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Anyone buy work boots and then wonder whether they like them too much to work in?

jw2k_fr

New in Town
Messages
2
Hello Loungers. I'm currently working on my first jacket renovation (thread to follow), after being sucked into the murky world of high end jackets here (couldn't justify buying something new, and sizing is a big unknown, soooo.) However, that aside, I thought I'd introduce myself with a smaller project.

I've been scratching a lot of itches recently, mainly retail therapy oriented while I'm stuck at home. I decided I should take advantage of the summer weather to buy some cheap winter gear off fleabay, and scored some real bargains! Not least was a used pair of chippewa logger boots that are 'arctic grade' and lined with shearling ($70.) Given that I'm only likely to wear them a dozen times per year I'd rather not pay $300+ for something that gets so little use.

I also decided to grab some new work boots and picked up a fairly workmanlike pair of timberland pros which should be fine. However, I was actually more taken by a pair or boots from a brand I'd not come across before - LeHigh. I did some digging and couldn't turn up much information on them but figured that because they were new (open box) and less than fiddy bucks that they were worth a punt.

boot1.jpg


When they finally showed up and I got hands on them I was pleasantly surprised. They're also an insulated work boot, with a steel toe, but it was the color which set them apart. I know... never a good primary reason for choosing work boots, but tell me I'm wrong!? Upon sticking my foot in one I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable they felt - the padding is pretty decent, however, I have my doubts as to how well the stitching securing the lining will hold up after a few years of heavy use.

The leather looked a little dry, so I was about to order some saphir creme, in cognac, but something stopped me, and upon digging through my shoe cleaning box I discovered a little tin of some brand I didn't remember ordering... also in cognac. The color looked to be identical to the saphir, and upon checking the ratings on the jungle site it seemed to be a reasonably well regarded brand, so I figured it fit the budget approach to a work boot solution. Also, note used toothbrush as applicator.

shoe creme.jpg
stitching.jpg

So, I gave them a single coat of the fancily named shoe polish and left it to soak in overnight. I slathered the polish on and decided not to worry about changing the stitching color from white to cognac (at this point I wasn't thinking about them for anything other than work).

And, you know what, the end result looks pretty good. To the point where, as mentioned in the thread title, I'm thinking that the leather is just too nice to rip up. However, just how I'm going to be viewed if I'm walking around town wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots... I dunno... but, in saying that, how I'm going to be looked at in a work environment wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots.... probably a good job I still live in NYC and my work environment is more Fifth Ave than the Bronx ;)

finish and laces.jpg


My question to all you fine people though, is, what do I do for laces? The original mustard duotone laces (on the left) don't look bad, but I like my laces to be an accent point, so maybe something with a little more pop? The other boot is modeling three options I had laying around.

Maybe black and orange (or the middle one - brown and orange.) Or dark brown with a thin yellow accent? What would your 'off-the-wall' (but still coordinated) color choice be?
 

zebedee

One Too Many
Messages
1,889
Location
Shanghai
That's the same syndrome that folks develop about jackets. I seem to have half a collection of jackets that are lightly used and another half that are smashed up beyond belief. Unsurprisingly, the battered boots and jackets look better :)
 

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MrProper

I'll Lock Up
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4,157
Location
Europe

Anyone buy work boots and then wonder whether they like them too much to work in?​

To the point where, as mentioned in the thread title, I'm thinking that the leather is just too nice to rip up.

No. I like most things that look new and unused less than when they have been worn for a while.
In this respect, my things are not babied (but also not deliberately mistreated).
If a jacket or shoes couldn't take that, they shouldn't have become jackets or shoes ;-)

Shoelaces... I prefer the original ones
 

Bfd70

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,198
Location
Traverse city
nice 1st post. I get it. Typically i buy stuff and wear it like i stole it without another thought. Lately though I’ve been wearing my redwing 875 oro to work in and they are getting beat to hell fast. Kind of sad to do it. Most of My boots are darker brown or black. The oro really pop with black leather jackets.
 

