Video Review of the The Universal Brown Suede Chelsea Boot from Delicious Junction
The Chelsea boot, is an absolute classic, every shoe maker has one in their range. There are even specialist companies like David Preston , which specialize Chelsea Boots. The one above has the classic look and MOD attention to detail.
DJ do 2 variations of the Chelsea Boot, one in Black Leather and this one in Brown Suede. Like a lot of the DJ range these are going out boots. The are look great with a suit, and have that air of dandiness about them. I know people wear them with jeans, this look can work, they are 100’s if not 1000’s of pictures of 60’s groups in them. I recall the animals looking good in some.
My thoughts are if you wear chelsea boots now, you are making a definite statement hence why so many bands wear them. Neol Fielding and bands like Kasbian seem to live the boots.
Now these boots come with the great sole that DJ use, meaning they are a cut above the normal high street sole. The suede is very nice to touch and the stitching is a purple colour and goes well with the brown. In the video we mention the cusset being a slightly different colour i.e a light purple. We like this as it stops it being just another pair of boots.
In terms of the fit, they hug well and would suit a slimmer foot. But being suede they are going to stretch after a few hours and align themselves nicely with your foot shape. The Heel is not cuban, so doesnt make you look loads taller.
Anyways i welcome any thoughts and reviews on the boots.
I found myself asking that question 2 years. It wasn’t so much what was better, more why was one so much more money. Could it really be worth twice the price of the other.
On the net the photos were ok, but neither pair of the oxblood brogues had anything more than the technical data, i.e made of leather. There was no background, no reviews and certainly no comparisons. Hence why I started the website, but that’s another story.
What’s better ? Well in the video you can see there are differences, the Loake Royal is a more wide fitting shoe, and certainly the widest shoe we do. The DJ is narrow, and very snug on my wide feet.
The DJ is much almost chisel toed, and certainly has more of a skin, 70’s look about it. The DJ is advertised with yellow laces and again I feel this has a terrace skin feel.
The Loake Oxblood Brogue in comparison is a much more conservative shoe, and I would say better for more occasions. I have mentioned before that it works well with jeans and a suit. I have seen a guy dressed up very smart for Remembrance Day here in the UK with a pair.
The sole on the DJ upsetter was only leather till recently, DJ have now upgraded to Goodyear welted sole and changed the name slightly to the Royale. Both shoes have a very sturdy pair of soles. The Loake are worn by a business colleague and show very little form of wear, despite being worn every day.
The Loake has a slightly better looking leather and I would concede more consistent shoe, meaning the stiching and cut of the shoe is better. BUT is it £75 more better !
Well that’s for you to judge, I personally have a pair of Loakes, but would happily wear the DJ’s.
What I would suggest is how often you going to wear them? What you going to wear them with. What’s your budget. Once you have worked that out then choose a pair.
If you are young or cash is tight, then buy the DJs. They are half the price, which means you could then buy a pair of loafers another day. Meaning you get 2 pairs of decent shoes, for the same price as the Loakes.
On the other hand!
Buy the Loakes once, look after them and you are going to have a really decent pair of shoes for literally years, long after the thrill of a bargain has faded.
A short review of these very stylish Orange, Yes ORANGE cord shoes.
The shoes are part of the DJ range of shoes, This one is the Rawlings. The shoes comes in 3 colours Green, Purple and the one in review here Orange.
I have worn some green ones 4 -5 times now to various events. The shoe has been very comfortable. The style hugs the foot and is not for a very wide foot. What i was surprised about was the sole, it felt hard to touch and thought it may not prove good to wear. I was wrong on this, the hard sole made it slip very nicely around Mod Club The Alley Club dance floor recently.
The suede upper has nice cord effect and if i am honest i thought would be more expensive shoe. Certainly i think it would sit well with some more high level shoe makers. But this is where i think DJ have done us good again, good looking shoe at a great value.
One thing that has been debated is what colours will go with the Orange. We think this
Dark Blue suit
Black Suit with another spot of orange somewhere
White jeans and very light green or orange short.
