The Return of the Chelsea boot

You already know what a Chelsea boot is – you just may not have known why it was called so. Popularised by the King’s Road-bound mods and beats in the 60s, they are the skinny jean’s dream. Slim enough to fit in with a drainpipe silhouette, yet sturdy and classic, they’re the perfect purchase to see the modern gent into 2014.

Chelsea boots have been back on the streets for a while, as any trip to Shoreditch will show you. But when Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent sent them down the AW13 runway, we were truly convinced.

Versatile they sure are; you can wear them in Hoxton, Chelsea or the shires. I wear mine riding. An Australian friend got the shock of her life when she first saw me wearing my ‘RM’s – as they call them Down Under, after RM Williams, outfitter to the Outback – in deep, dark Soho. They’re still just simple paddock boots in Oz, damn easy to pull on and kick off for a rough-and-ready lifestyle.

George Lucas is even a gentleman-geek with a penchant for the Chelsea boot; his Stormtroopers of the Empire were shod in white Chelsea boots for the first three Star Wars films. Tell that to your girlfriend the next time she refuses to watch it – it’s a more sartorially up-to-scratch movie franchise than she might previously have thought…

Chelsea boots look good battered; don’t be afraid of age in this shoe. Mine are 30 years old and a family hand-me-down.

For those new to this shoe however, John Lobb’s Chesland leather Chelsea boots are a failsafe, beautiful option. The company’s been making Chelsea boots since their birth in the 19th century, and this pair is an exquisite example.

From John Lobb – £695 – mrporter.com

The Beatles’ legacy to the Chelsea boot is adding a ‘Cuban’-style block heel and making the toe pointier than the average paddock boot. Check out their stage look circa 1962 and you’ll get the picture. Saint Laurent’s version this season are along these lines; if you’re looking for a dressy, sharper Chelsea boot, this is your pair.

From Saint Laurent – £585 – ysl.com

Paul Smith has a more reasonably priced Falconer brown suede pair for £190, with a slightly lower ankle.

From Paul Smith – £190 – paulsmith.com

We have a feeling the Chelsea boot will follow the skinny jean in returning as a trend, but soon becoming a staple. We at The Gentleman’s Journal couldn’t be more pleased.

By Charlotte Beale