My 1st Doc Martins memory

I was reading last night about the style icon that are Doc Martens, better known as DMs. I remember the first time I bought my very first pair the beginning of 1976. Why so late because mum would normally buy me anything I needed and if I asked for new shoes they would just appear. Now she was loosening the grip with me reaching 16 years old I was trusted to do my own shopping which was a bit of a mistake.

Not as if we were loaded but I could always depend on a top-up from Nan, which meant I would have a bit more disposable income so I could shop where I wanted to shop.

In the early 60’s they were seen has, just working men’s shoes/boots but that was going to change when they entered the skinhead culture towards the end of the sixties. With football violence on the rise with skinheads in the forefront of the trouble part of their tribal uniform was steel tip working boots highly dangerous if you received a kick from them.

So the plod would make the skinheads take their boots off before entering the ground for collection after the game. To put a finger up to the plod, they started wearing DMs boots no steel cap. They have been adopted by many youth cultures up to the present day.

I had a pair of platforms, yes, they were the fashion of young males of the time, and after wearing them to death, I smash the heel off for a day off school. So I was in the market for a new pair of something and I wanted to make a statement so with money from Mum and Nan I headed to town.

One thing for sure no platforms this time I was thinking a nice pair of loafer shoes with tassels very popular footwear for your average teenager. I managed to sneak the platforms past mum, she would have never bought them by going shopping with nan. I went from shop to shop looking but was not feeling it. I was looking to be inspired! Then I remembered the shoe warehouse in an old church in Fredrick Street long gone now so I headed in that direction.

Inside it was like Aladdin's Cave of shoes but down the back was where the good stuff was hiding, Loafers of all kinds and other shoes the youth wanted but it was the stack of Doc Martins that caught my eye. It was love at first sight; perusing them, the price was just a bit more than I could afford. I was supposed to be out hunting down some shoes for school but a few tales and heavy saving and a top-up I was back the following Saturday.

With the words from mum suitable shoes for school echoing round my head I was drawn to a pair of  Oxblood Doc Martin boots, black would be ok but as I said l was in love. Without again parent guidance, it was the cherry red boots at tempted me not the shoe but it was the boot then home to a disapproving mum. On the Monday it was the same in school as expected, “Don’t wear them to school again Ugarte, black shoes only” oh well it made a change from telling me to get my haircut.

So it was to school with a grubby old pair of shoes but come home time I was straight into my DMs, Ben Sherman shirt, flair jeans, and my longish hair for a strut around. They were only the 5 lace hole boots not a pair of those 14 lace hole skyscrapers beloved by your hardcore skinhead.