I like them Woof, though I don't recall seeing Paraboots per se when I was in college ... where the Alden All-Weather Walker and its ilk as sold at Barrie Booters reigned supreme among the profs, deans, and masters .....

very few of the students wore expensive shoes like that, we were wearing Bean boots, blucher mocs, Top-Siders, and sopping wet canvas sneakers but a few years later I did get a pair of very nice French plain-toe blucher shoes with heavy rubber soles, still have them, they're indestructible, wore them a lot in the Northeast back in the day .......

I like the Paraboot Michael shoe, would wear it in cool climes with pleasure .......

personally I don't wear rubber-soled shoes with suits but with a tweed sport coat or even more casually of course I would wear the Paraboot Michael, if I could ... they're kind of expensive .... but I still have the Alden All-Weather Walker in my mind's eye .... in a few more years maybe ... holding out on the All-Weather Walkers as a special treat for my dotage ....

meanwhile congrats on your Paraboot collection Woof.

"Yes these Paraboot Michels are £300 a pair so how about £80".
Me "No problem, £80 each"
"No both pairs, yours for £80"
I could not press the send money on PayPal fast enough.
Had never been worn on arrival, just been in their boxes - a brown and black pair.

Happy memories.

Last edited by Goodyear welt (2017-03-29 12:58:18)

I prefer Veldtschoen if I want something clunky and extremely waterproof.

More the sort of thing that Bulldog Drummond, or a John Buchan hero might have worn.

No outside label either.

Thanks and who was wearing them in the 80s in London?  Just Ivyists or anyone else?

Here is a thread about the Les Minets craze for ivy in 60s Paris authored by 'Talk Idle' (guess who he was). The interesting stuff is about halfway down the page. No specific mention of Paraboots but there may be a connection.

http://forums.filmnoirbuff.com/viewtopic.php?id=202

Whilst I know a fair few peeps with paras, you still don't really see 'em around generally.. or I don't anyhow?!

They seem to have crossed over a few styles with those I have see in 'em which I always think a wonderful thing now .. and probably why I could never decide if they were for me or not when a young 'un and had me blinkers on...

Great value for money of course... they last n last..



And besides, UncleIan is one the coolest sartorial fellas on here kids... assuming this is the new n improved Uncle Ian?!? - he has impeccable style..his seal of approval on its own should have you googling...right....NOW!

I'm a relative Paraboot newcomer (bought my first pair of Michael's last year), but they are great shoes. As T.C. says they do look indestructible.