Footwear to go with our jackets

[Tom71]

Ok, I took the plunge.

Last year I got some Wesco Mr Lou’s after getting introduced to Engineer Boots right here. I felt self conscious for some time, convinced everybody was staring at them. That passed, and now they barely leave my feet as long as I don’t intend to walk longer stretches (or work, of course).

That experience encouraged me to take the last step too: “Cowboy” Boots from Rios of Mercedes (x Fortela). Instant love!

 

[Pandemic]

Ok, I took the plunge.

Last year I got some Wesco Mr Lou’s after getting introduced to Engineer Boots right here. I felt self conscious for some time, convinced everybody was staring at them. That passed, and now they barely leave my feet as long as I don’t intend to walk longer stretches (or work, of course).

That experience encouraged me to take the last step too: “Cowboy” Boots from Rios of Mercedes (x Fortela). Instant love!

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let’s see that heel!!! These look awesome.

 

[red devil]

Ok, I took the plunge.

Last year I got some Wesco Mr Lou’s after getting introduced to Engineer Boots right here. I felt self conscious for some time, convinced everybody was staring at them. That passed, and now they barely leave my feet as long as I don’t intend to walk longer stretches (or work, of course).

That experience encouraged me to take the last step too: “Cowboy” Boots from Rios of Mercedes (x Fortela). Instant love!

View attachment 368005

Wow! They look really cool!

What convinced to try western boots was seeing someone at an Iron Heart event. They just worked perfectly with blue jeans

 

[Psant25]

Ok, I took the plunge.

Last year I got some Wesco Mr Lou’s after getting introduced to Engineer Boots right here. I felt self conscious for some time, convinced everybody was staring at them. That passed, and now they barely leave my feet as long as I don’t intend to walk longer stretches (or work, of course).

That experience encouraged me to take the last step too: “Cowboy” Boots from Rios of Mercedes (x Fortela). Instant love!

View attachment 368005

Looks great! I should be getting my rios boots any week now. Has been about 6 months wait…

 

[ABCD]

Ok, I took the plunge.

Last year I got some Wesco Mr Lou’s after getting introduced to Engineer Boots right here. I felt self conscious for some time, convinced everybody was staring at them. That passed, and now they barely leave my feet as long as I don’t intend to walk longer stretches (or work, of course).

That experience encouraged me to take the last step too: “Cowboy” Boots from Rios of Mercedes (x Fortela). Instant love!

View attachment 368005

The are awesome. Did you have to fly to Texas to get these, or do they have stockists in Europe?

 

[Pandemic]

Is anyone here familiar with Santa Rosa engineers? It looks like they only do mtm for in-person customers.

 

[Tom71]

The are awesome. Did you have to fly to Texas to get these, or do they have stockists in Europe?

Fortela of Milan did a collab with them. They are very responsive as concerns sizing info etc.

 

[Tom71]

let’s see that heel!!! These look awesome.

Haha, thanks! Heels are pretty unobstrusive. Will see that I do a photo later. Will wear them later to a Banksy exhibition. Let’s see what my wife has to say to that.

 

[Tom71]

Looks great! I should be getting my rios boots any week now. Has been about 6 months wait…

Looking forward to seeing them when they arrive!

I know nothing about western boots, makers etc. other than the “barely scratch the surface” European perception of all things Americana.
I am glad that I was able to get the Rios as an OTR model as I probably would not have dared going custom on an item as alien to me as that. Zero wait time as a bonus, of course…

 

[Tom71]

Thank you for the very positive feedback on the western boots. That is reassuring for me!

I am a small town boy, and in my teens “Cowboy” boots on a bloke were considered a big no (girls not so much. That was considered weird but was tolerated). I know of one schoolmate who appeared in western boots to a party. He was literally laughed off the scene. Boots never appeared again.
Funny, really: I was in my teens during the 80’s and everybody just loved all things American. When it came to imitating certain iconic looks however, tolerance usually faded pretty fast (at least in my very, very remote neck of the world). Western boots would be one example, but it was more or less the same with RayBan Aviators or “Top ***” jackets.

Equally funny: when I wear items some off the beaten track nowadays (patched up G1, Boots,…), reactions are always very positive if I get a comment at all. I guess it’s all about wearing the stuff and not letting it wear you, but it may be a certain element of “trying to be young again too . Of course, I am now living in a much more urban surroundings, so people are used to all sorts of weird cosplay…

 

[Tom71]

let’s see that heel!!! These look awesome.

Here you go. Boots in their full glory.

 

[Monitor]

These are nice! Leather really seems Clinch massive.

 

[MrProper]

Update after almost 3 weeks.

 

[Turnip]

Dinkelacker today...

 

[Tom71]

Dinkelacker today...

Wow! When did you get them? (I ask because I have two pairs made in Hungary and while they are fine, I find them a bit overpriced. I chatted to a shoemaker last week who told me that they have been sold again and the new shoes were much better made).

 

[Turnip]

These are older Luzern, as far as I could find out from 2018 or slightly older, paid 200,- bucks (what I found to be a fair price) in 2020 at a mid sized shoe shop chain.
As far as I know they moved their production to Spain meanwhile, what does not necessarily mean to be a disadvantage in my book.

 

[Pandemic]

Quick question before I place my Benzein order tonight: is there any practical advantages between a full versus half sole (assuming heel stacks are even)? I’d it just aesthetics (when at ground level)?

 

[Tom71]

These are older Luzern, as far as I could find out from 2018 or slightly older, paid 200,- bucks (what I found to be a fair price) in 2020 at a mid sized shoe shop chain.
As far as I know they moved their production to Spain meanwhile, what does not necessarily mean to be a disadvantage in my book.

Unbeatable price! 2018 should be the “Wiedeking-years”. I will try to get my hands on one of the new pairs and see about value/money.

 

[andyone]

Quick question before I place my Benzein order tonight: is there any practical advantages between a full versus half sole (assuming heel stacks are even)? I’d it just aesthetics (when at ground level)?

I have basically the same boot from Flame Panda (same last, different leather) once with a full sole and once with a half sole.
I prefer the boot with the half sole. To me, break in was faster with the half sole and it is more confortable to walk from beginning with the half sole. And I prefer the aesthetic
In fact, I sent the Flame Panda with full sole to a special cobbler in Berlin to get it converted to half sole.

 

[Cornelius]

Quick question before I place my Benzein order tonight: is there any practical advantages between a full versus half sole (assuming heel stacks are even)? I’d it just aesthetics (when at ground level)?

Half-sole construction makes it easier to replace a worn-out sole as it does not require disassembly of the heel stack.