Dr Martens Sandals
Hello friends! I hope you are well! Today I thought I would do a quick Dr Martens Sandals Review and let you know what I think of these super cool, summer, tough-girl classics. We are going to be diving into price, comfort, practicality, how to style them and so much more! I’m a HUGE fan of the Dr Martens brand and I’m super excited to share this post with you! OK! Let’s go!
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My History With Dr Martens
I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way, but I started wearing Dr Martens when I was around 15 years old. I was wearing cords, velvet blazers, old man jumpers and band tee-shirts (suede, pulp, Kenickie) at the time and I was a full-on indie kid. Camden was the coolest place on earth and Dr Martens were the coolest shoes you could wear. Speaking of which, the Dr Martens shop in Camden was basically heaven with their display boots signed by musicians and a huge boot sticking out of the shop front. Back then, I had a pair of DM Mary Janes and they had a velcro strap, looking back, I’m not sure why I wouldn’t have picked a buckle (like these), but whatever! Anyway, I wore them to DEATH! I wore them to college, I wore them to work, I wore them with jeans and dresses and probably during my dresses over jeans phase too. I wore them until the velcro gave up on me after around 8 years! I LOVED Them! After that, I bought myself a pair of black leather 1461 shoes and I think over the years I had a few pairs of second hand boots that I picked up from charity shops and carboot sales. It’s no joke when people say Dr Martens NEVER die. They really don’t!
One of my biggest disappointments in life is when I was walking down the street in Paris and saw the most BEAUTIFUL pair of super soft brown / tan leather DM boots; beautifully broken in and as old as the hills. I instantly saw they had been put out as trash for collection, so I grabbed them and took them home. Only to discover they were a size too small for me. I was crushed. Lucky for my sister, they were her size, but damn, it was disappointing for me as they were SO beautiful! I had another near miss when I found a pair of early 90’s hologram leather boots at a carboot sale, also a size too small, but the brown soft leather boots in Paris still hurt the most!
On the flipside, one of my MOST EXCITING blogger invites EVER came from Dr Martens. No joke, I was invited to tour the factory! It was amazing!!!! I saw all the beautiful old machinery, the craftsmanship that goes into every pair and the huge array of beautiful leathers. It was so exciting! I also toured the mini museum they have AND the factory shop. Where I bought 4 pairs of shoes and boots, I would have bought more, but they were HEAVY to carry on a rush hour train and tube home! I know more bloggers lament about trips to the Maldives and Disneyland, but my most exciting experiences include the tour of the Dr Martens factory and meeting Jo Malone and making a candle with her. Anyway! I’m a fan, can you tell?
CLICK HERE! Shop the Dr Martens SALE!
Dr Martens Sandals Review
This season Dr Martens have some brilliant sandals. Personally, I love the simple two strap slip on sandals, as well as some more playful versions like the purple ones or furry leopard print ones (below), which are really cool. I also really like the lightweight platform soles, but for me, it had to be Geraldo Brandon Sandals. What can I say, they called my name!
When it comes to DM’s, I always try to choose a style which feels classic and super wearable for YEARS. As I mentioned Dr Martens are the hardest wearing, longest lasting shoes and boots you will ever find, so I always try to pick a style which I feel will be the most versatile and wearable for many years to come rather than seasonal choices I might be into now and over in a couple of seasons. I’m not going to pretend the Geraldo Brandon Sandals are as classic as the 1461 shoes or the 1460 boots, but they do still feel like they are the kind of sandal boot which will work for my style for a long time. I can see myself wearing these bad boys for years to come, both with and without socks and tights. Speaking of which, I like the fact that these sandals can be worn with bare feet or with tights or socks, it gives me the opportunity to wear them in the spring, summer and autumn, PLUS whilst I break them in, they will be much more comfortable worn with tights rather than bare feet.
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How To Style Dr Martens Sandals
Personally, I love to wear tough looking boots with a vintage style dress for a little contrast. However, they also look really cool worn with all-black for a bit of a goth-in-summer vibe. I also like them worn with socks and board shorts, if you can pull off that look, or if you want to keep things simple you can wear with black tights and a cute vintage 90’s dress for more of a traditional Dr Martens boots grunge look, only with the added detail of the cut-outs. Finally, for a super subtle every day look with a slightly edgier twist, wear them with jeans and a breton top for a casual summer look. They really are super versatile!
Let’s Chat Dr Marten Prices
Personally, when I’m shopping I’m never look for the cheapest item, but I do try to buy items which are good value. For me, Dr Martens are incredible value as they last for so many years, they are made from top quality leathers or leather alternatives and they are just generally super durable and easy to wear and easy to style up. I’ve worn my DM’s everywhere from London Fashion Week, the beach, London shopping trips, dog walks and everywhere in between! I honestly just love them. Plus if you buy a pair and later decide they aren’t quite your style anymore, they retain their value super well on the resale market and you can buy yourself a new pair with the money and only have to chip in a few pounds to make up the difference. Even if they are super worn in, they will still retain their value as DM lovers are always excited by past season stock which is pre-worn in. Also, if you sign up to the mailing list you can get 10% off at Dr Martens which is well worth taking advantage of! Finally, if you are in the Northamptonshire area, there is a Factory Shop and it’s AMAZING!
CLICK HERE! Shop the Dr Martens SALE!
Are Dr Marten sandals comfortable?
Yes, Dr Marten sandals are comfortable, once you break them in. Before that point they are very rigid and can rub and generally feel uncomfortable, but once you have broken them in, they feel like slippers!
How long does it take to break in Doc Martens sandals?
It usually takes around 3-5 weeks to break in Dr Marten shoes and sandals. Personally, I find it helps to wear thick socks whilst breaking them in and only wear them out in short bursts. If I’m wearing them for a longer day, I might slip some ballet pumps into my bag in case I need to change shoes mid-way through the day. It might also be worth having a pack of plasters with you in case there’s any persistent rubbing, but I promise, this will soon disappear and when they are worn in they will feel SO comfortable!
Should I size up or down for Dr Martens?
Neither! Dr Martens tend to be true to size. The leather will give over time, so you don’t want to have them on the loose side. If they feel tight in the width, that’s normal, as long as they don’t hurt or pinch your toes, but they will quickly give and then they will be the perfect size.
CLICK HERE! Shop the Dr Martens SALE!
Go Shopping!
CLICK HERE! Shop the Dr Martens SALE!
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