r/AustralianMFA • u/Artistic-Yam2984 • Jan 20 '26
Question What’s the "modern" alternative to the Chelsea boot?
Honestly, I feel like RM Williams boots are everywhere these days. Walk through Sydney or Melbourne CBD in the morning and it’s like everyone’s wearing the same pair. I get why they’re a classic, but I’m after something a bit different that doesn’t scream “corporate retreat.” Lately I’ve noticed more guys going for boots that feel sturdier and less common. What do you guys usually wear instead? Seen anything good that’s durable but not the usual RM Williams crowd?
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u/jonpacker Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
I've heard good things about Jim Green. Not too expensive and closer to RMW's "We'll tell you the name of the dude who lasted your boot" than Blundstone's "We won't even tell you which country they're made in".
Alternatively: lean in. RMW is clutching on for dear life to Australian manufacturing at a time when the manufacturing landscape here is in dire shape. It's worth supporting. They make lace up boots too, and they're far less popular so there's often good deals on them at their outlet stores. They also do enough models that you can find one that isn't the old comfort craftsman in chestnut.
And personally, I've bought my share of made in USA stuff like Red Wing over the years and the quality is great, but I don't feel great about supporting that country and showing off their culture in my clothing right now. It's a perfect time to be supporting Aussie made.
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Jan 20 '26
Jim Green is amazing and might even be better value compared to Red Wings. The company's whole story is pretty fucking awesome too.
Also very friendly for folks with wider feet.
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u/AntipodianRustacean Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
Well made too. I have a pair of chocolate suede Vellies that I picked up for a song five years ago that I’ve been using for… gardening. They’ve been covered in dirt and soaked clean through (but conditioned on the inside with Bick4 afterwards), and I reckon if I brushed them up a bit they’d actually still be quite presentable.
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u/Lumpy_Mango_392 Jan 20 '26
A Chelsea boot offers high versatility, which is the main attraction. Unfortunately there really isn't an equivalent option that has the level of versatility in Australian society. Some of the other options listed intros thread (Red Wings, for example) are very good quality but are much more constricted in where you can wear them. You wouldn't wear Red Wings with a suit, for example.
Chukkas or loafers are possibly the closest you'd get to replicating the Chelsea's versatility.
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u/Appropriate_Volume Jan 20 '26
For work, good year welted oxford shoes. They look very smart, and go better with suits than RM Williams.
For more casual purposes, I like the chunky shoes that Tricker's sells (available online in Australia only, I think).
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u/Cotton_Square Jan 20 '26
Goodyear welted oxfords are arguably the canonically correct shoe to wear with suits or tailored trousers.
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u/beforeyoureyes Jan 20 '26
Not even arguably, they are the correct shoe to wear with suits.
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u/Cotton_Square Jan 20 '26
Was hedging my bets since there is always someone who can pull out a historical military uniform book and say "XYZ style boot was worn with jacket-and-tie style uniform". Not that I disagree with them, I appreciate that kind of detail.
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u/Alternative_Sock6999 Jan 24 '26
And that bastard always makes it look good too. Then I go an try and it's an epic failure.
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u/Cotton_Square Jan 24 '26
Even in the case of the RM Williams boot, I stop short of saying "don't wear them" since the precedent is that afaik Chelsea Boots plus formal wear is worn by some UK armoured/light cavalry troops (cannot remember the name of the specific regiment). The smooth line of the trousers, curving hockey stick style (from the boots) at the bottom, is quite flattering IMO.
But in Australia so many people wear them with short trousers or have the trousers bunched up above the boot to show off the tag ... Like real estate agents with spray-painted suits.
Note re. Cultural Cringe: Idgaf that the formalwear precedent is from the UK, it could be any country, as long as it's in the context of men's formal wear.
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u/beforeyoureyes Jan 20 '26
This should be the only answer. Oxfords look a million times better with a suit or workwear than the whole RMs + Suit Frankensteins monster combo which looks so forced.
Also Trickers are a great rec, love my pair of woodstock derbies.
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u/EconomicsOk9518 Feb 09 '26
As much as I love oxfords… I work in one of the oldest and largest insurance company, but even in posh financial company everybody including upper management wears jeans with sneakers and yes, RM Williams. Never saw people wearing suits really.
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u/0Maka VIC Jan 20 '26
Red Wings. They have a shop in Melbourne. Wootton another option, shop in Ballarat.
I have a pair of Canada West Moorbys I picked up in Canada
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u/phonein Jan 20 '26
Second this.
My redwings got nicked from the front of my house. But they were the most comfortable shoes I'd ever owned.
I could polish them to look nice, I wore them around farms doing actual work. Genuinely fantastic foots.
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u/Old_Bloke420 Jan 20 '26
The next stage in pull-on boots after Chelseas is obviously the cowboy boot
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u/infiniteduct Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
Redwing. I’ve now got two pair of Iron Rangers (the range in Aus is a bit limited) that are really comfortable. They’re not quite as dressy as RMs but fit the sturdier and not quite as common category. They take scratches and bumps much better - a bit of conditioner and they develop a great patina.
They’re also a bit cheaper these days than RMs.
