Factory work boots and a cushioned sole developed by a medical doctor recuperating from a broken foot seem like an incredibly unlikely starting point for footwear that would become a staple of cutting edge youth culture. But why would a shoe synonymous with individualistic style have a story about doing things the usual way?

After their adoption by the original ska and reggae loving skinheads in 1960s England unlocked the fashion potential of these humble work boots, the genie was well and truly out of the bottle. The genre hopping history of Doc Martens has taken the iconic bouncing soles from Slade to the Specials to Sham 69 to Specimen to the Smiths to Skinny Puppy to Soundgarden, and that’s just the ‘S’ section. It doesn’t really matter what your preferred brand of noise is, the timeless style and unshakable durability of Doc Martens are forever in style.

Generally speaking, Docs wearers don’t need any extra encouragement to get heavy use out of their footwear; it’s just understood. The Arcadia Leather 2976 Chelsea Boot is just a little bit different though, in that the topcoat of the high shine, two-tone leather rubs off with wear to reveal the base color. Every pair will age according to individual use. 

If a size is not listed, it is sold out. 

• Arcadia Two-Tone Rub Off Leather
• Smoke DMS sole
• Yellow Welt Stitching and Heel Loop
• Heat Sealed Welting 

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