The Dress Boot

If I could only wear one “style” of shoe exclusively, it would probably be boots. Unlined, suede chukkas in the spring and summer, so soft that they feel like slippers; jodhpurs in the fall to match things such as moleskins and flannel; and heavy shell cordovan boots in the winter to deal with the foul weather.

One of my favorites, however, is the dress boot, otherwise also known as the balmoral boot for its closed lacing. When worn while standing up, they look like any other pair of oxford dress shoes. When sitting down, they reveal themselves to be boots. Smart enough to pair with a suit, casual enough for odd trousers. In fact, before the advent of oxford dress shoes, well-dressed gentlemen would wear dress boots in the city.

Though they’re uncommon to find, a few manufacturers make them. Crockett & Jones, Gaziano & Girling, Grenson, and even Herring have models. The London Lounge also commissioned a design from Carmina five years ago. I assume those can still be made up through special orders.

I’ve been slowly saving up for my ideal pair - the Shannon boot by Edward Green. The Shannon is only available made-to-order, so I have the opportunity to specify various aspects of the design. I’m having mine made with a slightly burnished Dark Oak leather for the sections both above and below the ankle. In some regard, a two toned model might be more traditional, but I thought they’d be too flashy and dandified for me. The bottoms will be a single leather sole instead of double, just so they look a bit dressier, and I’ve decided to forgo speed hooks and just get all blind eyelets. I assume they’ll take a bit more time to lace this way, but hopefully it won’t be too much of a bother. I’ve also asked for just a simple punched toe cap, but otherwise no decoration. The idea was to make them look as much like oxford dress shoes as possible, but just in boot form.

My order is going through Leffot, who is hosting an Edward Green trunk show this Thursday. If you’re in the area, I’d encourage you to stop by. Below are photos of other Edward Green Shannons men have had made, one of which is a pair that was ordered through Leffot. Mine will take about seven months to deliver, which means they’ll arrive sometime in December. Something nice to look forward to at the end of the year.

If you’d like to gaze at more balmoral boots, you can check out this thread at StyleForum.