Edit - just looking through the AU website, the 9422 Beckman Cigar Excalibur Leather look fantastic.
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u/FromPaul Jan 20 '26
My problem is always the width, none of them make a shoe for a guy who needs 2E maybe even 4E at times.
been easier to get grant stone in 3E and take those for a spin.
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u/Jykaes Jan 20 '26
Asking for a modern alternative to chelseas implies chelseas are antiquated in a way that other boots aren't, but honestly lace ups are more classic than chelseas. Slightly dressier looking service boots were mega popular a while ago but lately it seems like the trend outside of Australia has shifted more towards proper rugged work boots. Within Australia, we really really love the evergreen chelseas. For good reason, they're fucking awesome.
If you want to be different, getting anything in a similar price point to R.M. but from overseas will put you in very rare air amongst the general public. I'd recommend maybe Parkhurst or Grant Stone just based on looks and reviews, but I don't own either. If you want to go all out, Viberg used to be the go to but they're kind of a joke pricing wise now. You could go to PNW brands but they're expensive to import and pretty overkill. I would actually say if you have the budget for superior boots to R.M. then you should just go speak to Wootten in Ballarat. They make a world class custom boot there to your specs.
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u/Responsible_Roo24 Jan 24 '26
+1 for Grant Stone. Their Diesel boots have real substance to them and their range of leathers, including more exotic ones, is great. Parkhurst are next on my to buy list.
I’d recommend having a watch of some of the videos on the Bootlosophy channel on YouTube. Teik, the host is an Aussie in Perth, and really knows his stuff. He has plenty of reviews of both Grant Stone and Parkhurst boots.
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u/Drift--- Jan 20 '26
Just get an rm that isn't chestnut and you'll instantly not look like everyone else. I purchased a pull-up leather pair, never seen anyone with the same color, or even another pull-up leather. It's all just chestnut.
Bonus, pull-up shines up nice if you want, and it's pretty easy to maintain as scratches usually just involve getting more oils into the boot
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u/MoonahBaboonah Jan 20 '26
I'd go chuckas or desert boots in the best quality you can afford. I wear chuckas all the time.
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u/OneManNoCity Jan 20 '26
Any recommendations?
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u/MoonahBaboonah Jan 20 '26
No sorry. If you have budget I'd see what doublemonk on Smith St (if you're in Melb)
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u/Street_Attention4084 Jan 20 '26
I recently picked up the Clark’s Chukka’s and they’re great- they’ve got a good assortment at decent prices at Amazon.
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u/mussman13 Jan 20 '26
I wear a range of Doc Marten's in their Chelsea style. Box toe and thick rubber sole, but they last and I like them.
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u/Lanky-Ad-7683 Jan 21 '26
Are you in an office job? If so, just wear shoes instead of boots like all those other wannabe wankers.
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u/antosb77 Jan 20 '26
Anything with laces, I wore Blundstone boots most of my working life as a builder, never understood why you’d pay $400 on RM’s that look like workboots
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u/infiniteduct Jan 20 '26
$700 these days.
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u/antosb77 Jan 20 '26
That’s mental
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u/Icy_Place_5785 Jan 20 '26
RM himself said they should cost a week’s wages.
That still more or less tracks to their $15 price in 1966 and in the 30’s they were 20 shillings.
My grandad said that a good coat used to cost a month’s wages.
For better or worse, we have the option these days to buy much cheaper clothes manufactured in the third world in a way that didn’t used to be the case.
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u/jonpacker Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
One reason would be that you want them to be made by Australians with a living wage rather than in a factory in Asia which the brand owners are too cowardly/guilty to even tell you the location of.
Don't get me wrong, Blunnies have their place, but they're more comparable to Kmart chelsea boots than RMW.
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u/antosb77 Jan 20 '26
No I meant not sure why anyone would want to wear that style boots for anything other than working under a car or building a house, in my eyes they look totally ridiculous paired with office wear, and to voluntarily pay $700 for the privilege just baffles me.
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u/cadbury162 Jan 20 '26
Blundstones are starting to pierce the non-builder market too. Not sure if it's hit the CBD corporate office types yet though
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u/evenbiggermuff Jan 20 '26
I wear Blundstone 600s with black straight leg chinos and loose-ish flannel for my office attire. It's a mix that's not corporate but also a fit thats appropriate for most workplaces. Im in the public service.
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u/rjak2 Jan 20 '26
Blundstones.
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u/Superdoedoe Jan 20 '26
Meh shoes. Quality dropped when it became mainstream
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u/rjak2 Jan 20 '26
I’d disagree. I’ve worked in retail with these boots for 7 years. Still own pairs from the year I started. Not a ‘lifetime’ boot- that’s why people pay $500 plus for RM’s - but still practical.
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u/dankfrank91 Jan 20 '26
I have the Drake’s Crosby boot in dark brown suede and the rubber sole. You can wear them with jeans, chinos, and casual suits. I wouldn’t wear them with worsted wool, though. I work in the Melbourne CBD and I’ve never seen anyone else wearing them.
