Custom
Years ago I found a pair of vintage side zips in an antique store that I really loved, but they were cement constructed and not particularly nice. Eventually they just became too uncomfortable with the rapidly thinning synthetic soles. I had recently finished my PhD and gotten a new job as a professor and felt like I wanted to splurge on something. I have been relatively poor most of my life, and decided to continue that tradition by going to graduate school, for a degree that in a career track that barely earns a living wage. I grew up wearing lots of secondhand, and continued that into adulthood. 99% of my wardrobe is thrifted. And while I’ve definitely thrifted some very nice things (Red Wings, Filson Mackinaw, etc) I almost never spend a lot of money all at once on clothing. So as a reward for finally getting my PhD and a new job, I decided I wanted to find a replacement for my favorite pair of boots. After lots of fruitless searching and finding lots of size zips that were not quite what I was looking for, someone on styleforum recommended Briselblack and they met all the criteria I had in mind. I love the slightly western aesthetic. I love how easy they are to take on and off (perfect for traveling/flying). They are rugged enough for hiking. I can teach in them if I decide to go a bit more casual.
