[Be advisded: Not that comfortable to run in, especially when you have thousands of bloodthirsty tweens after you.]
With The Beatles Rock Band Edition and all their remastered albums being released last week I can't think of a better time to talk about the greatest band of all-time. Music aside, The Beatles had a pretty hip fashion sense about them, and their ever evolving looks are synonymous with the decades in which they blessed the world with their recordings. When Beatlemania was hitting its stride, the fab four were often in uniform...black suits, white shirts, skinny knit ties and of course "Beatle Boots" aka modified Chelsea boots (complete with elastic ankle upper) with a Cuban heel and pointy toe. Apparently Lennon and McCartney saw a pair of Chelsea boots in 1961 when browsing around London and decided to have four pairs commissioned to go along with their new image. Upon returning from Hamburg, Germany the band dropped the rockabilly look, leather jackets and all, for a new suited approach.
As I picked out shoes to wear to work today, I was drawn to my own black, leather Chelsea boots. I hadn't worn them in a while and they were a refreshing alternative to the wing tips, Weejuns and oxfords I wear regularly to the office. I've always been drawn to the Chelsea boot, much in the same way I am drawn to The Beatles. The Beatles, at their core, were a rock 'n roll band, but at the same time always presented themselves in a classy manner. They were always professionals, rocking or not. This ability to balance classiness with an edge is something the Chelsea boot does very well. Pair it with jeans and a v-neck tee and you look like you just got out of band practice...pair it with a three piece suit and you look like the hippest guy on Wall Street.
The Chelsea boot is an interesting investment into multiple parts of a guys personality and its physical extension (his style). Not many shoes can cater to such polar opposite looks like the Chelsea boot can. Not many other boots are this versatile. There are so many varieties out there and most shoe designers/companies produce a boot similar to the ones The Beatles wore. My Chelsea Boots are from Calvin Klein, have a natural toe and are black leather. If you are looking for a model more in line with what The Beatles wore, try these. This model from Kenneth Cole has a squarer toe and is also available in brown. And for those out there with as much money as Sir Paul McCartney, here is a version available from Hugo Boss for sale over at Saks Fifth Avenue.
-L.A.S
[Not only is "Twist and Shout" my favorite Beatles' song, but the single's artwork is a prime Beatle boots showcase.]
[Picture: Sartorially Inclined's Calvin Klein Collection Chelsea boots.]
Posts
No square toe shoes/boots please. Ever.
ReplyDeleteDickie,
ReplyDeleteI usually would say the same thing, but I have noticed many designers going with a hybrid toe that is both natural and squared off just a tad...Everyone deserves options, even those that prefer a tad boxier toe...
I agree I have been drawn to these types of boots since I was a teenager hard to convince mom they were a good idea as my foot grew a size every other week! I always tried them on but never had the nerve to wear them with a suit when suits were stoggy and conservative. At 48 I am more trim than I was in my 30's and can get into a slim cut suit and at this age I stopped caring about convention I wear my "Beatle Boots" my girlfriend thinks they are hot. I have a pair from Bass and a pair from Cole Haan. I thank the creator of Madmen for bringing some style back to mens fashion. I am a life long Beatle Fan and have the Hofner left handed Bass to prove it!
ReplyDelete