It’s one of the most underrepresented boots out there. Chances are you’ve never owned a pair. It’s possible you don’t even know this style exists. It’s a shame, though, because in spite of its relative obscurity the Oxford boot remains one of the most stylish, characterful and unapologetically British footwear styles a man can own.
You might have worn this boot to walk around Victorian London, with a cane beside you and a handlebar moustache perfectly curled. You could also wear this boot to walk around a country estate of the early 20th century, with an open shotgun in your crook. A team of gamekeepers would be frantically collecting dead poultry that you left behind.
Today, however, you don’t need to be a Victorian city slicker or a member of the landed gentry in order to pull this style off. The merging and melding of dress codes has granted this throwback silhouette a fresh lease of life, making it a valuable addition to any stylish man’s footwear rotation.
Here we take a look at the fundamentals of menswear’s most underrated boot, including what to buy and how to wear it.
Berluti
What Are Oxford Boots?
It’s not surprising that the Oxford boot has a high ankle version of the Oxford shoe. Like it’s less lofty counterpart, its main identifier is the fact that it has what is known as a closed lacing system. The eyelets of the boot are stitched at the bottom to give it a more formal, streamlined look.
The style may also be called a Balmoral boot. It was created for Prince Albert, who used it on his estate of the exact same name. Balmoral boots often feature two different materials on the main part of the shoe as well as the upper. Leather and suede are the most common materials. Oxford boots, in general, can however be made from a wide variety of materials. Leather is the most common material.
Grenson
How To Wear Oxford Boots
Modern Tailoring
To bring this style into the 21st century, you can wear it with modern tailoring. This means that pocket watches and spats are out, while modern tweaks and cuts and the latest trends are in.
Choose a classic grey slim-fit two-piece, for instance. Instead of a shirt choose a rollneck sweater or knitted polo and don’t accessorize at all. This will still look smart, but also adds a little touch of modernity to proceedings, balancing out the boots’ heritage feel.
Smart-Casual
Oxford boots were designed with leisure in mind. While you may not spend your weekends shooting grouses in Aberdeenshire you can still make the most of your time off by wearing a pair.
To create a smart-casual outfit, pair dark indigo jeans with black Oxford boots, dark knitwear, and a tonal coat. You can use a wool or suede overshirt, or a bomber jacket.
Black Tie
Black tie is the most rigid of all dress codes. This could be good or bad depending on whether you feel confident in your formalwear style.
That’s where the Oxford boot can come in. The traditional black-tie shoe is a patent leather Oxford. A simple minimalist Oxford boot can be a great way to add your personal touch without going against the rules.
Brands Of Oxford Boots That Are The Best
Grenson
It doesn’t take a footwear connoisseur to recognise a pair of Grensons when they see one. This Northamptonshire shoemaker, who is loved by many, has made footwear that’s as high-quality as they are personality-packed since 1866. You can expect a mix of high-end manufacturing methods, such as Goodyear welting and contemporary twists, like wedge soles, playful broguing and funky broguing.
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Cheaney
Working out of the same Victorian red-brick factory for more than 130 years, Cheaney’s skilled shoemakers have excelled in creating some of the finest, traditional, bench-made shoes and boots the British Isles has ever known. The shoes are elegant, beautiful, and priced accordingly.
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George Cleverley
George Cleverley has a long list of clients, including Sir Winston Churchill, Ralph Lauren and David Beckham. With a pair of handmade boots fetching anywhere up to £800, a pair of Oxford boots from this esteemed label might not be for everyone. Still, if you’ve got the money and are in the market for a pair, there’s nowhere finer to buy your winter boots.
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Crockett & Jones
From contributing to the British war effort in the 1940s by supplying over one million pairs of officer’s boots, to making footwear for James Bond himself. Crockett & Jones’ impressive company resume is something for all other shoemakers to aspire to. This brand has been making Goodyear-welted, handmade boots since the 1800s. Its experience is worth its high price tag.
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Shipton & Heneage
Shipton & Heneage may not be one of the best-known brands in British bootmaking, but it is one of the most reasonably priced. After all, where else could you pick up a pair of beautiful, leather-soled Balmoral boots for less that £200? If it’s British-made footwear and fair prices you’re after, there are few better equipped to deliver the goods.
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Bodileys
A century ago, Bodileys began to establish itself as one of the leading footwear retailers in England’s shoemaking capital of Northampton. One hundred years on, and it’s now also a successful footwear manufacturer in its own right. The company launched the London Collection in 2008: a line of classic, high-quality shoes and boots, which can take up to eight weeks per pair.
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Crownhill Shoes
You may not have heard of Spanish footwear brand Crownhill, but they’re one of the few labels for which the Oxford boot is a signature piece. Chrownhill offers a wide range of options for this style. Most shoemakers only offer a few. Every pair is painstakingly handcrafted in Madrid and with prices starting at around €300, it’s actually one of the cheaper brands When it comes to this particular style of boot.
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