How to Make Slouchy Combat Boots
Combat boots convey a tough aesthetic. Slouchy boots show that a droopy shape can still seem chic. Slouchy combat boots fashionably combine both these characteristics, resulting in a shoe that is at once rugged and relaxed. You can search for such boots from retailers, or you can actually craft your own. Doing so depends on your skill set as a shoemaker. Professionals can literally design and manufacture their own boot, while less experienced hands may accomplish the look using an existent pair of shoes.
Instructions
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Define "slouchy" for your own style. Many people might think of something slouchy as loose in structure or soft. Fashionistas might think of it as attractively disheveled. You may want to study some examples of slouchy combat boots to fine-tune your connotation. Distressed leather and a very loose throat (the part that covers the calf) typify most slouchy boots. Combat boots normally have laces that run to the top of the boot. Remember to incorporate these characteristics into your own boot.
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Take a class in boot-making. Education, along with skill and experience, is needed to create an actual boot of any type, including slouchy ones. Such a class should instruct you in concepts such as pattern cutting, "lasting" (shaping and molding the boot's leather), and making insoles.
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Study a book on bespoke shoemaking. "Bespoke," in British English, refers to clothing made to a custom order. This literature can provide you step by step instructions on creating the boots with just the right amount of slouch you care for.
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Purchase a pair of combat boots and manipulate the leather. Distress the leather via multiple means. Spray it lightly with rubbing alcohol; knead it roughly with your fingers; agitate it with sandpaper; stroke it with a wire brush. Repeat these techniques a few times until you have your desired rough look. Then, loosen the leather. Submerge the boots in warm water for at least 10 minutes. Knead the leather as you would dough for the entire time it's under water. Put the boots on and wear them, walking around for about an hour. This, too, will need to be repeated. Continue to distress and loosen the boots until they take up the coveted slouch shape.
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Wear in your combat boots over time; maintain the leather with mink oil. This type of oil keeps boots soft and in good condition. Copious amounts of it, however, can make leather extremely soft. This is exactly what you want in a slouchy boot: leather too loose to hold a particular shape.
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Tips & Warnings
When in doubt, locate a cobbler. This expert in mending shoes may be able to employ advanced means, potentially involving chemicals or extensive reworking, to create the slouch you want.
