FOOTWEAR
A duke may have started it all but everyone from prince to pauper now proudly displays well-worn gumboots in every hue from dashing to devilish. For gentlemen in the field, tradition still holds sway. Aigle has history on its side and has furnished many a lofty sole in the height of gumboot practicality with its Parcours range. The ubiquitous Hunter has flirted with the fashionable and paraded on the most stylish of feet but it is for the original green gumboot that it earns its place in the hall of fame and in the field. For the technolog-ically minded, Le Chameau has always been in the vanguard, and neoprene-lined boots now come with an aluminised insole that reflects heat back into the body, keeping toes toasty and making even the coldest days on the peg feasible. Its leather-lined boots are top of the range. Best Boots recommends treating them, and especially the zip, with a silicone spray – much more effective than the messy business of rubbing a candle along it.
Leather boots are now common in smart company and have the benefit of looking less agricultural off the field. If you have been distracted by gorgeous blondes standing in buckets the length and breadth of the country then you will have seen the Dubarry Galway boot in all its glory, and most probably have heeded the siren call and bought them. Musto does a fine and rather more masculine leather boot, the Buckden, complete with Gore-Tex membrane.
The leather brogue is a must, and no one does it quite like the Northamptonshire shoe nobility. Beautifully crafted and quintessentially country, a brogue from Tricker’s or Church’s will put a spring in the stateliest of steps. Herrings shoes can supply many top brands and also offers its own synonymous footwear, providing great value. A newcomer to the shoe scene and striding up the fashionable side of the street, Lodger Footwear produces a unique “shoe of the month” alongside its classic English footwear. Lodger prides itself on making custom footwear using modern technology. Perfect for adding a little zing to an outfit, Fin‘s classic George suede loafers offer fuss-free fun in a cluster of colours from out-rageous to tame; no matter what shade your cords, Fin’s will have a complementary loafer.