The Motorcycle Boots Diaries: Also Doc Martens Are Back In!

Though I'm not sure I agree. I had my love affair with them -- specifically between the years of 1991 - 1996. I remember going to the Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and "visiting" the Doc Marten black lace-ups that'd soon become mine once I'd saved enough babysitting money to pay for half of the $80 price, which I thought was SOOOOOOOOO much for a pair of shoes. My mom was reluctant to help me pay for the other half of what she alternatingly referred to as "shitkickers," and "Nazi boots." I remember going to the counter and her saying "these better last til you're in college." I was in eigth grade then, and they definitely did. After years of moving with my dusty black Docs (they barely looked like I'd worn them after all those years), in plastic Rubbermaid bins, I finally got rid of them a year or so ago. It was really time. BUT, all sentimentality for the fashions of the early '90s aside, I'm not really that pleased to see should I see DOC MARTENS creeping back into my inbox and onto the pages of catalogs and magazines this fall.

The first time I saw them -- in mainstream fashion -- was a few months back in their Benneton iteration -- half Docs, half motorcycle boots, all patent leather:

Benetton

I think they run a little under $200. They're fun but in bright red, they're a little too Ronald McAdoodly, you know?

($88, Urban Outfitters)

I liked Urban Outfitters' lace-up oxford version much better.

($110, Doc Martens, Delia's)

Whoop there they are! At DELIA'S. So you KNOW they're back.

($110, Doc Martens, Delia's)

My love of leopard-printed fashions is well documented. Even leopard-print shoes. (Or cheetah-print. Whatever. Tomato/ tomahto.) But not boots. Ack.

Anyway, so back to motorcycle/engineer boots -- they're HUGE for fall, and they're everywhere -- Michael Kors, Aldo, Steve Madden, Guess, Frye (of course), but the best ones I've seen -- and probably the most expensive ones are these:

($1143, Golden Goose, eLuxury)

Golden Goose is a line of luxury riding-inspired boots designed by Italian designers Francesca and Alessandro Gallo. They ain't cheap, but they sure are purdy. Each limited-edition pair of boots are marked with a serial number, and they come pre-distressed and destroyed. WANT!

+ More Golden Goose here.