Put On Your Boots

Marlon Brando wore them in The Wild One and James Dean provided an endorsement in Rebel Without A Cause. They've been modelled by everyone from Joe Strummer and Sharlene Spiteri to Tom Waits, Springsteen and er, The Fonz. The engineer boot, y'see is a design classic, a well-fashioned piece of workwear that has vigour, practiciality and an insouciant regard to the pipe and slippers tendency.

They say the style was birthed in the late 1930s and sold by companies like Chippewa in Wisconsin and Wesco in Oregon. Collectors will rave about the gradual evolution of the boot, with the rivets, the arrow stitching, the leather welts and metal shanks. A steel toe cap is a must, and never a square one. Vibram soles are acceptable and vintage raspberry tops will cost you plenty, pal.

Back in the day, they were popular with land surveyors, but the post war set went booting around in their Harleys. Somewhere in my cassette archives, there's a song by Westworld (remember 'Sonic Boom Boy'?) that praises the iconic value of said footwear. I believe it's simply called 'Steel Toed Engineer Boots'. And why not?

I had a pair of pretend engineer boots for a while, and I always felt like a bit of an imposter. Now I've just taken custody of a proper pair, sourced online and properly heavy and functional. I may never ride a V Twin and there's not much rebellion left in the old bones, but I do like those boots.