The infamous and relatively heavy Dr. Marten boots are known best by youth all around the States – a pop-culture footwear choice paired with multitudes of fashion aesthetics. Originating as a favorite fashion item for “ska-loving skinheads,” the boots eventually made their way to the West where they quickly assimilated into “psychobilly, grebo and scooter boy tribes.” Picking up traction in the 1980s, the shoes were adopted into the grunge and rock music festival scene where they found their wave to success. The Dr. “AirWair” Martens website links these boots to successful people and “free thinking individuals,” but if you read between the lines of the history they depict, you might notice some peculiar language and undertones of the darker truth of Dr. Martens.
Dr. Martens were designed by Dr. Klaus Maertens, a 25-year-old soldier at the time the boots were created. Maertens was a German soldier, fighting in allegiance with Germany in WW2, suffering from a broken foot as a result of combat. To aid in his recovery, Maertens designed the boot infamous to fashion today. Being a WW2 German soldier, the boots are commonly regarded as Nazi boots– as they were utilized by soldiers at the end of the war as a substitute for standard “German army boots.” The “AirWair” title that appears on the branding of Dr. Martens was an effort to rebrand the boots away from their Fascist Nazi origins and associations. As time passed this rebranding seems to have worked, with the boots becoming a fashion essential… but the brand says nothing about the life of the laces woven into the leather with origins somewhat forgotten.
While the boots have a Fascist history of their own, regardless of who remembers or not, the laces woven into the boots have their own unique associations. The main lace colors paired with Dr. Martens include White, Blue, Red, Yellow, Purple, Green, and Black. While the meanings have shifted recently regarding some of the colors, the meanings associated with White, Red, Yellow, Purple, and Black laces remain the same.
I will note, not everyone knows about the history behind Dr. Martens or the associations linked to certain colored laces. While some people choose to wear the laces representing a significant community to themselves, others might wear the shoelace colors they merely think look cool. If you feel uncomfortable in the presence of someone wearing a particular color shoelace prioritize your own safety. Otherwise, enjoy repping neutrality, if the shoes are simply just shoes to you.
White Laces: White was adopted by the KKK to symbolize their ideological alliance to White Supremacy and objection to Hitler’s ideology due to his identity as a “foreigner”. While KKK members may use white laces to point out their associations in a discreet manner to other members, in America white is also a symbol of peace. In terms of safety however, if you see white laces on a pair of Dr. Martens, I would encourage you to safely walk away.
Red Laces: Red is associated with Neo-Nazis. Red laces represent allegiances to Hitler’s ideology. Red, in some cases, also suggests an individual always ready to fight. Typically red is a color to alert others and even in the animal world, red signals a warning. I suggest, if you come across Dr. Martens laced in red, heed the warning and safely walk away.
Yellow Laces: Yellow symbolizes hope in various cultures. Most importantly, Dr. Martens branding actively chose yellow to symbolize a commitment, as a brand, to social change. Thus, yellow represents anti- racism and anti- discrimination. Yellow was chosen as a positive color for those who have been discriminated against to wear proudly.
Purple Laces: Purple has been associated with gay pride since the 1950s and continues today to represent LGBTQIA+ pride and allyship. Additionally, while the color is associated with pride, melancholy, and royalty, purple laces are also anti-skinhead, which is interesting considering that the Dr. Martens branding memo notes their origins of being worn by “ska-loving skinhead” youth.
Black Laces: The black laces are associated with traditionalist men who desired to be left alone in their neutral lifestyles. Black was also picked up by punk culture but remains a neutral shoelace color for Dr. Martens. Truly in fashion, black pairs with everything and does well to provide a neutral visual palette.
History matters. These “simple” leather boots are tied to violence, discrimination, and hardship. My goal with this brief piece is to educate you on these popularized and glamorized shoes. I felt obliged to reveal their origins and highlight the significance of the messages that get carried with each new pair stepping on soil. Additionally, while Dr. Martens are highly fashionable and desired almost to the degree of a stylistic fetish, I encourage you to ask yourself deeper questions now that you know more than most consumers do. Even sporting black laces, are the boots really all that neutral? Do they feel heavier now? Will you still be in a rush to spend on a new pair once they go on sale? Has discovering their initial purpose changed your perspective on this iconic fashion footwear? I hope it has.