Yes dark blue demin
and possibly a dark brown suit
I welcome peoples thoughts on this. Below are some pictures of Mr Darrin Clarke wearing his recently. I think Darrin got it right, the suit looks nice with the shoes and notice the hanky in the pocket of the jacket. Also notice his very lovely wife with orange on as well.
Recently there have been some discussions going on, over whether or not tassel loafers are  MOD!
Now this got me thinking, and it can be argued that some Tassel Loafers are perhaps more Smart Skin or even Suedehead, but I recall seeing plenty of people that call themselves MODS wearing them as well. I would also argue some smart skins I know, are more fussy about their clothes than some Council Estate Mods I also know .
Interestingly the guy that does the deliveries for Modshoes was a Mod in the sixties and had a pair of Loake Brightons. But that was then and not now.
So if Tassel Loafers are not MOD, like some people on the net would have you think, surely it would follow that if you went to a mod club, you wouldn’t see any, would you?
So, armed with my camera, I went to the Jelly Roll Club in Peterborough, where I live. Jelly Roll’s music policy is very firmly RnB, Soul, and 60s Ska. I would say the clientele there are a cross section of people, about 65% mod, some scooterist types, and the rest are people into the music, but not the fashion as such.
There are a number that constantly make the effort to look smart, and yes there are defo some strutting in their peacock suits. And why not? It is the weekend, no work tomorrow and it is the chance to hang out with your mates and listen to some cool music, and if you fancy, a boogie.
Now being the owner of a Shoe website I am constantly checking out the shoes.
First picture is Mick, who has not loafers, but some Oliver Stone Brogues. Massive British beat fan and a great collection of Yardbirds records.
Next up is my mate Terry Grant. Yep loafers, no tassels, but I know Terry has several pairs at home. Terry is a mod legend, has impeccable taste and can wear any colour better than most I know. Yes his shirt is cerise pink, and yes it has pink cuff links! When not dazzling people with his dancing, he has been known to DJ and sings in garage band, Substation 66 and the Sonic Buzz.
On being asked are Tassel Loafers mod? Terry spoke for an hour before saying YES!!
Next up are the youngest people to be featured, and MODS new breed, Aaron and Warren. Two lads discovering the wonderful world of mod. Warren has smart Oxford style shoes, but young Aaron on the left has Tassel Loafers!
Next up are Darrin Clark and the club’s main guy, Mister Julian Roberts. Darrin is wearing Dune Weavers and Julian, well I forgot to ask, sorry. Both guys are top lads and always very smart.
Another pair of Tassel loafers, and these belong to Paul Bromley. I like the oxblood, red sock and sand colour. Paul and his lovely wife Suzie have been into Soul Music forever. They both travel over the UK to various events. Anyways on his feet, Loake Brighton Tassel Loafers in Oxblood.
Next up is London Steve, and guess what he doesn’t even live in London , he lives in Kent. On his feet, Delicious Junction rudeboy loafers in oxblood. Steve is a cool guy and loves a boogie to Northern Soul and 60’s Ska. The lady with him, is my wife, Nicky.
The next collection of guys is Gary, Martin and Paul. Gary is the fella on the left, he did tell me the make of the shoes, but I had one too many whiskies by then. Gary always looks great and has been into the mod thing forever. Martin and Paul I believe are both wearing Bass Weejuns, they will correct me no doubt when they read this. I know Martin and Paul have Tassel Loafers, Paul’s being Bass Weejuns.
So, you may be thinking, what’s your point Andy? Well to me MOD doesn’t, as such, have a rule book. Meaning there are certain styles which are classic MOD, and some that just look MOD when they are all put together as an outfit. All the people above enjoy being part of a scene and looking their best.
Some MODS favour the dandy look, some the suit, some a quality button down etc, or knit wear etc. Meaning that their look looks good and right to them. So if that means the Rudeboy Loafers is what they want, then happy daze.
So still you are asking Andy, what you trying to get at? Well we had someone on Facebook saying that some of the shoes we sell aren’t MOD! And implying that we should not even call ourselves modshoes at all!
