chukka boots – Herring Shoes Journal

Boot season is here!

9 October 2023

Autumn spells the start of boot season in the footwear world. It is time to face the fact that our sockless days are virtually over, and we require something a little sturdier for the colder months. For so many people, autumn and winter will be greeted with joy, just because they pull their boots back on again.

We love boots at Herring. I mean…we really love them. They come in so many different styles and colours that there must be a boot for everyone. From super-smart boots that can be teamed with a suit or a dress to rugged varieties that withstand the worst weather can throw at them, we celebrate this time of year.

Most of our customers will have at least one pair of boots they rely on in the colder months but have maybe not considered other styles they can wear at work, on the trails or for a formal occasion or night out.

We had a few suggestions for both our men and women customers as part of our autumn/winter edit but have a few more that you may have overlooked.

For the office
For men, our A/W edit included Milton (below) for a super-smart suit accompaniment, while the Muswell Chelsea and Milner chukka boots would work well too. The black styles will look wonderful with a dark suit. These are from our Handgrade range making them hand-finished, Goodyear-welted and repairable, so come with an investment price. However, we have more affordable options with our Flynn laced toe-cap boots, plus our Jude Chelsea and Cannock chukka boots from our Classic collection. Take a look!

For women, a knee-high boot works well with fitted skirts and dresses. Our Bracciano boot is made from a lovely soft suede for true work-wear glamour. While the shorter Trasimeno suede ankle boots work well for longer dresses and skirts…but you can style these with trousers and any length skirt too.

For the trails
Our male model wore the Cambridge and the Corsham at our photoshoot at Lympstone, but the boys in the office and warehouse love a rugged boot so always have plenty of styles for our customers to choose from. Maybe consider the Ambleside for that brogue with a Commando sole look or the Exmoor if you like a spot of tweed. For real tough-guy boots, take a look at our Churchstow Norwegian rubber-soled boots.

We have a tan brogue and cleated sole version for women too. The Stephy is simply stunning! But for real tramping around in wet fields and along muddy tracks, we have excellent wellies from Aigle. I can thoroughly recommend them.

For going out
For the chaps, the Thatcher is a handmade Chelsea boot with brogue detailing on a sleek and slender toe made from handsome burgundy calf. Or what about the Geneva? This is another gorgeous Chelsea boot but in dark brown mock-croc. Lastly, we love the Laverton II. It is a luxurious, two-tone boot that blends suede with beautiful calf leather.

Herring does not do spiky heeled boots for women, but we have some great statement boots for nights out. The Garda (below) adds a bit of glitz with its patent finish while the Como’s over-the-knee style with a chucky sole and heel will make heads turn. Lastly, the Varese is knee length with a daintier toe and sole that comes in two shades of suede – black and a rather lovely green.

Whatever your boot leaning, we have plenty of styles you can choose from. Take a look for yourself. If you want to celebrate the start of boot season with a purchase, please remember that if you need further advice on fit and care, please do not hesitate to contact out customer service advisors.

Herring Shoes

Keep your feet dry with waxed leather

14 February 2020

Leather is a superb naturally, breathable material for keeping your feet comfortable, but is it durable enough to withstand wet weather?

With most leathers, you have to add treatments like our amazing nano-spray to stop water getting in. You can also waterproof standard leathers using dubbin, but note this can sometimes change the colour and finish of your shoes, so you do so at your own discretion.

But there is a traditional alternative.

We make some of our shoes using leathers where oils and waxes are rubbed into the hides by hand to create a water-repellent barrier. Some have leather soles for less rugged, day-to-day wear. See our Northamptonshire-made Orkney chukka boots or the Coburn or Coltham II Chelsea boots.

Herring Felcourt rubber-soled double monk shoes

However, if you want tough durability rubber soles are the way to go. There are Chelsea boots, monk and Derby shoes available, but I am keen on the more military styles.

Stand by for the Cairngorm. This is a stout boot with eight eyelets and a buckle for maximum security on the foot. This leather is waxy, of course, but has a suede texture that will mark and age wonderfully.

I am also keen on the Badminton. It’s the ultimate gentleman’s boot and again it will look better as it ages. It is a design and craft classic that will serve you well. The country last shape gives a roomy fit in the rounded toe box which combined with a gibson front allows the option for a thicker sock to be worn.

