“…And my boots?”

[ebaths]

The Stitchdown is a blog and podcast about “mens’”-style boots and shoes. In 2021, Stitchdown founder Ben Robinson posted “The Engineer Diaries (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Tall Boot)”, about his journey with engineer boots. The whole post is a treat—here’s a quote to whet your palate:

”Back when I first spoke with Neil about getting into some engineers, he said something to the effect of “the thing about engineers is that all that leather up against your legs really tickles your limbic lizard brain”. […] Neil’s 100% right—there’s something to that feeling of the engineers just shrouding the bulk of your lower leg that’s so damn satisfying. I have a pair of 10-inch White’s Smokejumpers, and I love just working the laces around that tower of speed hooks, cranking ’em down, and knowing you’re ready for action. There are few things in this boot world more satisfying. But one of those more satisfying things may just be the ongoing kiss of the engineer boot re-contacting your legs as you walk, over and over and over.”

But the part that has entered my personal dictionary is this:

”I’d worn these boots everywhere: hikes, walks around the neighborhood, Home Depot, […], the post office (where a woman stopped me to compliment my sweater and it took everything to not say “I believe you meant to compliment my boots”).

“I believe you meant to compliment my boots” is the perfect summation of what it’s like to spend hours thinking about a (relatively) niche aspect of your outfit and get very little recognition of it (I believe this is more common for men and menswear—I think women get more compliments because we give a lot of compliments to each other and know what’s expensive or unusual in womenswear).

But I know from experience that it’s special when someone recognizes your boots and says something. More broadly, it’s when someone sees into your niche hobby and gives you that nod of recognition that we all crave.

Comments

[blueshiftofdeath]

LOVE THIS QUOTE!!! :D Great post!!