Now I am made of tougher stuff than to let one person annoy me. But what aggrieved me was, imagine you are a young lad getting into the scene and you have some smart arse saying , thats not mod! And you have just saved up for it, or you actually think it looks smart, because it is, why should some bully who thinks they are right be allowed to belittle you?
Facebook is a great thing because it allows people who are into similar things to hang out and be friends , when in real life you stand little or no chance of ever meeting. But it also allows narrow minded idiots a place to preach. My advice is to follow the great man.
We call this website MODshoes , because that’s what most of our audience align themselves with, and our tag line is “Smart Shoes for Smart People”.
So did this article prove for once and for all that Tassel loafers of various styles are MOD? Yes I think it did!
Thought it would be fun to do a Photo only(ish) blog. Below are some people who I feel best represent cool shoes, each is an icon in many ways, but when i think of them i think, yep “smart dresser” and always good shoes !
Finding pictures, with shoes in, was hard work for some, as we see them in films or videos for only a second !
I make no apologies ! this is my list! , and a very incomplete, but it will do as a start !
Enjoy Andy
Suggs
I think smart dressing and cool shoes may have started here for me. Suggs was always stood out for me in his brogues and loafers. And i suppose because of the nutty dance you had to look at the feet!
Paul Weller
Weller of course he had to be in the list. Weller was my hero for so long, musically he inspired so many of us and i love the fact he is out there still playing with new sounds. Style wise he cant be bet most of the time. Â Shoes wise he is normally a mile ahead of everyone ! except perhaps the next set of pictures.
The Small Faces
Yes all of them ! There are literally 1000’s of pictures online of Marriott Lane, Mac and Jones. and in them they are always look brilliant including the shoes. The first picture here is my favourite picture of them.
Liam Gallagher
Liam enters the list because although i am bigger Blur fan, Liam is the archetypal rock star . He is one of the guys who can pull of anything and look cool in it. I am not so sure about the recent ‘Pretty Green’ range , i always think thats someone behind him ! but whether you like it or not Him, Neol and Damien all gave the MOD scene a big bloody kick in the 90’s
James Brown
James Brown is one the best dancers ever, anyone who has ever seen him slide across the floor will know that. But if you are going to slide across the floor like that, you are not going to be wearing rubbish shoes when the whole crowd is looking !
James Bond
Yes all of them ! James bond always looks cool, and whether it be Connery Moore, Morgan or Craig ( i know there are others) they always look their best! Possibly not strictly MOD! but cool anyways.
Michael Caine
Yep another actor. In the famous picture below with the Shooter from Get carter look at those cuff links !!!! Again bit of mare trying to find a picture of him full length, but in the Italian job, Get Carter, Icpress file and countless others inc the Eagle Has Landed Caine looks ace.
and a button down shirt !!!!
George Harrison
My favourite Beatle. Since i think 6 years old i have wanted to be George in the Beatles. Why you ask ? when i was younger it was the guitar, and as i have got older he seemed like the cool one. John and Paul may have wrote some of the best songs ever, but George wrote two of the Beatles most beautiful tunes. ‘While my guitar gently weeps’ and ‘Something’. He was no slouch either as these pictures prove.
I dont think there is a summary or conclusion really. Just an excuse to look at cool people in cool gear. I hope some of you agree and welcome hot debate at who i may have missed out !
Video review of the New Terry Rawlings Shoe from Delicious Junction
Very close to these fellas i reckon ?
These are very cool shoes, distinctly remind us of Steve Marriott & Small Faces era 1966.
They fit very well and are comfortable straight out of the box. There is limited stock on these so if you are interested i would buy sooner rather than later.
In terms of sizing, the 8 was snug on my feet, i am an 8, on one foot and 8.5 on my right, and they fitted well. If you are a very wide foot, it may be best to go up a size, but remember this suede so it is going to stretch.
The shoe is made up of both suede and leather. It has 4 hole eyelites and comes in Sizes: 6-12. The construction is very good and it feels like a sturdy shoe.
For more information please watch the video review here
Loake are one of the oldest shoe makers here in the UK. The family Loake has been making shoes since 1880. The companies commitment is to forefathers and the tradition they established all those years ago.
