Boots don’t have a good formal definition or a clean etymological lineage. Simply, it’s understood that boots must cover the entire foot and part of the leg. In the transition from the worst part of winter to the slightly less worse part of winter, boots reign supreme among all footwear. Demonstrated by the costar of Dora the Explorer, Boots, the shoe can be someone’s identity.
From California, your reporter/writer/critic never had to deal with the intricacies of daily bootwear. As someone with a closet full of mostly white sneakers, Mother Nature’s heavenly soup du jour rarely disturbs what I’m rocking. However, now, back in the snow, boots loom like an oppressive cloud. In the words of a Harvard student, [Men’s] boots are not drippy.
Our expedition: find drippy masculine boots that also insulate your foot from the snowy, icy elements. Immediately your Chelsea and other leather ankle boots are suspended from our inquiry. They lack the necessary warmth in this bitter cold–the unfortunate circumstance of function weighs us down in an already remarkably boring winter season.
This season, after being cooped up during a summer of rampant pandemic, several fashion houses turned to solve the men’s boots dilemma with a surprising energy. After Winter 2019, which was full of calf hide, Balenciaga approached 2020 with the Tyrex Leather Biker Boot.
Reminiscent of an Italian fascist statue, the Tyrex is bold with an imposing sense of movement. This boot, a descendant of Balenciaga’s Tyrex Sneaker, despite the hefty price tag, could be perfect for our purpose except that we would be bound to its decidedly less inspiring black colorway. $1500 for an uncomfortable black ski-boot is surely a waste of money.
So now we swing to the other end of the spectrum: Timberland.
Constructed for the New England workers facing harsh winters, Timberland has transcended into a streetwear staple via Rap. Legendary producers, like Timbaland, reinterpreted Timberland boots for the survivors of the concrete forest. Their six-inch boots afford basic protection and comfort, becoming a staple in wardrobes across the country. But, without the ability to always get limited edition colorways Timberland can quickly become—boring.
While Off-White seemingly refused to offer us a new pair of “durable” boots this season (glossy leather hiking boots don’t count), Virgil Abloh did provide an interesting hybrid concept that nods to the workman culture of Timberland. I present the Ridged Sole Lace Up Sneakers:
These at least give us an idea of a world where boots and sneakers begin to blend, yet after contemplating these, I decided to take a more pure approach to our search.
The duck boot. Since they are classically Northeastern they suffer from the same challenge Timbs do: boredom.
If you closely monitor L.L. Bean’s website you might be lucky enough to grab a limited edition colorway, but otherwise the overwhelming popularity of its upper beige/brown area pushes you far away.
What is left?
Well, a lot of boots are left but you’re getting bored and want to know what boots are fun for right now. Uggs!
Look. At. It. Versatility. Infinite colors. Incredibly plush.
Compared to every other boot in this examination, they provide unparalleled comfort, a unique silhouette, and outfit versatility. I won’t praise these boots for their water repelling capabilities (which can be improved with a simple spray), but now is the time for them to return to our feet. Shunned by fashion since 2012, and since embraced by the women of middle america, it’s now time to restore Uggs as iconic, their deserving label. They are symbols of rebellious adolescence:for those brave enough to flaunt their simple luxury in the face of the ever-encroaching slush.
Noah Tavares ’24 (noahtavares@college.harvard.edu) is into sneakers.