The Friday Read: New Men’s Footwear from Billy Reid & Classic Fall Whiskey from Castle and Key

Billy Reid men's footwear.

My friends, here we are on the brink of what promises to be another most excellent fall weekend — it might be a blustery and rainy one in New York City yet again, but I’m equipped with the proper fall style essentials for the task at hand, including my trusty Shinola leather watch (and many more).

Best chukka boots for men.

With today’s post (or yesterday’s post on the best shirt jacket for men), hopefully, you feel the same way. On that note, let’s talk some of the best fall boots — and from an unlikely source, at least until recently: Billy Reid. You see, the famed Alabama-based menswear designer, one of my favorite brands and menswear companies, period, hadn’t made footwear in recent years — that all changes now though, with two classic styles that should cover plenty of style scenarios.

Billy Reid footwear now includes both a sleek pair of leather moto boots and a stylish pair of chukka boots, and you can certainly look for much more on two of the best pairs of shoes for men this weekend on the blog (hint, hint). I don’t know about you, but it’s an exciting prospect that one of the best menswear designers in the country is now making some of the best men’s boots — it’s almost worthy of a toast, don’t you think?

And a toast or two was once again the focus of my week, as I trekked to the lovely, rolling hills of Kentucky and Bourbon Country itself. The mission? Visit the historic Castle & Key Distillery outside Lexington as part of my spirits and freelance writing pursuits, a trip that included a tour of its famed grounds and plenty of sipping on Castle & Key Restoration Rye.

Speaking of rye whiskey, you should also check out my latest Maxim.com feature on an excellent new rye whiskey from the spirits innovators at BHAKTA. But in the meantime, back to Castle & Key.

We also visited charming Lexington restaurants like Eppings on Eastside, and spent a very memorable day sipping bourbon and watching horse racing at the iconic Keeneland race track. Consider this just a taste of what’s to come regarding this heralded, fast-growing spirits company.

It was once again another reminder that I’m so fortunate to do what I do, be it covering menswear on this very blog or trekking around the country visiting the best distilleries and menswear factories in the business.

For now, I’m going to put some Billy Reid men’s boots on my wish list, and later, I’ll be enjoying some Castle & Key bourbon on a crisp fall night. I hope you consider doing the same! Cheers, and thank you for reading!

The Tuesday Steal: Get Up to 65 Percent off the Best Men’s Boots for Fall At FRYE

Best men's boots for early fall.

A crisp, bright fall day dawns, you reach for your new favorite trucker jacket and a classic pair of blue jeans, and then you realize: Your boot rotation could use a bit of an upgrade. Or rather, your selection of the best men’s boots could stand to deliver some nice bang for your buck, to go along with style points and seasonal, rugged appeal.

Allow Northeast bootmakers FRYE to sort out the last part of that equation in fine form — all the while allowing you to save a buck or two in the process. Famed Massachusetts-based FRYE, makers of some of the best men’s chukka boots (and leather sneakers, and rugged lace-up boots, and much more!) have a knack for blending heritage quality and rich leather with long-lasting dependability.

When you shop FRYE, you’re getting a pair of boots that are on-trend, made to last and always tasteful. And they’ve doubled down on that aim at the best time possible: The FRYE End of Season Sale is giving you the chance to score a new pair of boots for as much as 65 percent off.

Yessir, you read that correctly: Use the code LASTCALL to get an extra 20 percent off men’s sale boots, for a grand total of up to 65 percent off your new favorite boots. Let’s take a closer look at the stellar, stylish men’s boots you should have on your radar today, shall we?

Best Chelsea boots for men.

You’ll find a nice array of classic-yet-modern styles within the FRYE End of Season Sale, but in my experience, it’s wise to opt for a versatile pair you can dress up or dress down, especially when you’re dropping close to $300 full price at FRYE. And which pair of stylish men’s boots checks the right boxes today at the FRYE End of Season Sale?

That’d be the FRYE Tyler Chelsea Boots, which are crisp enough to dress up with slim chinos or corduroy trousers, and casually cool enough to wear with your favorite pair of blue jeans and the aforementioned essential waxed trucker jacket for fall.

Plenty of FRYE hallmarks are on display with these Chelsea boots, from the soft leather upper to the supple leather-lined footbed and a rubber-injected outsole forepart, geared to provide comfort and rebound. In my experience, that design detail makes these FRYE men’s boots comfortable out of the box, while the leather is smooth and soft, rather than overly stiff.

FRYE Chelsea boots review.

Helpfully, the FRYE Tyler Chelsea Boots are also available in a pleasing array of leather colors, including a burnished Khaki (on sale for $207.98 now via the FRYE End of Season Sale) and various shades of broken-in black, brown and tan.

Part tailored jacket, part sweater, all versatility.

