BLACK PITSTOP - LACE-UP

Black, round-toed and laced. That combination reads as work rather than western, and it is the version of this boot for someone who wants the fit adjustable.

A round toe is the shape that asks least of a foot. It gives width across the front without pushing the outline wider, and it flatters more feet than anything sharper. Black keeps the whole thing quiet — it takes scuffs without showing them, it sits under any colour of trouser, and it is the only finish that looks equally right on a site and in a bar afterwards. The lacing is what turns the boot from a shape into a fit: pulled properly, it holds the heel down and stops the foot sliding forward on a slope.

Worth knowing before you buy: laces let you compensate for a foot that is narrow or a high instep, which is exactly what a pull-on cannot do. If either describes you, this is the version to take. Wear them under a straight leg, and re-lace them properly once a week rather than stepping in and out of them.