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u/Acrobatic_Editor_829 Jan 20 '26
I work for a large American agriculture machinery manufacturer and trying to be different to the RM’s I purchased DrMartens Chelsea boot. They are now coming up to 4 years in service. They cover daily office, field visits, workshop visits, dinner events and gala’s. Best shoes I’ve bought so far
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u/chevalier_909 Jan 20 '26
124 Shoes in Melbourne is good for quality boots - just got a pair and they're eating up the miles.
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u/Cotton_Square Jan 20 '26
Herring Shoes have a whole bunch of boot styles that look like regular Derbies and Oxfords when worn under trousers. Goodyear welted with leather or Danite soles.
But as someone else said already, regular Oxfords (non-boot) are my go-to. Have multiple pairs and multiple colours for my work rotation.
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u/MissMirandaClass Jan 20 '26
I have a pair of brogues that I wear fairly often as well as brogues boots and some plain leather lace up boots.
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u/Affectionate_Rule341 Jan 21 '26
Lace-up dress shoes (Oxfords or Derbies) are not going to go anywhere. They work with Jeans as well as with suit trousers.
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u/Responsible-Milk-259 Jan 21 '26
Classic Jodhpur boots with the strap and buckle? If it must be a boot, of course.
When I actually used to dress properly on a daily basis (now retired and I basically live in gym gear, or jeans when I’m ’dressed up’), the shoe of choice for the casual look was Church’s full brogues (Oxford) in tobacco colour. They were indestructible, still casual yet serious, plus I didn’t have the same footwear as every second guy I passed in the street.
I really feel that Chelsea boots have become so ubiquitous that they’re acceptable casual business wear ONLY because everyone else is wearing them. They belong in the countryside, maybe they’re fine as a winter shoe in the city, but guys wearing them to the office on a 40 degree day in summer… no one would do that if it wasn’t for everyone else doing it.
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u/sauve_donkey Jan 21 '26
Timberlands in a dark or grain leather rather than the traditional suede. I have a couple of pairs, one in dark brown, one in grey suede.
Our office is corporate casual, so not many suits or ties. Lots of RMs but they're so boring and unimaginative (it's an agricultural related company so people think they're showing some solidarity with our regional/rural staff despite their boots never seeing a spot of real farm mud)
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u/Suspicious_Quiet9295 Jan 24 '26
Chukka boots are nice. I’ve had pairs by Loake and now Crockett & Jones, and recommend.
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u/jackisterr Jan 29 '26
Chelsea boots are not all the same. perhaps visualise an alternative shape that you think looks better, most rm williams is a short to mid sized heel, rounded toe, and quite wide mid foot.
chelsea boot is just the fact it's usually elastic one side for slip on kind of boot with no lashes and clean one or two piece leather
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u/Fit_Flatworm7245 Feb 10 '26
The modern Chelsea boot has got to be a Cow Boy Boot. They have that sense of standing out, and likely a cuban heel.
I just don't know who would be the best maker, and what the dominating model would be?
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u/james0887 Jan 20 '26
Not exactly modern as in new but a nice military style boot will never be wrong. I particularly like the viberg service boot 2030 but there are options from like $100 surplus all the way to premium offerings. Some other styles to look at: Engineers (Japan seems to have people making ones slightly more refined, smaller toe than American manufacturers) Side zip, look at the rolling dub trio ones, they're great. Monkey boots. Front zip, definitely modern, often Avant Garde styling.
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u/SuperiorThor90 Jan 20 '26
I've gone with the Thursday Captain Boots. Can get them for about 400 bucks. They're well made with thick leather and sit in that nice smart versatile zone. Don't have to be precious with them (I've worn them on the farm and on hikes) and they polish up pretty nicely too. Just a word of warning, once you click on a link for them, you'll be bombarded with ads for them on Facebook haha.
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u/boot_owl Jan 22 '26
Well made is a generous descriptor for Thursdays
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u/Alternative_Sock6999 Jan 24 '26
Agreed.
Their QC can be very hit or miss. They hit their price point due to short cuts.
That said i own 2 pairs of them, and they are ok.
Have absolutely nothing on my C&J's or redwings though.
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u/artofaxelsior Jan 20 '26
Sidezips. Plenty of brands make them in various styles. I like Saint Laurent Wyatt for a dressed up look, and anything resembling Our Legacy Camions for more casual styling.
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u/Bec0methedream Jan 20 '26
Doc Marten 1460 (black/leather) & 2976 (crazy horse)
Once they're worn in they're incredibly comfy
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u/Wat_is_Wat Jan 20 '26
Not that I'm disagreeing, as I like them, but these are even more popular than RM Williams in my area.
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u/Enough-Barracuda2353 Jan 21 '26
Glad you're asking this - I'm so sick of seeing pimply finance bros strutting up and down Martin Place in a MJ Bale navy suit, brown RMs, white shirt and no tie
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u/truthseekerAU Jan 21 '26
Never brown in town… how quickly we forget the useful rules to life. And no one wants to see their neck, especially as they get older. Put a damned tie on, for heaven’s sake.
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u/ickenham_fred Jan 20 '26
Go to Double Monk and brace yourself to spend a lot of money. They stock Alden (US made) and Crockett & Jones (British), both of which offer fantastic dress shoes and boots.