TLW '90

Practically Family
Messages
720
Not really but I did quite like the way these looked when new back in late November, and as us with new work boots I found myself being a bit careful with them the 1st few days.

20221110_123711.jpg

20221110_130119.jpg


Here we are about 9-1/2 months later, I don't baby them but do take care of them the best I can and clean & condition them as needed.
20230811_112301.jpg



I say consider yourself lucky that you're feeling this way over a cheaper pair of budget boots, at least you're not out much if you really find that you can't bear to beat them up at work.
 
Last edited:

El Marro

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,551
Location
California
Not really but I did quite like the way these looked when new back in late November, and as us with new work boots I found myself being a bit careful with them the 1st few days.

View attachment 539162
View attachment 539163

Here we are about 9-1/2 months later, I don't baby them but do take care of them the best I can and clean & condition them as needed.
View attachment 539166


I say consider yourself lucky that you're feeling this way over a cheaper pair of budget boots, at least you're not out much if you really find that you can't bear to beat them up at work.
I have that same pair of Thorogoods and they are great. A few years back when I broke one of my toes they were the only boots I could stand to wear for any length of time.
 

jw2k_fr

New in Town
Messages
2
Thanks for all the great replies!

The consensus seems to be to just get on and wear them, which is absolutely as it should be. I'm going to go with the standard laces to begin with (might as well, given that I have them) and see whether they grow on me.
 

TLW '90

Practically Family
Messages
720
I have that same pair of Thorogoods and they are great. A few years back when I broke one of my toes they were the only boots I could stand to wear for any length of time.
I'd rather have an 8" but these were what I could get in my size that are black as per job requirements, however I have liked them more than I imagined and the shorter height hasn't been the issue I expected it to be.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,005
Location
London, UK
Hello Loungers. I'm currently working on my first jacket renovation (thread to follow), after being sucked into the murky world of high end jackets here (couldn't justify buying something new, and sizing is a big unknown, soooo.) However, that aside, I thought I'd introduce myself with a smaller project.

I've been scratching a lot of itches recently, mainly retail therapy oriented while I'm stuck at home. I decided I should take advantage of the summer weather to buy some cheap winter gear off fleabay, and scored some real bargains! Not least was a used pair of chippewa logger boots that are 'arctic grade' and lined with shearling ($70.) Given that I'm only likely to wear them a dozen times per year I'd rather not pay $300+ for something that gets so little use.

It's a fair point. I know when I buy... well, pretty much anything, wardrobe wise, I will look at the price tag in a 'per wears' sort of thing. This started I think back in my very early twenties, when I first realised I could buy serviceable black tie for the cost of a couple of hires of the same - wear it twice, and after that it was effectively free.

As to wearing nice workboots, yeah. There is something of an oddity in some of the things we get into in these parts. Paying out big money for clothes that in another generation would have been semi-disposable, utilitarian workwear and getting precious about them.. well. On the other hand, I don't think the approach some will have of wanting to wear something to near destruction or at least having it look that way is exactly authentic either. People back in the day still took pride in their appearance, and while they might not have been precious about their workboots, they would also have looked after them. This modern notion some indulge of having them scuffed and encrusted in grime at all times is as much a 'look' as always keeping them nice. If anything, more fake for those of us who work at a desk rather than a coalface.

I also decided to grab some new work boots and picked up a fairly workmanlike pair of timberland pros which should be fine. However, I was actually more taken by a pair or boots from a brand I'd not come across before - LeHigh. I did some digging and couldn't turn up much information on them but figured that because they were new (open box) and less than fiddy bucks that they were worth a punt.

View attachment 538990

When they finally showed up and I got hands on them I was pleasantly surprised. They're also an insulated work boot, with a steel toe, but it was the color which set them apart. I know... never a good primary reason for choosing work boots, but tell me I'm wrong!? Upon sticking my foot in one I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable they felt - the padding is pretty decent, however, I have my doubts as to how well the stitching securing the lining will hold up after a few years of heavy use.

