If there is one clothing item or accessory that I have to control myself over when I find them on sale, it would certainly be boots and shoes by Dr. Martens.
Recently, I’ve been finding them at places like Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack. Just this past week, I was doing my own version of “girl math” whilst trying on a pair of Doc Marten 2976 chelsea boots. What failed to calculate in this equation was that they were white.
Trust me, even though I had limited uses for it, I tried justifying dropping $90 then and there.
Though there are a multitude of boot brands with more “masculine” and “tough” silhouettes such as Timberland, or made with better QC such as Solovair, I’ve stayed incredibly loyal to the legendary British staple.
I don’t identify as someone linked with the punk or alt scene, however, rather my introduction into Docs comes from a very surprising place.
K-Pop and K-Dramas. I remember when I got into K-pop in around 2009-2010, Docs were on the feet of certain idol groups and had product placement schemes on shows like Boys Over Flowers.
I remember that the lead in Boys Over Flowers; Jan Di, who was purportedly depicted as a lower-class person, was outfitted with a signature pair of the Doc’s black lace-up 1460 boot (which cost $120 at the time, and now) to accompany her Shinhwa high uniform.
What made me ask for a pair from my sister for Christmas when I was in 7th grade was seeing members of SHINee rock them. They were dancing in them in videos and live performances of “Ring Ding Dong,” “Hello,” and “Lucifer.”
They looked cool as fuck and I sure as hell felt like it when I wore it the friday after I first got it.
Fridays in middle school were the prime time to show off any new joints you got. It was the time of the “swag era,” so whether you had a new Obey hat, Diamond Supply, neff or Stussy shirt, or a fresh pair of Jordans, that was the day to show them shits off.
Now, that was the day I found out the unique dynamics of the Doc Marten boot. Every pair of Docs needs to be “broken in,” it’s an uncomfortable period where the shoes are stiff and gradually stretches and molds to your feet. They are comfortable because of the “Air Wair” soles (which feel similar to Nike Air), but uncomfortable because they are stiff and heavy.
Besides that, wearing the Docs in the environment I was in was, um, let’s say tough. This was like 2012-2013, Tyler, The Creator was still rapping about stabbing Bruno Mars in his esophagus and dropping F-slurs at a rate deemed cancellable by his current demographic.
I never got into fights at school, but the closest thing to it was when I kicked [name withheld] straight in the nuts for saying that my docs “make me look like a [F-slur].”
I kicked him so hard in the nuts, it made a noise. It made a noise so loud, it got the attention of everyone in the hallway. I am surprised he is able to make a child.
It affected me to a point where the next time I wore the boots was in high school, where I learned about its cultural connotations in the punk scene and made friends with more open-minded individuals - at least those that didn’t automatically come to the conclusion of calling people the F-slur when they see people like me wearing them.
I’m glad we have come to this point, but I am sure there are still those kinds of assholes living amongst us.
At this moment right now, there is a bigger barrier to people getting Docs. These days, an equivalent pair can run you back a whopping $170. One hundred seventy dollars.
I get it, there are more expensive things. The signature wheat 6-inch Timbs cost $198. Blundstones cost $228. Our Legacy Camions will run you close to $600 and YSL Wyatt shoes will run you double that.
Mentioning the designer fashion stuff is besides the point, but I am pretty sure there was a time when Blundstones and 6-inch Timbs did not cost near or above $200. When Docs were introduced back in the sixties in the UK, it cost three pounds, or about $50, adjusted for inflation.
That’s what strikes me; $200 for a shoe that most mere mortal civilians wear for two seasons.
I get it, it’s something built to last; the same pair of docs from 7th grade is still serving me after all this time.
There are some shoes that Dr. Martens doesn’t make, or makes in a way that turns me off from them, such as brogues, cuban heeled boots and sneakers. (I really would not buy a pair of sneakers from Doc Martens.)
But even with these shortcomings from the brand itself, I feel loyal to the brand because of how long it takes for you to truly appreciate the products. I am currently 24 and I have had mine since I was 13. There are people that have had theirs for much longer, and some of those pairs you can still buy second hand.
Like I mentioned in the beginning, you can find them on sale, or at some Nordstrom Racks, Marshalls and TJ Maxx’s if you like to bargain hunt. Try them on, they might not be for you, but you might look cool in them.
Ingat.