For this reason the premium grade Goodyear welted shoes continue to be made in Kettering, England, in the same factory that the three brothers built in 1894.
The Goodyear welted construction for which Loake is renowned is an intricate process with origins going back over 300 years. Only the very highest quality materials are used. Each pair takes eight weeks to make and they still believe there is no finer way to make a gentleman’s shoe.
They estimate Loake has made over 50 million pairs of Goodyear welted shoes since it began.
So what has this to do with MOD Shoes? Well the company make very good shoes, and they produce a very ‘English’ style range of shoes. The range cover many shoes that don’t fit with MODS, such as the classic Oxford shoe. But and this is but, they do one of the best Tassel Loafers and Wingback Brogues currently on the market.
The Loake Brighton loafer is a classic tassel loafer. It comes in two colours, Black and the Classic Oxblood. The shoe is not the most expensive, but I would argue thats it is good as gets without going to bespoke.
Certainly designers like Gucci and Ralph Lauren make more expensive, but you are paying for the name! And they don’t look that much better.
I have spoken to people that have had bespoke shoes made, and they were pleased with the results, but also said, not pleased enough to have another pair done, but would rather have 2 or 3 pairs of Loakes instead.
So back to the Brightons. The shoe it self has classic trade marks, the beef roll on the front. This is really well stitched and the roll is flattened and so less prone to getting caught and snagged. The Oxblood colour is a real deep colour and the consistency of the leathers means you don’t get a patch work of colours.
Another friend of mine still has a pair she had in the 80’s. The shoes polished up well when she recently pulled them out of the loft. A local cobbler was able to tidy up the stitching for her. She was very happy when she wore them again to a recent soul do.
The point being that looked after well the shoe is going to last ages.
I have a pair of the Loake Royal Brogues, and think they are really great. They look so smart and shine up well every time. The shoe feels so sturdy that sometimes I think it should be a lot heavier. Certainly all Loake shoes I have seen feel solid.
Cheaper brogues or loafers suffer from inferior leather and start to look dowdy very quickly. The Loake Shoes don’t suffer from this and hence why we are happy to stock them.
Loake Shoes are also very proud of their repair service. In this throw away culture we live in now, it feels good to me that they care enough to want something to last.
And this brings us to the MOD connection.
Kevin Spacey (Lots of films including one of my favs, The Negotiator) & Martin Freeman (The Office, The Hobbit)
Owning a pair of Loake Shoes means you are also in good company Worn by everyone from Bill Nighy and Martin Freeman to Kevin Spacey CBE and Madness.
In the 60’s the MOD culture was very transient and the looks were in and out very quickly, but today we have settled on certain styles to have in the wardrobe as a staple requirement. Personally I am happy to spend on a quality shoe I am going to keep for a while and this is another reason why we stock this classic shoe make.
I know very little about Cord Shoes. The style can look really cool on some people, but has to be carried off well to look cool.
There are lots of pictures of The Small Faces in this style and I get the feeling it was a 65 onwards MOD fashion. More a nightclub shoe? Certainly Marriott and co look very good in them.
The famous boots have been a main stay of the MOD scene since the 60s. Clark’s made the first pair in the 50s and the style has remained the same since. Clarks still make them and so do lots of others.
Fred Perry have recently introduced their take on them, with the little logo on the back of the boot.
They are a great starter for the traditional look, certainly based on the price compared to leather shoes. The availability of the boot means it is in reach of most, and they look good with jeans and a suit.
If you notice in Quadrophenia the cast seem to live in them, I assume because it would have been good for the Brighton scenes, ie, the running around bits.
One of my favourite MOD images though is from the MODS book: suede jacket, white jeans and desert boots. With a Fred Perry you are an instant MOD.
SHOES WE SELL:
Just found this picture and i think it is going to be one of my favs. Possibly one of the best bands ever, looking really smart, and look at the feet, 3 of the 4 in desert boots. Everything about this picture is class.
Seriously how cool.
Here is a video of a guy reviewing some nice Gucci style desert boots.
Loake are one of the oldest shoe makers here in the UK. The family Loake has been making shoes since 1880. The companies commitment is to forefathers and the tradition they established all those years ago.
