Boot and ankle boots fun facts you've never been told - Part II

The other day I was organizing the clothes and shoes I had stored, and I came across my favourite boots, the DEJÀ VU BLACK.

I looked at them like when you hide a toy from a little boy for a while and he discovers it again. It becomes, once again, his favourite toy. And these boots are one of those that never go out of fashion and that you don't want to get rid of.

That's how I was with my boots.

And why am I telling you this?

Because like children, we don't realise the value of the things we enjoy every day.

Our routine is to look for, try and buy the products we need (or not so much, because there are some whimsical things out there).

But do we really stop to think about the origin of those products?

Well, honestly, no.

So, let's continue our curiosity, as in the previous article, about the origin of boots and ankle boots.

Boots and boots from the same foot

For centuries, footwear has been made with straight lasts, that is, without differentiating between one foot and the other. In fact, until the 19th century, it was said that shoes had to be exchanged every day in order to wear them evenly.

In the 19th century, in Philadelphia, with new production processes, they began to differentiate between the two feet. But it was a failure. It was difficult for people to adapt to this change. For example, in the American Civil War 1861-1865, soldiers' boots were still identical for both feet.

Tall boots, a symbol of distinction

As I mentioned earlier, boots have been closely associated with the military. An example of this is the period of the Napoleonic Wars (early 19th century), where there was no shortage of tall, shiny boots with the uniform.

Both Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington wore these officer's boots. Later, the same boots were adopted by the upper classes. They were called Hessian boots and were the forerunners of the well-known Wellington boots, which were more closed and adapted for cavalry.

Hessian boots were characterised by a high shaft, lower at the back than at the front, in the shape of two rounded peaks. They were generally decorated with a tassel in the middle.

The 1960s, the renaissance of boots and ankle boots

For many years, boots and ankle boots were mainly used for work wear.

It was in the 1960s when creative and original designs began to emerge: shafts and heels of different heights, incorporation of new materials such as vinyl and plastic, multicoloured designs...

The Beatles played an important role in these years, and I'm not just talking about their music. They made the timeless Chelsea boots fashionable. These boots are named after the London neighbourhood where they were bought.

Chelsea boots were first worn by the mods. But, without a doubt, The Beatles popularised their more modern version. This one had the Cuban heel and a strap protruding from the heel to pull them on more easily.

Nowadays, even Harry Styles has joined this trend, which has already been followed by greats such as The Rolling Stones.

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