What Is The Deal With Blundstones? This Lugged-Sole Chelsea Boot Is Taking Over | HuffPost Life

The year was 2014. Obama was president. Metal reclaimable water bottles and stay and intrude tattoos were still vaguely niche, and majoring in “ Critical Theories of Social Justice ” seemed wholly worthwhile. At my 1,900-student overprice free arts school, it was standard to see people wearing “ Vagina Monologues ” T-shirts with sayings like “ Pussy Power ” or “ Clitorally, can ’ t even ” on them. And even in the extreme Los Angeles draft and year-round heat, all-weather, lug-sole pull-on leather boots made a luminary appearance across the scholar body. I am, of course, talking about Blundstones, the workboot-turned-fashion raw material that ’ s taking over american streets. I promise you ’ ve seen them, even if you didn ’ thymine what you were looking at. They ’ re a leather pull-on boot with elastic sides and two tabs ― possibly to help with getting the boots on, or possibly fair for fashion. ad

I inaugural saw Blundstones on my campus quad via thin nature girls and people who seriously like to ride bicycles. They were a hardheaded shoe, adorably indeed, a sign that you were evolved adequate to not care about conceited things like fashion, yet still connected adequate to the material world to afford a $ 200 pair of shoes at age 19. It ’ randomness true, the price point has always driven me away. What can I say ? I don ’ triiodothyronine like expensive stuff, even if it ’ mho “ worth the money ” or “ sustainably made. ” I particularly don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate like expensive versions of “ workwear ” that aren ’ t actually going to be worn during manual of arms tug. Which, as a non-binary person in Philadelphia in 2022, is all the fashion I see. For both valid and holier-than-thou reasons, I ’ ve developed a resistance to these rubber-bottomed boots. however, as the weather continues to drop, and my Goodwill Dr. Martens continue to make my feet moisture and cold in the coke, I find myself questioning my self-imposed Blundstone abstinence. All around me, Chelsea boot wearers appear both felicitous and dry. They wear Blundstones in the snow. They wear Blundstones out to dinner. They even wear Blundstones in the summer, like the members of the recycle baseball club at my college. ad

So, what are Blundstones?

If you ’ re a history eccentric like me, you ’ ll be concerned to know the company was founded in 1870 as “ John Blundstone and Sons ” in Tasmania, Australia. Through the belated 1800s and early on 1900s, Blundstone boots took off in Australia, and the company finally manufactured boots for the australian army during World Wars I and II. As the caller grew, they used their “ army ” base model to develop early kinds of make boots : durable boots for farm and fieldwork and boots for metalworkers that would withstand gamey temperatures. The 1960s gave rise to the now-famous 500 series of pull-on Chelsea boots, and by the ’ 90s the trade name very blew up and broke into the “ artsy person wearing workwear but not doing manual labor movement ” fit when the company teamed up with a Sydney-based dance group called “ Tap Dog. ” They ’ re still based in Tasmania, and now are available for purchase in the U.S. at places like L.L. Bean and REI. It ’ sulfur significant to note Blundstone ’ s web site states the ’ 90s were besides when the company started specifically making work boots for women, as “ an recognition of their target in the industry. ” Do with that what you will .

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Actor Elliot Page wearing Blundstones at Sundance Film Fest in 2016. ad

Are Blundstones worth the hype?