Could they be your new go-to fall boots? Between the clean silhouette, the reliable 6-inch shaft height and grippy outsole, and the rich leather, I’d say you’re way ahead of the game as you plan out your next fall #OOTD.

The Thursday Buy: The HELM Boots Hynes Boots Are a Must-Buy Pair of Fall Boots

Best leather chukka boots for men.

Every guy needs a reminder every so often — a reminder about tried-and-true seasonal style essentials, like the best boots for men. Of course, we’ve been diving plenty into the season’s most necessary, stylish footwear these past few weeks, but if you ask me, a guy can never have too many rugged leather boots close at hand. And that’s what’s so great about the HELM Boots Hynes Boots.

In my experience, these boots check all the right boxes in terms of form and function, boasting richly crafted, supple leather and a comfortable ride underfoot. The list only grows from there, so let’s count the ways, shall we?

We previously talked about the lace-up, captoe HELM Boots Lou Teak Boots, which offer rugged appeal in spades, but the more streamlined HELM Boots Hynes Boots are a dressier and more streamlined touch.

HELM Boots for men review.

The HELM Boots Hynes Boots use the brand’s softest-ever leather (Neymar, for those keeping score at home) while also rounding things out with a padded collar for comfort. They’re also fully lined in leather for a soft and supple feel out of the box, and the eyelets even forgo hardware to keep the look clean and sleek.

The same holds true for the profile, which you could easily style with your favorite blue jeans as readily as the HELM Boots Hynes Boots can be worn with some of the best corduroy pants on the market. And at $250, these sleek-yet-rugged leather chukka boots for men are an exceptional value, especially considering the fact that they can be resoled over time.

In the case of (potentially) your new favorite leather chukka boots, it turns out that a reminder is a great thing to receive, right? Yessir. Happy fall, and happy shopping over at HELM Boots, folks.

See Now, Buy Now: The Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots are the Coolest New Fall Boots to Buy Now

There are surely more than a few style situations on the horizon for you this fall (and myself!) that are going to require you to lace up a pair of the most rugged boots for men. It could be something as light-spirited as a brisk morning tailgate, something in-between like a coffee shop visit and brewery beers, or something more hard-wearing, like a day hike or a upstate getaway.

For those situations and more, meet your new favorite pair of boots, courtesy of Taylor Stitch and Danner.

The two standout West Coast brands — Danner with decades of Pacific Northwest bootmaking excellence, Taylor Stitch with nearly 15 years of crafting the best modern menswear — teamed up on the new Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots.

The resulting pair is an ode to Danner’s lightweight Ridge Hiker, with customary Danner performance details (the brand makes some of my favorite pairs of men’s boots), not to mention Taylor Stitch’s uniquely stylish point of view. And the Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots fit nicely in both worlds, with the proper style details and performance specs to match.

Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots 2023.

The Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots start from the ground up, literally, with a sturdy yet comfortable Vibram® Kletterlift Thin outsole, the kind that can grip slippery terrain with ease. For even more comfort, they’re amped up with a removable Ortholite footbed, while a GORE-TEX waterproof liner keeps your feet dry. The rich dark brown pebbled leather is distinctive and will develop a handsome patina with age, but it’s the dry-waxed camo side inserts that give these boots an extra dash of style.

Part tailored jacket, part sweater, all versatility.

The Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots are resoleable, which is great news — you’ll have these USA-made men’s boots for years to come. Speed hooks deliver a secure fit and a classic hiking boot touch, which is ideal for even more stability on uneven terrain.

Of course, you can rock the Taylor Stitch x Danner Ridge Boots more simply, say with a pair of Taylor Stitch indigo denim and a Taylor Stitch workshirt, for easygoing fall pursuits aplenty. Get ahead of the curve and invest in the best for early fall with the latest and greatest from Danner and Taylor Stitch.

The Sunday Sale: Get 20 Percent off Best-Selling Men’s Boots at Wolverine

What’s a guy to do to get ready for fall in style? Well, in my opinion, it’s all about finding brands you can trust, using a little know-how and evaluating your wardrobe’s needs right this second. It might seem tricky to do as we move into fall — it’s easy to feel a step behind if you haven’t quite yet secured that pair of the best fall boots to really lace ’em up in rugged fashion, for instance.

Best Wolverine boots for men to shop now.

And yet to those concerns, I say fear not, because it’s certainly still possible to shop a pair of in-season, of-the-moment rugged boots for men with plenty of functionality and even style in spades. That’s where Wolverine comes in.

The Michigan brand has been a favorite of mine for over a decade, yet it can be tough to score savings on this famed foot brand. Until today, that is: You can use the code 20BESTSELLERS to get, well, 20 percent off some of the best boots for men, just in time for the season ahead.

This encompasses plenty of the trusty boot brand’s top workwear styles, yet there are options that merge both utility and rugged fashion, like the Wolverine Loader Wedge Boots.

