Reader: Docs Last, and Are a Good F-U to the Fashion Industry

One afternoon last spring, Paul Italiano was inside FashioNation, the rock-and-roll boutique that he and his wife, Pam, have co-owned and operated since 1987, when one of his longtime customers entered the store at 1894 South Broadway with his teenage son.

The father, whom Italiano knew well from his patronage of the store over the years, announced that his kid was there to buy his first pair of Dr. Martens boots — ankle-high boots with air-cushioned soles that are often referred to simply as “Docs.” The iconic boots became a signature fashion statement among punk rockers, new-wavers, alternative rockers and members of various subcultures during the 1970s, '80s and ’90s.

And, as Chris Walker reported this week, the boots are now attracting another generation of shoppers: kids, often brought there by their parents.

Readers were quick to respond to the story. Says Cheyenne: 

Vive la revolucion. That’s what I call boots on the ground!

Counters Craig: 

So punk spending $160 on shoes.

Responds Tom:

If you take care of them, they last five to ten years. Way more economical than buying two pairs of shoes a year that fall apart.

Adds Janice:

 Um, you can be punk AND buy good shoes.

It's a good fuck you to the fashion industry because my boots are over fifteen years old and still going — in fact, I'm getting them re-treaded. That's more punk than fast-fashion.

Notes Sher: 

Everybody wears Docs now! Because they are cool!

Asks Tyler: 

But what color shoelaces are they buying with them?

Comments Tom:

 FashioNation is the best place in Denver to pick up some Docs.

But Vince doesn't buy the whole thing, and says: 

Seriously, who writes your articles? You trying to be The Onion? Cuz it's not working.

Keep reading for more on FashioNation.

"Denver's Long-Running Punk Boutique FashionNation Keeps Drawing Rock Stars"

"Surge of Kids Buying Dr. Martens Suggests Punk's Not Dead"

So many kids were coming to FashioNation to buy Docs that Italiano decided to start taking photos of the young customers and post them on Facebook.

“So many of these kids are making their first adult purchase,” Italiano says. “They save their money, and this is what they want to buy. You can’t understate that. This is a rite of passage. I went from a kid to 'Now I got my Docs.'"

What do you think of FashioNation? Of Docs? Of Denver's fashion scene in general? Post a comment or email [email protected].