“The pull straps on either end make them look like a wallaby,” my boyfriend said about his new Blundstone boots. Call them what you want, they are now his favorite pair of shoes—and he stole them from me.
That’s right, as soon as he noticed my boots he secretly bought a pair and started telling all his friends to buy them too. Founded in 1870, the rugged brand was originally intended for Crocodile Dundee types—they are based in Tasmania after all—but lately, they are creeping up on everyone’s feet. Wearers rave about their sleek silhouette, comfy sole, and last-for-a-lifetime quality. But their number one standout feature is that you don’t need to break them in.
“A couple of years ago, I noticed a ceramicist friend sporting a pair of Blundstones—I’d know the sturdy, Chelsea-style leather boot, with its distinctive pull tabs at front and back, anywhere,” says ELLE.com’s culture editor and resident Aussie, Estelle Tang. Detailing their stateside invasion, she continued “Streaked with clay and worn with regular wear and tear, they looked so hardy and unpretentious. Then I noticed a stylist friend wearing them: ‘They’re so comfortable, and I’m on my feet all the time at work,’ she said of them. Then, a couple of guys at a party had selected them as casual evening footwear. I hadn’t noticed much of a publicity push on the brand’s behalf—it just seemed that all my American friends had discovered Blunnies (yes, that’s what we call them) on their own.”
It would seem literally every attractive celebrity: Brad Pitt, Ellen Page, and Chris Evans have all been seen wearing their boots. But it doesn’t stop there. Fashion designer Sandy Liang is a fan, too: She styled her Fall 2018 collection with the boots, merging Blundstones with her Lower East Side aesthetic.
Ready to join the pack? Shop them today.