Do you know the origins of the boat shoe? People mistakenly attribute the name to their shape, this is a long way from the truth. Boat shoes are often called deck shoes and this gives us a bit more of a clue into their origins.
History of the Boat Shoe
Boat shoes are a very old style of shoe. Their first major entrance into the retail market was done by Paul Sperry. In 1935 an America born yachting enthusiast and inventor Paul Sperry noticed a gap in the sailing market for a dedicated boat shoe. Preventing injuries from slipping and falling with a new invention process called Spinning. This was a process of cutting fine groves into tyres to improve their wet weather traction. Sperry's first shoes were cut on the soles with a herringbone pattern and the soles were made from rubber. This combined with a leather upper made for a very stylish shoe.
Besides the good looks of boat shoes they remained a working shoe, remaining comfortable on the feet they offered a fully leather inside offering the users the chance on the boat of not wearing socks. Boat shoes are stylish enough to wear to work and are not out of place in formal situations. They are truly versatile and can be worn all year round. The right pair of boat shoes is truly a great investment. All 2011 styles are available at the lowest prices from Newforestfootwear.com
We have a range of the very latest Boat Shoes ready for immediate despatch from the New Forest Footwear website!