Figure 1.--This is the classic Dr Martens boot. Note the distinctive yellow stitching, the "airwear" tab at the back, and the ribbed, cushioned soles. |
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Dr Martens boots were the footwear of choice for skinheads and they made them for younger boys too. A British reade tells us that boys tried to wear them to school in the 1970s, but school authorities banned them. So Dr Martens brought out a black shoe which was suitable for schoolwear. The classic Dr Martens boot had distinctive yellow stitching, the "airwear" tab at the back and the ribbed, cushioned soles which were trademarks. A reader tells us, "The soles would eventually wear smooth and then split letting in water! You could repair the soles by resealing them with a red hot poker, but they soon split again." Dr. Martens were adopted by one youth group--the Belgian VNJ. Boys in other groups wore them, but they were not appreoved footwear.
Dr Martens boots were the footwear of choice for skinheads and they made them for younger boys too. Skinheads appeared to the general public in Britain during 1969. They were influenced by the styles of white mod and black Jamaican rudeboy gangs. The skinheads are commonly seem as a working class reaction against both standard middle-class values as well as the new hippy culture which became popular in the 1960s. The skinheads soon became a popular fixture at scooter rallies and football (soccer) matches. The skinheads added both color ansd sometimes action to the spectator sands. The skinheads are a fascinating social phenomenon. The British working-class was strongly associated with left-wing politics and the Labour Party. Here an important aspect was liberal attitudes, including an acceptance of immigrants and gays. At least the the party idealogues had liberal attitudes. This was not always the case of the rank and file. Such liberal attitudes were often rejected by the skinheads who often embraced right-wing social values. A British reader writes, "When they first came out skinheads - who adopted Doc Martens first - were not "right wing". There primary focus was a rejection of authority of any kind. The right wing movements co-opted them later. There is the misconception that the early skinheads were racist or "right wing". We were not. Our music was reggae (from Jamaica) and it was the "greasers" (motorbike boys) and the "teddy
boys" before them who took part in race riots (like Notting Hill in the 1950s)." As the skinheads began to be more right-wing oriented, they began targeting immigrants (especually South Asians) and gays. When the movement spread to America there proved to be an affinity with NAZIs and the Ku Klux Klan. The movement evolved in the late 1970s. Slinheads were affected by punk culture. Thus punk rock music became a feature of the movement. The skinhead movdment also diversified its social basis and losing its almost total working-class membership.
Doc Martens were of course only one element of skinhead fashions. Wearing boots and having short hair was almost an affront to the official youth organisations - including the Army Cadets - they'd stolen their clothing styles (almost as a parody - and with braces too to emphasise that they were working class unlike the, mainly, middle class scouts) but rebelled against their codes and "rules". A British reader recalls skinhead fashions in the 1970s.
The classic Dr Martens boot had distinctive yellow stitching, the "airwear" tab at the back and the ribbed, cushioned soles which were trademarks. A reader tells us, "The soles would eventually wear smooth and then split letting in water! You could repair the soles by resealing them with a red hot poker, but they soon split again." Another reader writes, "The Dr. Marten air cushioned soles were very comfortable. When I first got them they reminded me of my sandals - which had soft crepe soles much better than normal shoes."
There was an actual Dr. Marten. The story of the boots began in Germany. There Dr. Klaus Maertens injureed his foot while sking in Bavaria (1945). Considering what was going on in Germany during 1945, he was comparably lucky. He invented an air-cushioned sole to alieviate the pain. R Griggs, in Wollaston, Northamptonshire, agreeed to actually manufacture the boots(1959). The first appeard to the public as the Dr Martens 1460 working boot (1960). They soon became known as Doc Martens. They were first adopted by Mods who would wear Doc Martens for fights with rockers at Brighton. The sturdy conrtuction made them perfectly suited for stomping another person. The Damned and other punks adopted the Doc Marten look (early 1970s. The edgy look made Doc Martins popular with students. When school officials banned them, the company came out with more acceptable low-cut shoes which proved popular for schoolwear. From an early stage there was an association between Doc Martens and football (soccer)--at least fottball fans. Some might say football hooligans. Dr Martens owner set up the Rushden and Diamonds FC from Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds (1992).
