Words: Gentleman's Journal
In 1851, the Chelsea Boot came to be. Created by London-based shoemaker Joseph Sparkes-Hall – and first dubbed the significantly less catchy ‘J. Sparkes-Hall’s Patent Elastic Ankle Boots’ – Chelsea Boots became a prominent part of British style, used for everything from walking to riding, until the onset of World War One. Strangely, they fell out of favour for several decades, but made a comeback during the swinging sixties – popularised by everyone from the Stones to the Beatles on King’s Road.
Today, Chelsea Boots are one of the most common forms of leather footwear around – so it pays to invest in a good, solid pair. Sons of London meticulously craft every pair of their shoes down to the very last stitch. Cut from the finest leather – sourced from Tuscany – they pride themselves on selling some of the best shoes in the world, using full grain to create the strongest, most durable and moisture-resistant footwear possible.
Our Pick, the black leather Chelsea by the British brand, has elastic side panels, a pull loop on heel and a full leather lining and sole. Handcrafted from Italian calfskin in this instance, but also available in a brown leather or brown suede, these water-resistant boots are as hardy as those used over a hundred years ago – and just as stylish as those that strutted up King’s Road in the sixties.
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