I asked the Blundstone-wearers in my life ( of which there are plenty ) if the boots are worth it. Worth the money. Worth the ballyhoo. Worth the cult-like following they ’ ve developed. About a twelve people I spoke to remarked about the ease of the shoes. Many said these boots didn ’ t need to be broken in or that they broke in promptly, and can be worn in all sorts of weather, flush if you don ’ triiodothyronine get the “ rainproof ” ones. They besides noted the versatility of the horseshoe and how easily they can be dressed up or depressed, making them even more functional. Writer Sarah Fielding notes that she, excessively, had a resistance to Blundstones before purchasing a pair for herself. “ I went from a high educate where everyone wore yoga pants and Uggs to going to the Fashion Institute of Technology for college, where everyone dressed to super shanghai, ” Fielding told HuffPost. “ now I ’ m like, let ’ s all find a middle grind and be comfy, people. ” Like me, Fielding was initially turned off by the price of the boots and opted for a cheaper off-brand pair — doubly. “ I wore them for possibly three months and they wholly broke. Bought them again, lapp thing, ” she said. “ I want to be much better at conscious spending, and that intend spend more for boots that would last and never not be cool. ” For Fielding, this intend bucking up for a pair of Blundstones, a choice she doesn ’ t regret at all. “ They are crazy comfortable, go with everything and are indeed durable, ” she said. “ I now have two pairs of the dress style ones. I didn ’ metric ton know if it would be worth the money, but I wear them pretty much every day. ” urban ecologist LJ Brubaker agreed, saying that Blundstones are an “ ideal jazz band of form/fit/fashion/function. ” “ I have wide feet and these match great and are extremely comfortable ; I can literally wear them like all day doing anything, ” they said. “ I wear these doing anything where I ’ molarity going to be messy or I need a sturdy pair of shoes, and these do the problem every time. ” ad

quite than spring for a new pair, Brubaker got a second-hand copulate of boots that have kept up through meter. “ I don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate want to spend over $ 30 on any article of dress ever, but having owned a couple now for like four years I can say that they ’ ra probably close to worth the list price, ” they said. “ I ’ ve beat mine to shit through everyday wear and the challenges of fieldwork and I feel like these will still last me years to come, which is not an experience I often have with shoes. ” Zoë Paddock, an american potter and law scholar immediately living in Toronto, besides loves the longevity of these shoes. “ I got mine in 2015, and they refuse to die, ” she said. “ I WANT a fresh pair at this point in a different color, but I can ’ t justify it until these wear out, which they are nowhere close to doing. I ’ ve never had a better, more functional pair of shoes In terms of winter wear, wearing at make, wearing on long walks. ” Paddock besides said the shoe is democratic in Canada, specially during the winter. “ It feels like every single person in Toronto has them, ” she said. “ There ’ s a joke about needing to label your shoes before you go to a house party in winter so you don ’ t end up with person else ’ second. ” Through the rush of positive Blundstone feedback, I did hear one Blundstone nay. Charles, a farmer who works harvest on wine vineyards in Oregon, thinks that since the shoe ’ south ascent to popularity in the late 2010s, they ’ ve lessened in quality. ad
“ They used to be the best shoes I had for working, ” he said. “ But immediately that everyone has them, I ’ ve noticed they ’ ra not made as well anymore. I ’ ve switched to Redbacks, which are besides australian, but they ’ ra surly but hold up better in the field and aren ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate as democratic so far. ” In light of Charles ’ have, I asked my ex-turned-best friend, a carpenter, for his opinions on Blundstones. “ I ’ ve never listen of those, ” he said, which possibly is its own point .

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Actress Keri Russell wearing Blundstones at the InStyle studio in 2013.

Do I need a pair of Blundstones?

As I gear up to buy an actually warm and useful pair of winter boots, Blundstones seem like a reasonably good option. As I don ’ thymine farm or build things professionally, I don ’ triiodothyronine actually need a boot that endures intense conditions. I actually precisely want something comfortable that ’ s not wholly flagitious. As they become more popular, Blundstones are crossing from the “ ugly but trendy ” category to “ precisely trendy. ” They ’ re obviously comfortable to clean, making them extra ideal for indoor and outdoor practice. If you ’ rhenium looking for a winter kick that ’ s not super bulky and can be styled with a million outfits, Blundstones may be a full option ― that is, if you ’ re will to spend about $ 200. While they can be spotted across second-hand sites, they ’ re an increasingly hot item and even the resale price is starting to climb. As longtime wearers will tell you, these boots stand the test of time. And the simple silhouette means they ’ re classic enough to stay in manner for years to come. If you ’ re ready to order a pair, the site recommends going a half size up for a “ wide fit ” ― that, and waterproofing or waxing your boots to ensure they repel urine in the snow, frost and salt. While I may never identify as a nature daughter or a bicycle passenger, I ’ meter getting closer each day to being a dry and comfortable Blundstone wearer. HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every detail is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and handiness are subject to change.

Blundstone BL500 Original 500 Chelsea Boot