The Bootcut Brigade of the North

 The Bootcut Brigade of the North

 

Walk through any market in Delhi or Chandigarh or Lucknow and you will spot them within minutes. A young man with a confident stride and a flared hem of denim sweeping over the toe of a leather boot. The bootcut and boots combination has become something close to a regional uniform across North India. It is worn with pride and rarely questioned. Fashion cycles may come and go but this pairing seems to stay planted firmly on the ground.

The roots of this love run deep into popular culture. Bollywood heroes of the nineties and early two thousands strutted across the screen in flared denim and heeled boots while Punjabi music videos turned the look into a full aesthetic. Add the lingering influence of Western films about cowboys and drifters and you get an image of rugged masculinity that many young men were eager to borrow. The look said that a man was bold and ready for the road. Songs and posters did the rest of the work. Few teenagers could resist that message.

Practicality also plays a bigger part than people admit. North Indian winters are sharp and the streets can be dusty or damp depending on the season. Boots protect the feet and bootcut jeans fall neatly over them without bunching up at the ankle. For the many young men who ride motorcycles the combination is almost a necessity. A Royal Enfield and a pair of sturdy boots make a natural team and the flared hem keeps the wind from creeping up the leg. Anyone who has braved a foggy January morning on two wheels will understand. Style and function agree here which is rare.

Then there is the matter of presence. The slight heel on many boots adds a little height and the flare of the jeans balances the silhouette from hip to floor. A man in this outfit simply takes up more space in a room. In a culture that values a certain swagger this counts for a lot. The clothes announce confidence before the wearer even opens his mouth and sometimes they help him find that confidence when he lacks it.

The boots themselves come in many forms. Some prefer the Chelsea boot with its clean elastic side panel and sleek profile. Others lean toward chunky lace ups from Indian brands that promise to survive monsoons and marriages alike. A few brave souls choose pointed Cuban heels that click loudly on marble floors. Brands have noticed and now market special boots built for every budget. Each pair says something small about its owner. Shine level and scuff marks are studied closely by friends who never admit they are judging.

Wedding season is where the trend reaches its peak. Cousins gather and group photos are taken and suddenly a dozen young men are standing in near identical stances with near identical hems. Weddings also demand an outfit that is smart without being stiff and boots with dark jeans and a fitted shirt or kurta hit that balance. Many groomsmen squads have relied on this formula and it has rarely failed them. In college corridors the look becomes a quiet badge of belonging and a shared language between friends.

Critics have of course had their say. Fashion writers once declared the bootcut dead when skinny jeans took over and again when baggy fits arrived. Friends from other regions tease that the flare looks dated. Yet the North Indian bootcut devotee shrugs and keeps walking. Recent seasons have even brought a quiet revival as designers rediscover the silhouette and call it vintage. The young men who never abandoned it can only smile at the irony.