Best rugged moc toe boots for men.

Made from premium leather atop a Goodyear welted sole for durability, that same outsole is slip-resistant for inclement weather. A padded collar offers a comfortable, secure fit, while contrast moc-toe stitching (double and triple-stitched in key areas for toughness) provides both visual appeal and style.

These are some of the best men’s boots to wear with jeans and your favorite henley or flannel shirt (or both). The Wolverine Loader Wedge Boots are but one pair up for grabs at 20 percent off with the code 20BESTSELLERS, so act swiftly to secure your new favorite pair of fall boots today, my friends.

Style Pick of the Week: Tecovas Knox Roper Boots – Perfectly Rugged Men’s Boots for Fall

Tecovas men's boots review.

When the weather turns brisk, when you can feel crisp leaves underfoot and a slight chill in the air, that’s when it’s high time you broke out a pair of your new favorite boots. In fact, in my experience, I’d recommend you make that pair of boots in question a rugged pair from a bootmaker like Tecovas.

The Western boots brand, founded in 2014 in Austin, Texas, now makes dozens of different boots in various styles, from tried-and-true cowboy boots to the rugged Knox Roper Boots seen at the top of the page.

If you’ve been hesitant about dipping your toes (quite literally) into the Western boots trend, a pair of sturdy roper boots (originally made for wearing on ranches and in fields and barns) are a reliable alternative. And the Tecovas Knox Roper Boots hit all the right marks in terms of durable performance and rugged appeal, to say the least.

Tecovas Knox Roper Boots.

Made from rich bovine wheat leather that’s only bound to get better with age, they bridge the gap between work boots (with a wedge sole) and traditional Western boots, complete with resolable Goodyear welt construction. The Tecovas Knox Roper Boots also feature Western detailing on the upper, including a V-shaped, reinforced opening with pull straps. The boot also rests atop a comfortable yet dependable Vibram wedge outsole for traction and all-day comfort.

Think of the Tecovas Knox Roper Boots as an easy-on, easy-off alternative to lace-up boots, with much of the same stylish appeal. They’re the ideal pair of boots to wear with dark blue jeans (perhaps also from Tecovas), and perhaps one of the best men’s henleys from the fan-favorite brand. Make the Tecovas Knox Roper Boots your next fall footwear purchase, and then reap the benefits in terms of style and performance all season long.

The Sunday Sale: These Rugged Huckberry Boots Are 60 Percent Off Right Now

Best work boots for men.

If you keep a weather eye on the pages of this blog, especially as of late, you know I’m all about seizing a deal when the time comes — especially if that deal happens to revolve around a pair of the best work boots for men. Or rather, heck, just a pair of the best men’s boots, period. And if you’ve been on the hunt for a pair of boots to wear with your favorite workshirt (for example), you’re in luck.

Those boots in question today are rolling in from Huckberry, and more specifically, from Huckberry’s Rhodes Footwear. The in-house brand from the famed retailer delivers the right mix of rugged-meets-refined, especially as seen in the Rhodes Footwear Logan Boots. And the even better news? They’re a whopping 60 percent off right now in the always-excellent, always-worth-a-look Huckberry Sale section.

Incredibly, that price knows the Rhodes Footwear Logan Boots down to just $100, with plenty of sizes available. But why are they worth spending and saving big? For one, the Rhodes Footwear Logan Boots should prove highly durable, stylish and versatile for the price. They boast a five-inch boot shaft height, which is functional enough to be worn properly as an actual work boot, yet stylish enough to wear with your favorite pair of blue jeans.

Best lace-up boots for men to buy now.

The Rhodes Footwear Logan Boots also boast a stacked heel and a Vibram outsole for plenty of traction, plus a rubber midsole for a little spring in your step (and these are indeed some of the best boots for men to buy this spring, especially at that price). Beyond that, your new favorite pair of boots are available in a nicely textured, richly crafted Mojave Suede, which should wear well with plenty of different shades of, say, Huckberry’s Flint and Tinder 365 Pants.

And once more, it bears repeating that you’re getting all of this — with a weight and build that won’t slow you down this spring — for a mere $100 in the Huckberry Sale section. Act accordingly and get ’em delivered to your door ASAP.

The Sunday Sale: Save Nearly 30 Percent On these Rugged Chukka Boots from Huckberry

Best chukka boots for spring

When the time finally comes to stow away your hard-working winter boots in favor of something more lighter and easier to wear, well, you’re going to want to be prepared. What’s a guy to do? For starters, you’re likely aware (if you read the blog on the regular!) that you can head over to Huckberry to stock up on all your spring style essentials.

Beyond that, you’re going to find precisely what you need within the affordably priced, well-stocked and yet fast-selling Huckberry Sale section. And let’s take it one step further: You’re going to find the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots — some of the best chukka boots for men — within that sale section, and up for grabs at a discount right now for more than 25 percent off.

