The boots were kind of grunge I guess, usually worn with plaid flannel. But then again, at that time flannel was being worn by people in every group.

That’s just sad and narrow minded, Nicola. Sounds like you have a problem with people who embrace sub and counter culture — Christ, I thought we left you people behind in the 50s…

I’d like to point out that it was Skinheads who popularised the DM in the first place; before that they were used as army boots and heavy duty work shoes. Skinhead was a working class British subculture, and most of the boys who followed it just wore the boots they wore down the pit or in the mill, their day-to-day work boots… hence they moved from utility to fashion, so THANK the Skinheads!

Furthermore, Skinhead is not a “bad” subculture — for some reason, ignorant people have aligned it to racism and thuggery, which was never its purpose. Skinheads were working class boys who were dissatisfied with their lot in life — but they were NOT racists. Indeed, Skinhead came out of Rudeboy and Girl subcultures from Jamaica, and the first Skinheads embraced rude, reggae and ska culture as their own. The “Oi” splinter of Skin culture led to football hooliganism, and with that came racism — HOWEVER, hardcore Ois and fascists were always a minority splinter of real Skin culture. To this day Skins are tarred with a brush they don’t deserve. I’m a skinhead revivalist and a supporter of SHARP — skinheads against racial prejudice. Before you judge Skins — and DMs! — get your freaking facts right: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinheads_Against_Racial_Prejudice

And hey, if you’re too frightened of the multi-faceted cultural connotations that go with wearing DMs (what other shoe carries this rich counter-culture heritage), then fine — you carry on being frightened. You’re not the first person who can’t deal with deviation from the norm — go back to your nice, safe pink Jimmy Choo lifestyle.