Lastly, and a little more edgy, is the Sharnbrook. This is a classic six-eyelet boot made with supple leather on the light and flexible Solovair air-cushioned sole making them incredibly comfortable for all day wear.

If you are not a fan of the Wellington boot, any of the three boots above will work as a comfortable alternative in wet conditions.

So please remember not all leathers are not the same when you choose your footwear for wet weather. Please do not hesitate to contact our customer services team if you need further advice.

Herring Shoes

Get the 007 look with chukkas and Derbys

3 February 2020

With the much-anticipated new James Bond film, No Time To Die, about to reach our silver screens, sales of shoes worn by the MI6 agent are likely to soar. James Bond is an interesting character to emulate, as one minute he will be base jumping to catch a villain before heading into the office in a sharp suit and then changing into black tie to schmooze with his latest love interest. This means there are plenty of shoe changes for the wardrobe department to manage. Let’s break it down.

Action scenes:

Daniel Craig’s version of the most famous 00 agent is a fan of the chukka boot. You can spot these in the No Time To Die trailer, as he hits the accelerator to spin his long-suffering Aston Martin to shoot at the pursuers circling him. The wardrobe department opted for a brown moccasin-toe version of the chukka for No Time To Die. You can get a slightly more contemporary look with a square, chiselled toe in our Heath style. For something a little more rough and ready, we can offer you the Canterbury in three colours if brown is not your thing. This style also has a rubber sole. James Bond loves a rubber sole. The man needs the grip!

At HQ and eveningwear:

Bond favours a super-sleek Derby when his feet are more firmly on the ground. Again, he prefers a rubber sole in case he is called into action. A Derby, also known as a Blucher or Gibson, is defined by the way the lacing and eyelets close the shoe. The closing panels are sewn on top of the vamp giving the shoe a more solid appearance and more room for the higher instep than a classic Oxford.

The Derby is often confused with the Oxford, as some versions can look similar atfirst glance. However, where the Oxford is considered formal, the Derby is a more versatile choice of footwear that can be dressed up and down. Perfect for the shaken-not-stirred lifestyle of our action hero.

Herring stocks some truly rugged Derby shoes but we feel James Bond would be happier in our Carroll style – but only when running and jumping is not required as these have leather soles. The Epping has a half-leather half-rubber sole while the Franco is all rubber. Naturally, they all come in black!

For the evening, Barker has polished or high-shine Derbys – see the Newbury and the Rutherford – while Loake offer Neo. In keeping with the essential Britishness of Bond, all three are made in the UK.

While I am excited for the new film, there was some decent footwear in the films and Bonds of yesteryear. The double monk boot, for instance, featured in Skyfall. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond was a fan of the brogue while Roger Moore wore penny loafers in his three 1980s films. Ian Fleming did specify what his leading man wore in his books. In Moonraker, he described Bond’s footwear as “well-polished black moccasin shoes” AKA the loafer. They were a key look for all the early Bonds be they tasselled, horse-bit or Venetian. Timothy Dalton even treated us to slip-on dress shoes in The Living Daylights.

The first Bond, and for many the main man, Sean Connery sported many different styles from espadrilles to a two-tone dress shoe that resembled a bowling shoe in You Only Live Twice. Frankly, he could have worn a feathered mule and pulled it off!

For more recent times though, Daniel Craig’s Bond is all about the chukka boot teamed with chinos and a short-sleeved linen or cotton shirt, and the Derby worn with a well-cut suit. Compare Connery to Craig and the clothes have not changed so much – both Bonds wore their clothes with ease – but the shoes have moved on.

Herring Shoes

Herring Shoes collaborates with Anatomic & Co.

8 February 2013

Quintessentially British brand Herring Shoes has collaborated with Brazilian men’s footwear brand Anatomic & Co, to create a range of shoes that are not only beautifully crafted but extremely comfortable and flexible as well. The Herring by Anatomic range incorporates Anatomic & Co’s patented gel technology and features Chelsea, Brogue and Chukka boots along with Brogue and Gibson shoes. See the full collection below:

Browsing Tag: chukka boots

Boot season is here!

Keep your feet dry with waxed leather

Get the 007 look with chukkas and Derbys

Herring Shoes collaborates with Anatomic & Co.