I just bought my first pair of R.M. Williams. No, I didn’t get them for free (annoyingly), despite what you’re probably assuming given how much we write and post about the iconic Australian bootmaker (*cough* R.M. Williams HQ *cough*).
Forking out the cash, however, wasn’t my biggest headache. As I was about to check out of the online shopping cart during another flash sale from David Jones, my cursor hesitated over the ‘order now’ button.
Have I fucked up? Should I have gone with the chestnut brown Comfort Craftsman? Swallowing my apprehensions, I proceeded to order the standard black as my first pair of R.M.’s.
My purchase spurred a debate in the office as to which pair, if you were only able to afford one, should the Aussie bloke go for – black, or brown?
Let us break down for you the pros and cons of each, so you won’t hesitate as I did and watch the elusive size you wanted almost sell out.
Black
Essentially, black is every man’s safer option. Black boots are dressier, and infinitely more classic, and the overall trend for men’s footwear is heading in the direction of the darker choice.
Working with a larger variety of wardrobe colours compared to the brown, the black option has a greater spectrum of versatility, by that I mean you could pair it with a dark suit for a cocktail evening one day and wear them with a sweater and black jeans in the office the next. On the former point, black is the better option for those who suspect they’ll be pairing it with a classier outfit more often than anything else.
Brown
The golden rule of brown R.M. Williams boots is to always go for the darkest possible, at least for your first or second pair. The ‘chestnut’ shade (above) is really all you should be looking at in your early R.M. days.
Dark brown works better than black if you’re into wearing lighter-coloured jeans or chinos, particularly for the fringe seasons on either side of Aussie winter. Brown boots will help you achieve the iconic R.M. Williams look, channelling that classic country style.
