Footwear to go with our jackets

[milkbaby]

They protect a boots tongue from being worn into by the laces, especially when using a particularly durable lace which can be more prone to doing this.
They can also add a tad bit of thickness to the tongue and help snug up a fit just a little.
I can understand not liking the look ( I don't like dress boots or cap toes ), but most people can actually benefit from them at least to some degree.

I have low instep and skinny ankles, so kilties often help snug up that area. My feet are like duck feet, wide up front and low volume, so kilties help refine the fit, and I personally love the look too!

 

[milkbaby]

 

[barnabus]

View attachment 674730

Wow!

 

[navetsea]

I'm in the process of getting my first engineer boots, nothing fancy though just local bootmaker and just local cowhide... and ugh I picked longer and flatter toes like chelsea boots, I know it won't look like the real deal but I don't think cowhide will look good on rounder/ fuller toes since it won't roll and will only crease, it's hand welted but on the more budget side of thing because my budget for it is not much and I want 4cm heelstack

 

[Herrvallmo]

I'm in the process of getting my first engineer boots, nothing fancy though just local bootmaker and just local cowhide... and ugh I picked longer and flatter toes like chelsea boots, I know it won't look like the real deal but I don't think cowhide will look good on rounder/ fuller toes since it won't roll and will only crease, it's hand welted but on the more budget side of thing because my budget for it is not much and I want 4cm heelstack

I've seen some cowhide engineers with amazing rolls/patina so I wouldn't write of cowhide just like that

Did you design the boots yourself @navetsea? love your jackets so I'm very curious what you would cook up if designing boots

Cheers mate

 

[navetsea]

I've seen some cowhide engineers with amazing rolls/patina so I wouldn't write of cowhide just like that

Did you design the boots yourself @navetsea? love your jackets so I'm very curious what you would cook up if designing boots

Cheers mate

Thanks, I did draw my preference, but due to the nature of the lower price I have lower expectation and not sure how close or far it would follow my drawing but I shall make peace with it, what I know I picked oxblood oilpull cowhide and I want the side of the sole and welt to be lightly stained black, and I wanted the square edge of the outsole to be profiled or trimmed into a angle all around, I wanted logger heel with some shelf on the back to hold the hem of the pants kinda like spur shelf thing, 270 gyw, but I don't know if they use machine or actually hand welt. I will show the drawing once I accept the boots so it won't create any fake expectation since I will wear whatever it would be and won't be hypercritical about it

 

[Herrvallmo]

Thanks, I did draw my preference, but due to the nature of the lower price I have lower expectation and not sure how close or far it would follow my drawing but I shall make peace with it, what I know I picked oxblood oilpull cowhide and I want the side of the sole and welt to be lightly stained black, and I wanted the square edge of the outsole to be profiled or trimmed into a angle all around, I wanted logger heel with some shelf on the back to hold the hem of the pants kinda like spur shelf thing, 270 gyw, but I don't know if they use machine or actually hand welt. I will show the drawing once I accept the boots so it won't create any fake expectation since I will wear whatever it would be and won't be hypercritical about it

Please do show when you are ready mate, I'm very interested but from what you wrote I think it'll be a winner, oxblood/burgundy matches amazing with most colors(oxblood + black is a personal favorite of mine).

Cheers and have a great weekend!

 

[Edward]

They protect a boots tongue from being worn into by the laces, especially when using a particularly durable lace which can be more prone to doing this.
They can also add a tad bit of thickness to the tongue and help snug up a fit just a little.
I can understand not liking the look ( I don't like dress boots or cap toes ), but most people can actually benefit from them at least to some degree.

They're something I was never really aware of until I started moving in these circles. Obviously not something you typically see on your average footwear these days - an easy thing to exclude when building a boot to a price point. I'd be interested to try some at some stage, though, having become more aware over the years of their utilitarian function. They're one of those thing that I very much did not cared for the look of until I started to appreciate their function more, now I rather like them. They are of course utilitarian to a point - I mean, my Iron Rangers are now about a dozen years old. The tongues on those are very much shaped to where my laces fall. Nothing I'd call 'damage', but you can see the imprint of the laces and the tongues are a darker colour where they fall (noticeable as my IRS are in the 'Amber' colour). I'm planning to pick up a pair in black in the next year or so; it would be interesting to experiment with a kiltie on those to compare. I've not thought before about the idea of them helping snug up a boot just a little (I've only really had than need with penny loafers and engineer boots), but I can see that coming into play. The idea of them being protective would make a lot of sense where - as you note - the tongue is made deliberately softer.

I finally received the Rose Anvil Kilties for my USGI ICW boots ( they were on vacation) and I think they were a good addition.
View attachment 674544
I just didn't want these to look like combat boots, and I think these achieved that.

Soon as I scrolled down far enough to see that first shot, my first thought was how significantly these demiitarise the look - before I saw your comment that that was the intent. Job very much done! I've been tempted to try a pair of the ww2 style brown jump boots before now - that might well be something I'll try with those.

 

[red devil]

Please do show when you are ready mate, I'm very interested but from what you wrote I think it'll be a winner, oxblood/burgundy matches amazing with most colors(oxblood + black is a personal favorite of mine).

Cheers and have a great weekend!

Agreed burgundy is more versatile than either black or brown.

 

[Edward]

Agreed burgundy is more versatile than either black or brown.

For sure it's the universal leather colour. I wish more manufacturers would make it as much a default as black or brown.

 

[AeroFan_07]

^^ @handymike Thanks for sharing this article. I will do more research on this firm, as I flew back from Montana (via Dallas) with someone who worked for "Republic Boot Company" and claimed their boots started out at $2200+ and went up from there. As can clearly been seen here - that is not the case - https://republicboothouston.com/collections/republic-mens

Still made in US & Texas, but not a 2K boot.