Best men's chukka boots for spring.

That knocks the price of the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots down to $131 from $175, a downright steal in terms of the right blend of quality and affordability. Crucially, like other Rhodes Footwear styles (including a pair of rugged Chelsea boots), the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots hit all the right marks in terms of spring-ready boots, from the versatile ankle boot chukka design to the sturdy yet comfortable rubber wedge sole.

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Beyond that, the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots boast a refined toe shape that puts them right at home with either the best men’s blue jeans or your favorite chinos and an Oxford shirt, while the waxy leather will develop its own unique patina over time.

The sole itself on the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots is also slip-resistant, while the overall look is about as versatile and high-quality as it gets for the price. Again, the Rhodes Footwear Tyler Chukka Boots can be yours for just about 25 percent off, and that’s as worthy a deal as any this season. Lace ’em up and we’ll see you out there.

The Thursday Buy: These New FRYE Chelsea Boots Are Some of the Best Boots for Spring

Best Chelsea boots for men.

Stepping into a new season is sometimes as simple as, well, stepping out with the right pair of boots. OK, it might not be quite that simple — you’re still going to need a new spring polo and one of spring’s best jackets — but starting your search from the ground up can be a helpful strategy these days. Take FRYE, the long-running maker of some of the best boots for men, period.

You might know them for the Northeast-based company’s rugged lace-up boots for winter, but keep things a little more airy this spring with a streamlined pair of Chelsea boots. Crucially, the FRYE Seth Chelsea Boots hit on the right notes for early spring: Sturdy enough to take a bit of a beating, dressy enough to wear to the office or a cocktail party, and cool enough to wear with everything from olive chinos to light wash jeans and a pocket tee.

Best spring boots for men.

The FRYE Seth Chelsea Boots have all the hallmarks of a dependable pair of boots from the heritage bootmaker (they’ve been in business for well over a century). They start, of course, from the ground up with Goodyear welt construction on most of its boots (and your author assumes the same for the FRYE Seth Chelsea Boots, although it’s not listed online!).

From there, touches like hand-burnished detailing add a slightly rugged, edgy appeal. The Graphite color on the FRYE Seth Chelsea Boots is a nice blend of brown and charcoal, and suitable for spring (even with some of the best black jeans). The entire profile of the FRYE Seth Chelsea Boots remains sleek and dressy, yet undeniably cool. And while some sizes are selling quickly online, you can secure your new favorite Chelsea boots for under $280 right now. Spring has sprung, indeed.

Style Pick of the Week: HELM Boots Zind Burgundy Boots – Your New Go-To Leather Boots

Best lace-up leather boots for men.

There comes a time in every season, like right now, in the depths of winter and with spring on the horizon, where something is so eye-catching and unique, so different, as to stop you in your tracks. Take a pair of the best men’s boots, for instance. A pair like the stunning HELM Zind Burgundy Boots, a pair of stylish leather lace-up boots entirely different from the hard-working pairs you’ve been wearing all winter. A word to the wise: The Burgundy Boots are selling quickly, but other styles of HELM boots are just as wish list-worthy.

Yes indeed, after a long winter of stomping your way through snow and slush, a pair of stylish leather lace-up boots — especially a pair that stands out from the pack — could be just the way to go, don’t you agree?

Now, I don’t doubt that you recognize the perfectly rugged-meets-refined Austin-based bootmaker from the pages of this blog, where I’ve sung the praises of the brand for making some of the best Chelsea boots for men, but these sleek, sharp leather boots are just as worthy of your consideration and your hard-earned cash.

HELM boots review for men.

Naturally, you can find the HELM Zind Burgundy Boots — and other stylish HELM boots — at a discount if you’ve never shopped the brand before. In fact, you can save 15 percent on your first purchase by signing up for the brand’s E-mails.

But even at full price, these durable lace-up boots are worth the squeeze, so to speak. They’re made from a full-grain brush-off leather with a classic, dressy shine, one that’s different from plenty of other pairs of men’s boots on the market (and the difference, my friends, is in the details).

That design approach makes the HELM Zind Burgundy Boots the kind of stylish men’s boots you can “pair with jeans on the weekend or a suit at the office during the week,” as the Texas bootmakers so wisely note. Of course, it helps that these leather boots are built on the brand’s more streamlined 415 last, giving them a dressy look and feel (know your size and shop carefully, folks).

Faherty

Antique brass eyelets play handsomely off the rich leather of the HELM Zind Burgundy Boots, while the Fineline sole is low-profile (compared to a traditional lug sole) and yet should offer solid traction. It’s worth noting that while this style is flying off shelves, it seems that HELM Boots always has plenty of other styles available to suit the modern man such as yourself, so shop with a careful eye — you’ll be rewarded in kind.