I am caught up in the boot craze. I love boots, be it cowboy, motorcycle, or ol’ fashion combat boots. There is no better feeling than stomping around in a nice pair of leather boots. No other type of shoe fits your foot better or makes you feel the way you do in a pair of bad-ass boots. The blogs are a buzz with talk about the new Wolverine 1000 Mile series, and yes, they are beautiful and I’m sure of the utmost quality, but there are lots of other fantastic brands to choose from too.

The Frye harness boot has a storied history. From the companies website:

Founded in 1863 by John A. Frye, a prominent English shoemaker, The Frye Company is the oldest continuously operated shoe company in the United States. … Frye’s footwear has a long and illustrious history… Frye boots were worn by Union and Confederate soldiers during America’s Civil War, as well as soldiers in the Spanish- American War including Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. When homesteading sparked adventurous New England families to go West in the mid and late 1800’s, many of these pioneers wore Frye Boots for the long journey.
Frye’s Harness Boot is rooted in tradition and continues to draw influence from the American Cavalry. During a 1938 trip to Washington, DC, John A. Frye’s grandson and namesake met a U.S. Navy Admiral who noted his difficulty in finding the Wellington style he liked so much. As a favor, John agreed to make him a pair. Frye continued to fill requests for these boots through World War II. By mail order, the company supplied thousands of WWII servicemen with Frye Wellingtons, known as Jet Boots. Our boots traveled the world on the feet of U.S. soldiers during the war – even General Patton wore a pair.

More recently you might have seen the traditional harness boot on people whose boots survived the 60s or hipster girls wearing them with skirts and tights. A far cry from General Patton, but good to keep the brand alive.
More recently, Frye has been putting out some more city-stylish boots. They have the same standard of quality but a much sleeker and hipper design. These are the Jesse harness:

And here are the Jayden Chelsea. A ‘Chelsea’ boot just means that they have an elastic section on the shaft for comfort (not my favorite, but the elastic doesn’t show under pants). I picked up a pair of these last fall and they are the best fitting and feeling pair of shoes I have ever had, hands down. They are light but thick enough to feel substantial on the foot, and the wood sole adds that familiar stomping noise you love about wearing boots. I’ve had the leather conditioned a few times by my local cobbler and they look brand new and feel even better. And with a nice pair of slim, cuffed jeans, an undeniably stylish but ‘manly’ look. The toe is a bit more pointed than the regular harness, which is a bit boxy in the front, but they aren’t ugly european pointy by any means. They are just right….perfectly designed. Check them out, they are a little pricey, but with good care will last for a lifetime.