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16 November 2007

Completely frivolous AskMeCha →[More:]

I just got me some nice new 20-eyelet Docs. (Early birthday present from Mom.) They make me feel all kick-ass and stylish with my classy plaid wool skirt and black turtleneck.

My question is: should I color over the yellow stitching with a Sharpie? Somehow I think they might look a little more... dressy.

post by: Specklet at: 15:11 | 29 comments

I vote no. It's mostly the yellow stitching that makes them such an iconic design.

posted by box 16 November | 15:18

But then no one would know they're Docs? On the other hand, they would look more dressy. My .02.

Unrelated frivolity - why would a WMV file play completely fine on my wife's profile (Win XP), but all jumpy and slow on mine?

posted by tr33hggr 16 November | 15:19

I vote no. It's mostly the yellow stitching that makes them such an iconic design

Kee-rist, box, are you in my head stealing my thoughts? I had typed almost exactly the same thing.

posted by amro 16 November | 15:20

you would need to darken the bottom too to make it dressy.

posted by stynxno 16 November | 15:21

No, definitely not, because, as said above, it's the yellow stitching that makes them Doc Martens. And there is no way to make combat boots "dressy". That's like trying to find formal pajamas.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 16 November | 15:22

I don't really care if people know they're Docs or not, although I agree about the iconic design aspect. I'm going soley on aesthetics, here.

The soles are darker on my pair than they look in that photo and therefore seem a little more dressy already.

On preview: I think "dressy" is perhaps the wrong word. I think they would be more neutral or something if the stitching was black.

posted by Specklet 16 November | 15:26

Hey, I have two pairs of formal pajamas. They're called "lounging pajamas," they're silky and flowing, in scarlet and in black, and I have, on occasion, worn them when having close friends over for a relaxed dinner.

OMG, I wore jammies when I had friends over. What the heck was I thinking?

In your boots (hee!), I would hold off and wear the new Docs a bunch of times before I considered Sharpie-ing the stitching. Once done it cannot be undone.

posted by Elsa 16 November | 15:29

I like them just the way they are although I see what you mean - they would be more "neutral" if all black, even with the light sole. I do think that the eye tends not to notice that yellow though, like you don't notice orange or yellow stitching on denim. I'm going to color the yellow stitches. Really crappily. Hold on...

posted by iconomy 16 November | 15:29

Ah, I see what you mean. But I think in the case of wearing something iconic, the iconic design trumps the neutrality of the item. I wouldn't carry a plain brown bag with a black outfit, but I have a brown LV bag, and that matches because brown is part of the iconic design.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 16 November | 15:30

This is really a crap job but you can see what the all black would look like.

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by iconomy 16 November | 15:31

Teeps, that's it exactly, but I still feel torn.

Thanks, ico! The soles on these are really almost black, so they really would be more neutral-ish.

posted by Specklet 16 November | 15:33

I say go for it! Doc Martens are so 1994.

posted by pieisexactlythree 16 November | 16:22

Black on black would be pretty hott. It's the style you're after, not the branding, right?

posted by me3dia 16 November | 17:00

Right.

Although now, since most folks said no, I'm wondering if I should just be iconic and leave the stitches yellow.

But... I think it would look more slick and yeah, hott.

Damn.

posted by Specklet 16 November | 17:05

I am always unhappy with things I go after with a Sharpie. It's never as satisfyingly black as I hoped. I bet you look awesome. Leave them as is!

back in the day, which was before 1994, alas, we all bought the Docs without contrast-stitching, cause it made us that much more bad-ass because we didn't need the iconic stitching, even though we had to drive all the way to Houston to get the ones without the contrast stitching. sigh, I'm so old.

posted by crush-onastick 16 November | 17:08

Would black shoe polish work better?

Also, those boots are *totally* West Coast dressy, which is really an entirely different thing from East Coast dressy.

posted by occhiblu 16 November | 17:20

I used to have 20 eyelet Gripfast boots (Gripfast soles are, IMHO, much better than Doc Martin soles) and 20 eyelet Vegetarian Shoes boots, both of which had contrast stitching and I usually used shoe polish to cover it up. Now when I get a new pair of boots I don't bother because it'll just get faded and dirty anyway and then no one can notice.

posted by cmonkey 16 November | 17:29

Don't do it. The stitching fades really quickly if you wear them frequently - in a couple of weeks you won't even notice it.

posted by goo 16 November | 18:05

Okay, I guess I'll leave them be.

Even though I think the black shoe polish would do it (good point about Sharpies, crushy), I guess I should just let them be Docs and not try and make them neutral or slick or whatever.

Now, I just gotta find the perfect black wool skirt and my winter wardrobe is set. I'm thinking something like this...

posted by Specklet 16 November | 18:22

Oooh and I think I'll lace them special like that there picture!

posted by Specklet 16 November | 18:36

Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute.

posted by occhiblu 16 November | 18:38

And my aunt got me a red coat, apparently. I'm hoping it's something like this style. She's got good taste, so I'm betting whatever it is, it's nice. I'm going over this evening to check it out.

Yay winter clothes! I haven't had new shoes or clothes in forver!

posted by Specklet 16 November | 18:50

Wowza, specklet! You'll look so awesome!

posted by crush-onastick 16 November | 19:28

You *could* get a second pair and have one black and one yellow. Then you could just follow thy mood. And that's a whole lotta lace holes! Better add 10 minutes onto your getting ready time.

posted by chewatadistance 16 November | 19:51

Is there an art store nearby where you might be able to find a Prismacolor marker in a dark ochre color? I think it would be neat to have the stitching remain a slightly different color than the leather, but the default Dr. Martens yellow reminds me of road paint, really.

Anyway, hurrah for asskicking boots!

posted by casarkos 16 November | 22:26

I will not offer an opinion until I see a photo of Specklet wearing said boots.

posted by deborah 16 November | 22:47

One does not polish over the yellow stitching on DM's. I'd think that if you wanted something with black lacing you should go for some Fluevog's. Also, I'll second deborah's comment on principle.

posted by Zack_Replica 17 November | 00:30

*crosses arms, taps foot*

posted by deborah 18 November | 15:49

If you'll buy me those Fluevog's, Zach, I'll wear them every day. (I adore those, but they are twice what the Doc's cost me.)

I have not colored in the stitching.

I do not have a camera, sorry!

This is the coat, only in a delicious deep red.

posted by Specklet 19 November | 13:05

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