Forum menu
In the early 1990's I worked at Laura Ashley as a Saturday girl.
The manageress warned me that I wasn't to carry on wearing my black patent leather docs, as they didn't fit in with the 'look' that Laura Ashley wanted to uphold.
To be fair they did look a bit odd with the 'smocks' that were the uniform of the day, and floral floaty frocks.
I have CAT boots. Very similar. Black. Yellow stitching and logo. Mostly worn with my kilt.
I had some CAT boots years ago, I remember them being comfy and hard wearing. Now timberland have upped price and downed quality I may well get another pair of CATs when the time comes.
Just got some new waxy leather 939s.
My boots normally crack above my toe joint. What non sticky, waterproofing ,conditioner should I try?
10yr old daughter wears the to school, start em young.
As House of Pain once said;
'put on your sh1t kickers and kick some sh1t'.
Bought a pair 8 hole boots for the first time in years just before Christmas. Went into the shop in Reading and I was the oldest person in there.
"Are they for you sir ?" said the puzzled shop girl.
I felt like saying " look love, I was wearing DMs before your parents were a twinkle in you grandparents' eyes".
Instead I said "Yes, I find the soles give me confidence on icy pavements". 🙁
What non sticky, waterproofing ,conditioner should I try?
You could try DM's own made for that particular leather.
Still got a pair of 2976 in brown (Gaucho I think they call it) which are just so comfy they'll have to be replaced wit the same when they finally give up.
You could try DM’s own made for that particular leather.
Yep - DM wonder balsam is the best for these. Or for treating any (non patent) leather come to that.
Seems expensive for a small tin but one tin lasts for ages so it works out ok 👍
Don't own any now, but had to as a teen,.... due to being an art student, a fan of Indie music and lived in Rushden!
I'm in the market for a pair and was looking on ebay earlier......found these which the seller claims have only been worn twice.
what he didn't specifically say was that the first time he wore them it was for 15 minutes, and the second time for 15 months!!!
yup, steel toe cap safety boots, my standard work shoe when in a lab
At a trade fair and I'd say 90% of DM wearers are ladeez.
Mighty fine they look in them too.
I've just returned to them after 20yrs. 2 weeks ago I bought a pair of cherry 1460's, I forgot how long they take to break in but they are showing potential and I only need a couple of plasters now
Came here to see who would be brave enough to put the obvious stereotyped answer.....
sign of the times
I have a pair of Cherry 1460’s and a pair of their Crofton boots that i originally bought for work, but they are too nice to ruin. Easily the most comfortable pairs of footwear i have ever had.
Doc M boots are the stuff of childhood pain and nightmares.
Redwing, Chippewa or Fracap boots FTW.
I'm still hanging on to a pair of Timbie GTX moccasin boots. The best Timberland ever made IMO.
CAT....head wobble.
Same boots as zippy
Same boots as zippy
Me too. I wear them everyday as part of my “smart casual” work wear. The black collar bit is peeling horrifically now though..I’ll try the balsam.
Yup. Favourite footwear ever. Currently have three pairs of boots. Only today have I taken delivery of some 14-hole 1B99s to replace my beloved-but-knackered antique red 9733s. They are my work footwear of choice. And I’m a middle-aged woman.
I really don't get why DM's are trendy now.. They are just ugly
Every day at school for the last 20 years.
Get about 5 years out of a pair.
Oh crikes - one pair will be the last before retirement!
I really don’t get why DM’s are trendy now.. They are just ugly
Ummm, they’re not ‘trendy’ now, any more than they’ve ever been ‘trendy’ - they’re recognised and appreciated as a fine item of footwear with an established heritage among a wide section of society.
@zippykona - you could try Renapur wax. It’s great stuff, you can use it on waxed cotton and leather, I’ve got an old leather bike jacket I bought second-hand that was really stiff - it would literally stand upright! I bought a tub of Renapur for treating a waxed cotton coat, and gave the jacket a couple of good treatments, now it just collapses when I try to stand it up!
It’s still fairly stiff, but a lot more flexible than it was when I bought it.
Couldn’t bear to part with it, it’s got a Tank Girl sketch on the lining drawn by Jamie Hewlett when he was with Deadline Comic.
https://www.renapur.com/
No. Never saw the attraction.
Looked in the DM shop in Edinburgh and couldn't believe how much they cost nowadays. Had them when I was a teenager partly because they were cheap.
I really hope so!
Looked in the DM shop in Edinburgh and couldn’t believe how much they cost nowadays. Had them when I was a teenager partly because they were cheap.
Same here. Would love a pair of Docs now, but put off by the price and some reports that quality has dropped through the floor.
The old uk factory is still going, just not super cheaply, get good reviews. After a 25 year gap I've just bought some work shoes from dr marten, seem fine for £60 made in China efforts. Pretty comfy but heals are pretty baggy.
some reports that quality has dropped through the floor.
New Doc's time coming up soon and I've been reading that the quality control is a bit hit and miss these days. I'm trying to decide between a pair of made in England 1460's, or a pair of Solovair Derby's (their 1460). Not buying a pair of Martens after 45 years of wearing them feels dirty and like being unfaithful?
Anyone gone down the Solovair route? I'd miss the yellow stitching.
Anyone gone down the Solovair route? I’d miss the yellow stitching.
Thinking about it.
I was in the Glasgow Dr Martens shop at the weekend to have a look at the made in England 1490s in the flesh. You can see the differences, when you compare the made in England boots next to the imported ones.
I'm torn between a pair of Solovairs, or MiE DMs, as they are the same price. Leaning towards Solovair as they are a wee company, rather than the international concern that DMs are now.
I’m torn between a pair of Solovairs, or MiE DMs, as they are the same price. Leaning towards Solovair as they are a wee company, rather than the international concern that DMs are now.
This.
...but I need yellow stitching! 😃
I used to re yellow the stitching on my dms with the yellow crayon from a puncture outfit. That might work on your Solovairs.
Solovair here, like DMs but made in UK, pretty sure they used to make DMs