When I was younger, I always used to wear Caterpillar boots because they were cheaper and easier to find in South Africa than Dr. Martens.
Even after I moved to Sweden and married a man who had worn only Docs and Converse since he was a teenager, I still did not wear them. I did not want to have to break them in, because they are notoriously uncomfortable when new. The company then moved production from UK to Asia, and quality was rumoured to have dropped. So I thought that they were never going to be something for me.
But…there is an old-fashioned shoe shop near us that is closing down after 70 years. They sell really good shoes and everything is deeply discounted. Most things were already sold, but I have smaller feet than the average woman so I could find a few gems. One of which are these boots by Dr. Marten. They are the same style boot I always wear, and they were so comfortable from the first moment. These ones don’t have the yellow stitching but that means they are low-key enough to wear with trousers for work. And they don’t have that seam that digs into you with the tongue-and-laced versions. I have no patience anymore with shoes that need a long breaking in period.
I was absolutely thrilled because I wear this style of boot every day when it is not too cold or hot. I normally buy cheap ones but the ones I like (by Deichmann) have been discontinued. These Dr. Martens are perfect!