The original Desert Boot was designed in 1949 by Nathan Clark of C & J Clark, the shoemaking family based in Somerset and launched at the Chicago Shoe Fair a year later. It's inspiration was a crepe-soled boot made from rough suede made in Cairo's fabled Old Bazaar for off-duty Eighth Army officers based in North Africa during the Second World War. It seems that this version was itself based on the shoes worn by South African soldiers, a design itself based on Dutch voortrekkers' veldtshoen shoes.
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| Clarks Original Desert Boots |
These comfortable shoes were quickly adopted for the preppy look in the US and later by that great style icon Steve McQueen and others. They were an essential element of many style movements, worn equally enthusiastically by groups as diverse as mods and British Army officers.
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| Steve McQueen desert boot style |
I've worn desert boots on and off since the early seventies - but hadn't done so for ten years or more, until I recently bought a pair. The original deserts boot from Clarks are a little narrow for me, so I bought one of their spin-off styles. The Safari Hat is made of taupe suede inspired by the original desert boot but built on a medium width last. I like their style and the fact that a share of the profits benefits African children orphaned by AIDS - a link to the desert boot's origins.
As you'd expect from their soft construction, desert boots are comfortable and stylish, particularly for casual wear. Ideal with jeans or chinos, they somehow balance a cool mod look with true classic style.
As you'd expect from their soft construction, desert boots are comfortable and stylish, particularly for casual wear. Ideal with jeans or chinos, they somehow balance a cool mod look with true classic style.
