In Review: Nordstrom’s $80 Made in Italy Suede Chukka

Nordstrom 1901 Made in Italy ‘Tyler’ Chukka ‘ $79.90 ($125)

1901 is one of Nordstrom’s, in-house brands. Like Calibrate, they’re a Nordstrom exclusive, offering younger leaning styles for bargains, and the quality is certainly there as well.

But an $80, made in Italy boot? That’s just generous.

The soles on these are almost certainly cemented. The stitching around the “welt” is almost certainly just there for looks. But they still deliver for the price. They’re a basic, they’re comfortable, they’re versatile, and since it’s Nordstrom? They ship and return for free.

Slim with a classic but not bulbous toe.

These are somewhere between a desert boot and a slim chukka. The shape is sleeker and they have a bit more structure than a standard desert boot, so you could wear them with jeans and a sportcoat. But unlike some sleek dress chukkas, these would look really odd with a suit.

Made in Italy boots for $80. Nice work Nordstrom.

Color can look quite different depending on the light. Indoors they seem to lean more towards a light bark brown. Outside? They can lighten up to almost elephant grey. Bottom line: You can wear these with either black or brown belts and watch straps.

Sometimes grey, sometimes a light brown. More grey in person compared to
the light brown shown on the Nordstrom site.

Quality and comfort is impressive for the price. They might be a touch long for some feet, but nowhere near clown-shoe territory. They’re well cushioned (as if the red “shock absorber” heel dot wasn’t a big enough clue) and cinch up nicely thanks to surprisingly high quality laces. Sure, laces might seem like a forgettable bit to most, but sturdy cord-style laces, like these, means a secure fit and no breaking or fraying if you pull too hard.

Good quality suede, uniform stitching, and sturdy laces.

The suede has a nice, soft, medium nap, and the designers (thankfully) decided against any obnoxious sanding down/burnishing at the toe or heel. Interior is lined with a brushed, Prince of Wales style plaid fabric. Soles are a crepe-style. Sizing seems true, with a 44 EU (10 – 10.5) fitting my normally 10.5 D feet really well, right out of the box.

They’re currently 36% off as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. $79.95 now, but they shoot up to $125 once the sale ends on August 7th. If you’re in the market for a super versatile, casual to smart casual boot for the fall, then they’re worth a good strong look.