The company opened the Dr Martens Department Store in Covent Garden, London (1994). The style gradually declined in popularity and became less fashionanle. I'm not sure just why. Probably a declining interest in skinheads and punks (late 1990s) Rushden and Diamonds win the Football League promotion (2001). Dr Martens plagued by declining sales, eports substantial losses (2003). The company shut its British factory and moved production overseas to China. A British reader writes, "I suppose that trainers have taken over now, but it is sad to see Dr Martens in decline. They were definately part of my boyhood and that of many others."
Doc Martin boots were not initially made in boys' sizes. A British reader tells us they appeared in the late 1960s. Most parents did not like them and they were relatively expensive. Thus few boys wore them. They were mistly worn by older teenagers that had more spending money. A reader tells us that he bought a pair with his paper route money.
The way Doc Martens were seen at the time they first became popular was totally different to the military style "army boot" of certain groups were seen. But at the same time they were seen as "subversive" in another way. Although the skinheads had short hair and wore boots
they were seen as more subversive than the "hairies" - who where seen as having a "normal" teenage rebellion. The skinheads were independent of the system - i.e. they were not organised as the scouts and so on were and so had their own code. Another reader writes, "You have it right here in that scouts would never wear Doc Marten boots - they being the antithesis of what they believed in - i.e. order and discipline. Cubs only wore the shoes when they became almost universally popular and so "acceptable". Trainers were coming in then - but they still needed formal wear for parades and school. The image of Doc Martens really changed in the 1980s. Policemen began wearing them in the 80s much to the chagrin of the remaining skinheads!"
Dr. Martens would seem suitable footwear for youth groups. This is especially true for outdoor activities like hiking and camping. In fact they were not at all popular with youth groups or the parents of the children. This is probably because of the military-look and the association with skinheads. Dr. Martens were adopted by one youth group--the Belgian VNJ. Actually, I am not sure that they wear Doc Martens, but they wear black, military-style boots that look like them. Boys in other groups wore them, but they were not approved footwear. We note some British Cubs wearing them, but the type they usually wore were the low-cut shoe the company made for schoolwear.
Doc Martens were first work boots. Once they were adopted by skinheads, some boys wanted to wear them to school. A British reader tells us that boys tried to wear them to school in the 1970s, but school authorities quickly banned them. So Dr Martens brought out a black shoe which was suitable for schoolwear. These became quite popular and were accepted by the schools
A British reader tells us, "My Mum was pretty strict about our clothing up until I was about 13 years old. But then, because I was buying my own clothes with my paper round money, she let it go. She definitely disapproved of my Doc Martens when I bought them, but I was buying my own clothes by then and she didn't make an issue of it. She would not, however, ever let us wear anything that might have been seen as "political" or "rough" and even when I was 15 or 16. She wouldn't let me wear my "skinhead" type clothes when we went to visit our grandparents in Leeds. I was never in the Cubs when I was younger, but my older brother was. In some ways we had it easier before the days of Doc Martens and trainers. For some reason our comfortable sandals were seen as acceptable "formal" wear both for school and for the Cubs in the Summer - although funnily enough my Mum would not let us wear sandals when dressing up even on the hottest days. We had to wear our proper black school shoes even though she stipulated short socks (which my Grandmother objected to). I don't know what that was all about, but I do recall it. My little brother was never allowed Doc Martens, but by that time an early form of trainer was coming in and he was happy with that."
Our reader remembers a boy wearing Doc Martens at his grammar school. They had not yet been banned at the school. The boy was a first year student, many of whom wore short trousers. The boy turned up weraring short trousers, kneesocks, and Doc Martens. The other boys and some of the teachers thought that the combination was hilarious and he was really ridiculed. It was hardly the image of a "skinhead" to wear shorts to school! He was teased so much that he only wore them once. The Doc Martens were banned soon afterwards.
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