Style focus: The Chelsea Boot

The Chelsea boot is one of the most iconic, quintessentially British and diverse shoe types the world has ever witnessed. It’s a great style and over the years it has always remained in style each season. If you’re interested in learning about the Chelsea boot – the history of it and what makes it so great – then read on as we have some great information for you.

Characteristics of the Chelsea boot

As one of the most iconic and unique boots, the Chelsea boot obviously has its own individual characteristics. Below are what you would typically expect;

• Ankle length with low heels and rounded toes.
• Two areas made from leather; the quarters and the vamp, which meet near the ankle, joined by a strip of elastic or rubber..
• Rather than being sewn on top of one another, the vamp and quarters are sewn in one plain beneath the ankle

The history behind the Chelsea boot

Originally created for horse-riding purposes, Chelsea boots first appeared in the Victorian era and barrelled in popularity ever since. Back then they were unisex, ankle-high and very tight-fitting with an elastic strip that allowed you to easily pull them off and on via the heel tab. In those days, they weren’t even called Chelsea boots, but were known as Jodhpur or paddock boots. We’ve come a long way from those days, and one of the major changes happened in the 20th century. Groups of young film directors, designers, musicians and artists began frequenting west London during the mid-part of the century, nicknamed ‘the Chelsea set’ by media organisations across the country. From this, the word Chelsea became synonymous with this culture, style and way of life. And once they began favouring paddock boots as their footwear of choice – the Chelsea boot was born.

Buyer’s guide

If you’re looking to buy a classic pair of Chelsea boots – especially if you plan on spending a decent amount – you should first check to ensure that you’ll receive a genuine product. Boots can come in many variations, which is fine if you are happy with it, but a lot of manufacturers do stray from the classic designs. Below are just a few of the things that you should check with your Chelsea boots to make sure that they are a classic design.

• Some Chelsea boots claim to use zips to fit them to your feet and, traditionally, this is not a Chelsea boot. This isn’t to say that these boots aren’t great either, but just that if you are looking for a classic shoe, this is not for you.
• It should be close fitting, with the flexibility in the side panel rather than the instep. Due to this, it’s highly important that you make sure you purchase the right size.
• Look at the quality of the elastic fastening. It’s a defining characteristic of the shoe, and should provide you with comfort and help shape the boot.

Style refresh

To keep Chelsea boots refreshed year on year, Frank Wright always add new styles and materials to keep them on top. For an example, the A/W 2015 trend for Chelsea boots is a suede-styled finish, offering something more than the classic and more traditional shoe. Here at Frank Wright we have a number of high-quality, on-trend and sophisticated Chelsea boots in range of designs, meaning that our customers are able to choose from the best. Enjoy free UK delivery on all orders when you buy with us.