SHOP $120.00, drmartens.com
Welcome to The Esquire Endorsem*nt. Heavily researched. Thoroughly vetted. These picks are the best way to spend your hard-earned cash.
These days, any shoe that's a) not lined in fleece or b) able to easily convert into a slip-on is a serious no-go. And I get it, dude. I'm with you. We're all only human, and the last thing any of us need right now is an additional iota of discomfort to compound the everyday misery of our already-miserable lives. But sometimes the only thing you need to snap yourself out of a rut is a new pair of shoes—at least, that's what I've been telling myself—and what is 2020 but one long rut with no foreseeable end in sight?
If you're looking to shop away the pain, you can't do much better than Dr. Martens' genuinely timeless 1461 leather oxford, a silhouette that earned its associations with the counterculture the hard way and is suddenly looking like the sturdy, reliable shoe you're going to want lace-up (!) throughout this fall.
A durable Goodyear welt lends the shoe a reassuring heftiness.
They work with everything you should be wearing right now.
Docs in general tend to be pretty flattering shoes, and the brand's classic three-eyelet oxford is no exception. These shoes are so damn versatile even your swagless—sorry, ah, "stylistically challenged"—homie from high school could plausibly get off a bona fide fit wearing them. (Parents: Talk to your children about swaglessness today!)
Rock 'em with a fuzzy, slightly oversized cardigan and faded vintage jeans. Rock 'em with a cropped work jacket and wide-legged corduroy trousers—bonus points if they're pleated. Hell, rock 'em with a well-cut pair of shorts and some thick camp socks for a look that emulates the inimitable goofball energy of Tyler, the Creator at his neo-prep best. Trust me, man: You really can't go wrong.
The shoes’ distinctive yellow stitching marks them as Docs from a mile away.
SHOP $120.00, drmartens.com
They're sturdier than any pair of sneakers.
These bad boys ain't another pair of dainty little sneakers that'll scuff at the first hint of dirt. No, Docs are grown-ass shoes that'll saunter up to those precious sneakers gathering dust in the back of your closet, look them straight in the eye, and then let them know in no uncertain terms that they eat footwear like them for breakfast. *Extremely Bane voice* Oh, you think leather is your ally? You merely adopted the material. I was born in it, molded by it!
And you can forget the dopp kit full of cleaning supplies you used to dutifully tote around with you to make sure your shoes stayed crispy at all times, because these sturdy stompers only look better—you guessed it—the more beat up they get. (Man, sneakerheads used to be out here wiping down their footwear more scrupulously than they did any part of their whole damn body. Take a shower, dog! You smell like a half-empty bottle of Jason Markk.) The point is, Dr. Martens' shoes are built to last, and if you're ready to put in the time breaking them in, last they will.
Smooth leather sits atop Dr. Martens’ truly iconic air-cushioned sole.
They don't break the bank.
If you're an avid reader of this site, you know we're all about scouring the deepest depths of the dark web—or at least, like, doing a preliminary Google search—to find the sweetest deals around for all you style-savvy bargain-hunters. These shoes aren't dirt cheap, per se, but they're in that realm of general affordability that's catnip to any spendthrift fashion-lover. And for all the slowly recovering classic menswear heads out there, you'll be happy to hear that your money is once again going towards some sweet, sweet, Goodyear-welted goodness. (And FWIW: Ya'll are really worrying about the wrong soles.)
So if you're looking to spring on a pair of shoes to wear as soon as you're ready to start wearing shoes again, these are them. Because there's no doubt we're living through some strange times but, as it turns out, these shoes might be exactly....what the doctor ordered.
Damn, sometimes I swear this sh*t writes itself. That's all, folks. I'm out.
SHOP $120.00, drmartens.com