The leather looked a little dry, so I was about to order some saphir creme, in cognac, but something stopped me, and upon digging through my shoe cleaning box I discovered a little tin of some brand I didn't remember ordering... also in cognac. The color looked to be identical to the saphir, and upon checking the ratings on the jungle site it seemed to be a reasonably well regarded brand, so I figured it fit the budget approach to a work boot solution. Also, note used toothbrush as applicator.

View attachment 538999 View attachment 539001
So, I gave them a single coat of the fancily named shoe polish and left it to soak in overnight. I slathered the polish on and decided not to worry about changing the stitching color from white to cognac (at this point I wasn't thinking about them for anything other than work).

And, you know what, the end result looks pretty good. To the point where, as mentioned in the thread title, I'm thinking that the leather is just too nice to rip up. However, just how I'm going to be viewed if I'm walking around town wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots... I dunno... but, in saying that, how I'm going to be looked at in a work environment wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots.... probably a good job I still live in NYC and my work environment is more Fifth Ave than the Bronx ;)

View attachment 539000

My question to all you fine people though, is, what do I do for laces? The original mustard duotone laces (on the left) don't look bad, but I like my laces to be an accent point, so maybe something with a little more pop? The other boot is modeling three options I had laying around.

Maybe black and orange (or the middle one - brown and orange.) Or dark brown with a thin yellow accent? What would your 'off-the-wall' (but still coordinated) color choice be?

Those LeHighs look really nice. The site I could find the brand on has boots averaging USD150-200, so you did well buying them at 50. Looks to me like a brand that are selling boots as actual work boots for manual work, rather than the heritage-fashion market. That can often be a good source of quality items - the key is finding somewhere that still makes them like this, in an old style. Like Dickies 874 work pants (in the US; here in the UK they're sold as a lifestyle item, and typically double the price they are in the US!). Nice honey colour to them.

The original laces are exactly what I'd expect to see on a pair of boots in this style and colour - something of an industry standard, it seems. For me, the black ones, top right, don't work. The tan and orange ones are a better match, though I really like the effect of the red. If I was looking for laces for these boots for myself, I'd be looking at a slightly subdued red, like that one or an oxblood/burgundy. I have a pair of Iron Rangers in an amber colour not a million miles away from that same shade, and I currently have a wine red pair of laces in them that look great. The other colour I also thought looked great in them was an olive green. My preference is very much for flat laces in both boots and shoes - I find they stay fastened better, and they just look a bit more 'old school'. I got some great flat bootlaces in Muji a couple of years ago; the last time I needed some,. the wife ordered them for me from Amazon. An own brand, I think - Amazon Basics - but cheap and solid and they've lasted well.
 

Fifty150

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,072
Location
The Barbary Coast
how I'm going to be viewed if I'm walking around town wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots... I dunno... but, in saying that, how I'm going to be looked at in a work environment wearing nice, shiny, 'pretty' work boots....



It all depends on who is looking at you, and why they are looking at you.

If you were actually working in the trades, you would not have this anxiety.

If you're only playing dress up, to cruise other men in costumes........ it sounds too much like Al Pacino in Cruising, as he was learning how to play the part to go undercover.

Only one way to put yourself at ease. Go do some work. Put your work boots on, and do something. Paint a fence. Hang a chair swing. Change the oil in a car. Rent a truck and drive it around. Climb a ladder and change a light bulb. Go to a laundromat and clean some lint dryers. Water some plants. Get a lunch box with a Thermos. Drink a beer at lunch. Wear a hard hat.

Then if any of the girls at the nail salon ask about your boots, you can always tell them about all the rugged activities you engage in.
 

Al 916

One Too Many
Messages
1,832
Location
GB
Leave the old year behind and start the new in a calmer happier place.
Things will be okay...
 

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