See our ethics policy here. Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox. Martens over the years, starting with black-and-white Mary Janes in the seventh grade. HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page.
Originally designed in as a modest workwear boot, Dr. Martens have since stepped up as the footwear of musicians, non-conformists, activists and offbeat celebs. Loved for their durability, comfort and versatility, Dr. A quick scroll through the Dr. Martens Insta account offers a closet of inspiration on how to style a pair of Docs, from a bohemian midi dress to trousers and a blazer.
The possibilities are endless. A post shared by Dr. Martens drmartensofficial on Apr 23, at am PDT. Martens will be a big fall footwear trend in Search interest for Dr. Martens during the holiday shopping season more than doubled between and , and the trend seems on track to be even bigger this year. While the classic Dr. Marten lace-up boot is probably the most popular pair, the brand has designed a slew of other styles ranging from sandals and oxfords to Dr.
Martens Chelsea boots in a wide variety of colors, patterns and, most recently, vegan materials. You can find Docs in floral prints, glittering metallics and even platform Dr. Looking for the best deal before you buy? Docs don't come in half sizes, but several members of the Insider Reviews team who wear normally wear half-sizes have chosen to size down in Dr.
Keep in mind, though, that this may affect how you break your boots in. While the leather will stretch some as you wear it in, tight boots will simply take longer to fully break in. Martens does sell insoles , so if you choose to size up instead, you can add them in to fill any extra wiggle room. Most of the boots list both men's and women's sizes on the purchase page, but there are a few the brand doesn't consider unisex.
You shouldn't let that stop you, though. The sizing difference between men's and women's Docs is just one size — a men's seven is a women's eight, for example. If you've heard anything about Dr. Martens, you likely know they're notoriously hard to break in. And it's true. I've suffered many blisters in my quest to reach the fabled land of comfy boots. But I promise you, that place does exist. It's just a matter of softening up stiff leather, which only happens with time and wear.
I've come across a ton of bad advice for breaking in these boots — heat them with a hairdryer, hit them with a hammer, dunk them in water. But please don't do any of these as you're more likely to damage your boots and diminish their lifespan. There's no silver bullet here. You just need to wear them. Start with short intervals around the house where you can take them off once they start to hurt. My trouble spots have always been the heel and the ankle because there's a stiff leather rib that runs along the back of the boot.
You'll want to flex that rib back and forth, either with your foot in the boot or with your hands. Articulate the shoe as much as you can where your foot bends, and the leather will start to crease and stretch.
Don't expect to wear them for a full day on your feel right out of the box. You'll regret it. Invest in some thick socks, wear them for short spurts, and slowly increase your wear time until you don't want to rip them off at the end of the day.
They'll soften up over time, I promise. Depending on how persistent you are with this process, you should find them fully wearable within a couple of weeks. If you truly can't abide the lengthy break-in process, opt for a pair made from Pascal leather. It's a much softer leather than the original, and they're much more comfortable right out of the box. You'll still have to put in some work until they're perfectly comfy, but it'll be a much less painful process.
Once you've found your size and broken them in, these boots are decent workhorses. I've done hour days on my feet in them, and felt no fatigue or soreness. I've worn them to Disney World. They're my rain boots and my winter boots after light snowstorms. I've worked in woodshops while wearing them, I've gone hiking in them, and I've even worn them to the beach — though there's definitely footwear out there better suited for that, I will admit.
They're a bit heavy, but you get used to the heft, and it can be a positive if you're walking amongst debris or wearing them outdoors or in an industrial environment. Over time, the treads do wear down, and the heel may wear unevenly, but you really have to beat them up to get them there — which I have. As mentioned, breaking in Dr. Martens is notoriously difficult, and if you're not committed to the process, you may find yourself wanting to give up.
You'll likely suffer a few blisters, but if you commit to wearing them in short spurts for the first few wears, you should find them slowly softening up and conforming to the shape of your foot. I've already mentioned that they don't come in half sizes, and they don't come in widths either. I find the toe-box can be a bit large, and you may find your foot slipping a bit as a result. This will diminish once you break them in and the footbed starts to conform to your foot. The only other major con I've encountered with Dr.
Martens is that you can't resole them. The soles are rubber and heat-fused to the upper, so they're pretty permanently affixed. Though the rubber soles are extremely durable, I wore the treads on my first pair down to nothing after a couple of years of hard wear — so much so that I began slipping and sliding around every time it rained.
Martens are a cultural icon for a good reason. They're reasonably priced boots that can take a beating, and if you do wind up wearing them out, they're not so cost-prohibitive that you'll feel hesitant about replacing them.
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