If you dream of the right boot, you are in good company with dapperQ. Trendy may work in other areas of your wardrobe but boots, you know at a gut level, have to be classic.
Unfortunately, you don’t often find the intersection of style and heft in women’s boots. Many of us make do with men’s sizes, and our “delicate” little heels swim in them.
Rare and precious are those brands that offer the same boot in men’s and women’s sizes. Wolverine — known as a company for the working person– is one such brand and the 1000 Mile is one such boot. According to The Art of Manliness, “The Wolverine 1,000 Mile boot is based on the original design from 1914 and it’s uber-manly.”
Good news for us since it’s offered in women’s sizes 5-11.
I learned about its 1000 Mile a couple of years ago but couldn’t get with the black and burgundy options, especially when the men’s version features a wingtip the color of peanut butter and known as the Addison.
Friday night I walked in to Wolverine’s SoHo pop-up store that was designed by our friends at Bklyn Dry Goods. There I found menswear designer John Tee who I met when he volunteered to style dapperQ’s Queer Country Fashion Show. He not only informed me that the beautiful buttery Addison has been released in women’s sizes, he convinced me to take home a pair. The clincher: Wolverine is so confident these boots will adapt to my feet, with regular wear and tear, I can return them within three months if I don’t like the fit.
Wolverine sells plenty of boots that will take you through the filth and the mud, but these aren’t those. These are boots made for dress up and play, ready to pop with your skinny jeans cuffed and peeked by a wild pair of socks. Made in America and meticulously designed to replicate the original’s which was introduced 125 years ago, 1000 Mile boots will set you back $380.
But I swear to God, this is a boot I will have for a lifetime: heirloom quality. I felt faint when I left.
The SoHo store will close on Thursday and not re-open til June. But you can find them on line here. (Warning: The color for the women’s Addison looks like a putrid tan in the on-line photo. The color of the pair I bought look alot more like the photo above.)
Give ‘em a gander. These boots are made for walking.
I bought the 1000 Mile boots over a year ago for just the reasons that you laid out. They’re worth far more than what I paid, and I would definitely do it again.
Could you do an update post on how they’ve held up?
Thanks for asking. You are motivating me to take them to the shoe repair store for advice on how to keep them up since I feel the leather has gotten a little (unattractively) spotty. Will do and report back!
Those shoes are ”it.” Wow.
Does anyone know the store ERIC? It’s on 7th Ave. in Park Slope. That guy has wingtips and boots (lots of Fiorentini and Baker). He basically carries men’s shoes for women. Some of what you see in his store, you will not see elsewhere (e.g., a brand called Hundred/100. I looked all over the ‘net and cannot find. )
Thanks for the review! I’ve been eyeing a pair of Addison boots and your review helped me take the plunge today. Can’t wait to try these boots on.
They get even better after a few shines!