This week’s post is about shoes. This brand is an iconic brand not only in the shoe industry but in the fashion industry as well. It is… Dr Martens. It has many nicknames some of them including, Doc Martens, Docs and DMs. One can look at any pair of Docs and know that they are Dr Martens with their many trademark signs such as the yellow stitching around the perimeter of the shoes.

Time for a history lesson by Professor Imani. Don’t worry. This one is worth it. Founded in 1947, they have been around for 73 years! Klaus Märtens, a doctor in the German army during World War II, injured his ankle while on leave. He found that his standard-army issue boots were uncomfortable for his injured foot. While recuperating, he designed improvements for the boot such as using soft-leather and adding air-padded soles made of tires. When the war ended, he took leather from a cobbler’s shop and made the shoes.

The road to success was not easy. This changed when he met his old university friend, Herbert Funck. He happened to like the shoe and decided to go into business together. The rest is history. See… the history lesson was worth it!

These shoes have been the choice of footwear of many groups in British culture such as the skinheads in the 1960’s. In the late 1980s, it became popular amongst punks, goths and members of other youth cultures. It then became part of the grunge fashion scene in the early ’90s.

Dr Marten’s is one of my favourite footwear brand and brand in general. They fit my aesthetic and style so well. I especially like their platform shoes. These shoes have a reputation for being tricky to break in (their boots specifically) but the result is worth it. You end up with really comfy shoes and ones that can last up to 10 years!

They have shoes for those who like to keep it simple and minimal