I got my first pair of Dr Martens, the classic 1460 Patent Leather boots in red, as a spotty-chinned 14-year-old and they were my pride and joy. I would wear them every weekend, to non-uniform days in school and any other occasion I could get away with wearing them.
It wasn’t just a phase and I’ve probably added around 10 pairs of boots, shoes and sandals in various styles to my wardrobe in the years since then. My go-to pair that I wear pretty much year-round are the 1461 Smooth Leather Oxford shoes in black. I also have them in oxblood , and in a hot pink patent design but the black is so easy to wear when you just need to chuck on a pair of smart shoes with a pair of jeans or a dress.
Lately though, I’ve been wanting to upgrade my boot game and I stumbled across the Tarik Utility Boots which are currently on sale at the Dr Marten website for £65. And, if you want to know a money-saving secret, you can get an extra 10% off if you sign up to the brand’s newsletter, making them less than £59 with free delivery, which you’ll know is very cheap for a pair of boots from the shop.
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Out of the box, I love these shoes. I’ve been described as having a bit of an androgynous style and these are exactly that. These boots are unisex, like most of Dr Martens shoe offerings, and they’re a beautifully modern take on the timeless style that has been around for decades.
They feature a fairly chunky sole, chunkier than the soles on the 1460s, classic yellow stitching, as well as coming with grey and black hiker-inspired laces, that add a ruggedness to the design. The boots combine elements of streetwear with utilitarianism for a shoe that’s just ultra cool – and you feel cool, at least I did, when wearing them.
When people ask me about the comfortability of Dr Martens, I always say the same thing. They take a couple of days to break in but once you have, they will be the most comfortable pair of proper shoes you’ll ever wear.
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But what surprised me the most with the Tarik Utility Boots is that they were extremely comfortable on the first wear – and that’s down to a couple of things. The sole of the shoe is padded which gives them bounce when you walk, as well being constructed from a durable woven material that’s 60% textile and 40% coated leather, instead of the traditional 100% leather that you normally have to break in.
If you don’t wear thick enough socks when you break in a normal pair of leather boots, you can get blisters on your heels from where the leather has rubbed in, which is painful and honestly a bit grim. But not with these, I’ve worn these for a couple of hours at a time since getting them and they’ve not rubbed at all.
One thing I will say about the boots is that I found the laces to be incredibly long, especially as I like to wear my boots unlaced on the last two eyelets. They don’t come with an extra set of laces, so if this something that would bother you, it might be worth picking up an extra set, which you can get for £3 online.
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And, if you’re worried about the sizing, I would say go with your normal shoe size unless you have particularly wide feet. I bought a five – as all my other Dr Marten boots and shoes are – and they fit great but are slightly more snug than the 1460 boots and 1461 Oxfords. Dr Martens can be pricey, when not on sale, but the Tarik Utility Boots are worth the money and then some. You can read other reviews of the boots, here.
I haven’t seen any boots quite like these boots on the market, but River Island does have some other trendy options. The Black Wide Fit Quilted Chelsea Boots, which comes in at £45, has a Dr Martens vibe, as does the Black Textured Lace Up Boots which are on sale for £12 at George at Asda.
You can buy the 1460 Patent Leather boots, 1461 Smooth Leather Oxford shoes, and Tarik Utility Boots from Dr Martens. You can get the Black Wide Fit Quilted Chelsea Boots from River Island and the Black Textured Lace Up Boots from George at Asda.
