Dr. Martens Elastic Smooth Leather 1460 & 1461
FACTS
New Elastic 1460s and 1461s are currently availavle on the official Dr. Martens site. Dr. Martens has worked with elastic designs for decades including collaborations with Neighborhood and of course vintage to modern Chelseas. https://www.drmartens.com/us/en/search/?text=elastic
OPINION
Fun because there can be many combinations of styling with lacing and also being about to keep laces loose while still looking classy. I am of the camp that loose laces on Dr. Martens is just a huge NO NO, but the construction and eyelet placement brings a whole new look and fit that just works!
Additionally I think of those that target Chelseas not just for style, but for accessibility. We will have a 1460 that can slip on and off either with or without laces! Plus if you remember back in the day Dr. Martens made these ‘Spring’ laces that do not tie very popular so maybe this is the time to bring em back! Lastly I also think this opens the 1460 to folks that have a ‘high instep’ (if you feel pain on the top of your feet this may be you).
EXPERIENCE
About a year ago Dr. Martens collaborated with Beams X Babylon for a 1460 remaster. The results is beautiful and surprising! The style came with a few color laces AND the ability to wear laceless! They have an elastic band! I walked today in them for about a mile. I styled them as follows: one with the orange laces and one with no laces. I walk quite fast and I wore the worst possible tall socks: Morino wool (very slippery — I do not recommend). I ran across streets and the boots stayed as expected on my feet.
