The Fall Has Begun

Well, it has begun to put a claim on my money, anyway. It is time to take a break from displaying my nerd credentials, which are at this point self-evident, to discuss, in this case, boots. Simply put, these boots are killing it. Yuketen has been has been making gorgeous goods since 1985, and in my personal opinion, designer and founder Yuki Matsuda has knocked it out of the park with these Maine Guide DB Chukkas. Horween leather from my hometown of Chicago, hand-sewn moccasin construction, and a real cool ankle height boot with a crepe sole. Wear these with chinos or jeans, or if you are real confident, shorts. I don't think there is a wrong move, except not to get them. Time to start selling organs folks! Available at Context. Now go buy them! But leave a pair in size 11 for me.

Killing

it

Wish List Gift #1 - Iron Ranger Boots

With the Holidays upon us, I thought I'd share some of what I hope someone is buying me for Christmas, Hanukkah or whatever. Simply for being me.

Red Wing Iron Ranger Boots -

I love these boots. Similar to the Russet Service shoe worn early in World War 2. The Iron Ranger has a cap toe much like it, but with speed laces, which I appreciate. Originally sold by Red Wing in 1953, the Iron Rangers are a welcome re-issue to their line up. The cap toe, and variety of leathers to chose from, makes picking up a pair of these an easy decision. Check 'em out below:



And here's this years limited model, for J. Crew:


Here's a picture of the Russet Service Shoe, which the Iron Ranger looks much like (Different sole):

Context IN the Press

A short and simple post today: Context is in the news. The store launched in 2005, and it's great to see it getting national attention. In the December 2009 issue of GQ, in their "Best Stuff 2009" feature their Alden collaboration Roy Boots made the list. Check them out:







These shoes are on their third pre-order, and this was before the national exposure.

Context was also featured in the December/January issue of Monocle; a magazine I've just discovered, and can't say enough good things about. Good journalism, a nice blend of content, and a great layout. Check out the "Local Heroes" on page 154. Hopefully this is just a sign of things to come.

Red Wing Gentleman Travelers

About a year ago, I purchased a pair of Red Wing boots. Specifically, they were the Gentlemen Traveler series, in Black Cherry "Chromexcel" leather. This leather was made by the Horween company in Chicago Illinois. The ironic part about all this was the fact that these boots were not at the time available for purchase in the United States. They were made in Red Wing, Minnesota, of leather made by a company in Chicago, Illinois, and I had to purchase them from a website based in Germany. Isn't globalization grand? Here is a picture of the boots new, from the website I purchased them from - Cultizm.

New:
Here's a few photos of my pair, which have been worn for a year, in all sorts of different weather:


The initial break-in period lasted a few weeks, and did cause some foot pain. However, once the boots were broken in, they became quite comfortable, and I can wear them all day without any issues whatsoever. The leather is purported to be waterproof, and while I doubt that, I have managed to keep my feet dry in rain, snow and slush. If only they had speed lace eyelets, they'd be perfect.

Duck, Duck, Boots!

I've lived in Chicago my entire life. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait for winter so I could wear my moon boots - elastic topped affairs with removable warm foam inserts. I felt like an astronaut. Fast forward to adulthood, and winter has become a dreaded affair. Cold winds, dirty brown-black salt water filled puddles and icy sidewalks await my morning commute. After years of dealing with it - the wet sock, salt stained jeans and cold ass feet, I decided to strike back. I bought these:
Simply the best money I've ever spent. The shearling lining (and Thinsulate insole) keep my feet warm, and the dark brown color is much preferred to the normal. The 10 inch height allows my pants to stay salt free and the bottoms do actually provide traction. They even look something (at least I can imagine there is a resemblance) like WW2 era high altitude boots:
Bring it on, snow!