I was on a fashion shoot recently and the photographer, his assistant, the hair and makeup artist and the model were all wearing these really cool Chelsea-style ankle boots. Every single one of them was raving about how they were ‘the best boots in the world’. Honestly, they looked effortlessly cool on all of them (men and women) and I wanted to be part of the club. I needed to find out where they were from!
Drum roll… They’re from an Australian brand called Blundstone, or ‘Blunnies’ as the Aussies like to call them (our Australian model told me). Heard of them? No, me neither. But apparently: “Blunnies are like Levi’s – everyone in Australia owns a pair.” The photographer said he’s worn his pair of Blundstones nearly every day for 15 years and our hair and makeup artist has had hers for nearly a decade, which is testament to their heritage and legendary durability. A further seal of approval is that they’re loved by the Princess of Wales, as one of her go-to boots for countryside visits and off-duty strolls alike.
Blundstone began by supplying functional, sturdy boots to industrial workers such as mechanics, factory workers, farmhands and lorry drivers. They were very much a ‘work boot’, but the last decade has seen their popularity skyrocket because they’re light, sturdy, look cool (very important), are unbelievably comfy and – this is key – durable. Your Blunnies will, of course, get marks and scratches over time, which isn’t a problem – in fact, scuffs just add to the charm. They last for years and years and will look better as they age. A smart, practical boot that can be worn on hikes, dog walks, around town, for business meetings… they’re a great all-rounder. What’s not to love?
Blunnies are famous for their versatile ‘unisex’ classic brown and black tones, but even if you have that boot already ticked, there are lots of cute colours on the elastic – my favourite being the brown boot with a pop of mustard. One good thing about Blundstone’s growing popularity is that the boots are easier to find. You no longer have to order them from Australia (phew); you can get them directly from the UK website or from Debenhams (currently on sale), Amazon and Toast (but be careful about sizing – you may need to need to translate Aussie sizing to UK).
These wonderous boots are now on the fashion team’s wish list – in fact, GH’s bookings director, Fiona, is waiting for payday to order hers. With so many colourways, which one will she choose? Below are my favourite four… Welcome to the club!
Blundstone Boots
