Alfani Viking Work Boot – $69.99 (reg. $99.99) | ASOS Lace and Zip Boots – $92.65
Details Magazine already called the modern American work boot as a trend to watch for this fall. As a guy who spent a lot of his formative years outdoors, a good pair of work boots is something I’d feel weird without. And I also feel weird about using “Details Magazine” and “Work Boot” in the same paragraph.
This style of work boot isn’t waterproof, they aren’t big time hikers, and they’re not even steel toed
I know what some of you more grizzled types are saying: “What the hell kind of WORK can you do in a non-waterproof soft and slim toe boot anyway?” Relax tough guy. Not everyone bench presses dead bear carcasses on the weekends like you do. Sometimes a boot can be just a boot.
What you want is a pair that have a slim (but not pointy) toe, enough height that it covers all of your ankle, and laces. Not elastic gore sides, not just zippers, but laces.
They will treat you well. You will get them dirty, and scuffed, and they along with you, will look all the better for it.
ASOS Work Boot also available in black:
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Great post Joe! What do you think of the Timberland’s Earthkeepers? Slightly different look to them. I’ve run across them before and Macy’s just linked me to them. Thoughts?
Also, do you have a brown/black preference? I’m leaning towards brown, but maybe black is more versatile?
Cheers,
Ben
Those earthkeepers are really nice imo. In terms of black vs brown, I have a nice mixture of brown and black shoes/boots and I find myself almost always wearing the brown. I kinda don’t agree with black being more versatile, brown can go with almost anything and it has a much nicer punch (imo) than a black equivalent.. mainly because most people wear black over brown so you can look a little unique. So if you decide to agree with me, don’t spread to your friends 😛
@Ben: Thanks for the kind words. I love the look of the Earthkeepers, but for $160 (and here comes the reasonable part of me) they better not just look like a work boot, but they better be the real deal. Something I can hit the mountains in… like these from Asolo. Now the style quotient goes out the window on those compared to the earthkeepers. But for that much, I need some dependable functionality. But I also love a good hike, and have been in dire need of a gore-tex boot upgrade for sometime.
Oh, and for the workboot color? I’m with Bryan. Brown. Dress boots = black. Work boot = brown (if you had to pick).
Nope… I wore combat boots for nearly six years while I was in the Army. The day I got out, I decided I’d never wear a pair again — and the Viking and ASOS workboot looks way too much like the once I ditched.
Now then, I ask people to consider how they would wear them. I can’t see anyone blousing their jeans around them, and it seems pointless to have an expensive pair no one can see when your pantlegs only hide them.
I prefer the classic timberland 6″ which are both waterproof, tough, and look great. I like to tuck my jeans underneath the boot so the snow doesn’t get in and I’ve done it a few times when there is no snow and they look great regardless. They’re everywhere so you can get them for under a hundred bucks if you look hard enough. But I wanna add to my wish list those boots/sneakers you wrote a post about a while back ago. Do you remember what I’m talking about? They had like a shell toe but I can’t remember the brand name.
Was it Palladium?
@ Bryan:
Haha I certainly agree and won’t mention that to others! Both brown and black can be applied to either, I think, but my preference for a work boot would be brown.
@ Joe:
I remember those Palladium too Joe! Those are seriously sweet… I’m curious what your thoughts are on some of the others that Palladium makes though (urban outfitters doesn’t stock them anymore)
Of the following, what would your pick be?
Canvas in stonewash metal: http://www.palladiumboots.com/cgi-bin/palladium/store/product_detail.html?mv_arg=x&pid=02352:090
The “Pampas II” in Brown: http://www.palladiumboots.com/cgi-bin/palladium/store/product_detail.html?pid=02360:255
Or this “Pallabrouse” in Metal/Black: http://www.palladiumboots.com/cgi-bin/palladium/store/product_detail.html?pid=02477:029
Sorry for the long post with so many questions!
Cheers,
Ben
@Ben: Nice! I didn’t realize palladium had come out with a couple of new lines. I like all of them, but the slimmed down toe on the II’s stands out to me. I say those in brown. (But I like contrast too, so even the black pair appeal to me as well)
Love this post! Workboots are such a great deviation on the traditional workwear trend–gives it a rugged twist. We featured your pictures on our online magazine– Check it out at http://xaxii.com/article?art=fruits-of-your-labor-the-workwear-trend