ORIGIN: Mesopotamia, 3000 B.C.
Work boots have been around since the Bronze Age (that’s pre-3000 b.c., guy). The first known leather lace-ups were from Mesopotamia, built for kicking it in the fields, on horses, and thus in their droppings. And that’s how shit-kickers were born.
WHY YOU NEED THEM NOW: They’re the most stylish way to stomp through rain, mud, and packs of hippies!
Bottega Veneta Nero calf boots, $1,200
Topman Design high-ankle leather boots, $140
Banana Republic Denver lace-up boots, $95
Zanerobe The Eleven bag, $225
Levi’s Workwear by Filson denim duffel bag, $228
Bodhi expandable weekender, $798MIND YOUR BEESWAX: Using beeswax will bulletproof your leather boots. This magic potion waterproofs, prevents cracking, and actually improves the leather. Bonus: It erases severe stains—from salt to BBQ sauce. We love the old-school Sno-Seal.
