these doc martens I got for cheap - Page 2

I saw these boots are on piperlime.com while I was getting some shirts off banana republic.com and I had a 10% off code. I was kinda bummed because with the code the shiny black ones where $70. If they black ones had been $50 like the red ones I would have gotten them. For half off retail, I can deal with the lesser quality of the china made ones. I personally couldn't see myself wearing red boots of any kind but for half off retail if your gonna wear them, go for it. I know of the stigma that comes with wearing red docs but for the most part your average person doesn't. If you have a shaved head and like to turn up your cuff to show off your salvege seam you might have a problem but unless you live in a area with a large neo nazi crowd, you prob in the clear.

As a traditionalist, I would prefer they stay with tradition in this case. Baggage and all that comes with it (after all, it's the best part.)

They are great lookin' boots though. Just be prepared if you choose to wear them. People do ask.

Just wondering out of curiosity, what IS the message implied by the red docs as opposed to the black ones?

I'm in this camp. I've always felt that subcultures should self police their scene, as childish and silly as it sounds, I'm not opposed to that concept.


I've never met anyone wearing cherry red Docs who wasnt into the skinhead scene. Black ones are more ubiquitous, but even back in the mid-later 80s I never saw a guy wearing black Docs that wasnt a punk/skin...it wasnt til the 90s that black Docs became more mainstream and safe, but the cherry red/oxbloods have always remained top skinhead gear.

I havent "claimed" in years but I still wear my oxbloods with white laces..... but I can handle my shit

Sorry...translation?


Forgive my ignorance, but are you referring to the cool, working-class, Oi! kind of skin, or the piece-of-shit racist motherfuckers that the former usually loathes?

I've never considered those fellas to be "skinheads"

How safe are the blue ones?

But seriously how many skinheads have you ever met? I have met zero; I doubt anyone in my age bracket would find them symbolic of classic rascist traditions.

A black friend of mine wants red ones; should I tell him to stay away from them?

heh....hundreds. most of my friends are all ex-skins, quite a few are still skins, running around in a crew doing the nonsense that those guys do

funny, I was driving back from the market a few weeks ago and saw a guy walking down the street looking very much like a skinhead (shaved head, oxblood docs, flight jacket) and a part of me still wants to hit him up and see what he's about. old stupid habits die hard.

I agree that subculture tradition should be honored, don't get me wrong, but it's still a bit situational. For example if you're wearing them while visiting an aboriginal tribe or something, I don't think anyone would look twice. Well, they probably would, but for other reasons.

My favorite example of something like that is the "hanky code", if you're familiar. I do manual labor and I'm a sweaty mother fucker, so I usually have one hanging out of my back pocket. For wiping my brow occasionally. The significance of it is lost to farmers and old people, it's just a practical thing. They don't think I'm into anal fisting or whatever. Not because of the hanky, anyway. I probably wouldn't wear it to a bar or club, though, of course..

when you say hit him up you dont mean fight him? or do you? you sound like you used to be a skin head, but youre asian? how does that work?

no, not necessarily...besides I'm too old and know better to beat down kids walking down the street (might scuff my shoes on his head, which would suck) why do you assume skinheads have to be white? there are plenty of black, asian, hispanic, arab, whatever skinheads. Japan and Malaysia in particular have huge skinhead scenes outside of US and Europe. but whatevers...every skinhead thread always ends up drowning in the mire that people assume is some kind of racist ideology. If the OP wants to wear oxblood docs, fine knock yerself out...just saying that those shoes come from a pretty long history of tribal association and are hardly just "any ol footwear", and it's good to be informed of those associations before you go out

So, does the Russian skinhead movement still follow the traditional uniform that your describe, GS? Or does that delve into something vastly different.

So can you say that the association skinheads with red DMs is more important than the association of skinheads with racism?

If so, only due to numbers? (let's say hypotehtically, if 90% of skinheads wear red DMs, while only 15% are racist)