of the work boot keeps your feet dry and warm in outdoor conditions. Made with premium leather the work boot is generally a waterproof and breathable boot with tough laces and eyelets for a secure fit.
The protective toe caps were traditionally made from Steel, hence, “Steel Toe-Caps”, though this did not make the boots heavy. The modern toe caps, made from a variety of materials, including TPU, Aluminium as well as composite materials offer the same amount of protection. Some work boots designed for use on construction sites have to have a certificate to meet standards of protection, to keep you safe from impact, electric shock and chemicals.
Jodphur Boots
The first Jodphur men’s boot style was introduced in the 1920s in India and worn by polo riders on their horses. The Jodphur is an ankle boot design with a rounded toe and a low heel. Originally the Jodphur boot was fastened with a strap that ran around the ankle completely passing through a loop sewn at the back of the boots. The modern Jodphur boots include designs with straps that do not wrap around the ankle and also have elastic side panels, like the Chelsea boot. The Jodphur boot made by Crockett & Jones is the boot of choice worn by James Bond!
Dress Boots
A Dress boot is a men’s boot style that has a smart, more traditional boot for pairing with a suit for a more formal look for a more formal occasion. A short leather boot that is usually ankle-high. The Dress boot, associated with being worn in wet and colder weather conditions, keeps your feet dry as opposed to wearing shoes when a smarter look is needed. The Dress boot comes in all types of styles and designs, including Brogue, Wing-Tip and Toe-Cap.
Alpine Boots
The Alpine boot, usually made taller than normal boots and designed for use in extreme conditions. Made from a variety of materials including leather and synthetics. The ideal men’s boot to wear in shallow slushy snow, the Alpine boot will keep your feet warm and dry in the coldest of conditions.
Harness Boots
The Harness boot, often a heavyweight boot made for motorcycle riders. They can vary in height from short boots to tall near knee-length boots. Designed to protect motorcycle riders from the heat of the exhaust as they sit on the bike and also from injury if they were to fall off the bike. Often made with a steel toe-cap as well as a metal shank in the heel. A tough and hard-wearing boot made to withstand all sorts of conditions.
The boots designed with 4 leather straps and 2 metal rings offer the wearer the protection they need. The rings are on the inside and outside of the ankles of the boots. With reinforced heels and soles made from rubber and styled with a square toe.
Wellington Boots
The modern Wellington boot has become quite a fashion statement. A waterproof boot usually made from rubber or PVC. Leather, a material also used for tall boots, but more commonly known as country boots. The ideal boots for activities in the field or walking in wet and cold conditions. With many different uses the versatile Wellington worn by farmers and industrial workers as well as fashionistas alike is a must-wardrobe addition. Neoprene lined, Wool, lined, with an adjustable strap or without, the Wellington is a must for those wet, muddy afternoons watching sports or walking through the countryside.
Monkey Boots
The Original Monkey boots were worn by the Czechoslovakian army in World War 2. Designed to be practical, lightweight and durable for soldiers. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Mod generation started wearing Monkey boots, paired with Harrington jackets as well as Scooters. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Punks and Skinheads wore the Monkey boot along with their DM’s. The Monkey boots traditionally had a tractor pattern or knobbly sole with metal eyelets all the way down the boot. The different variations of the sole on modern boots include rubber, leather and synthetics.