worn a lifetime

Yesterday marked the 65th birthday of the Dr. Martens 1460 boot - a milestone worth celebrating for a brand that has shaped not only fashion but also personal identities and histories, including my own. My connection to Docs runs deep, woven into the fabric of my life long before I ever clocked in for my first shift at a Dr. Martens store. In fact, my love for the brand started before I could even walk.

There’s a photo I cherish: me as a toddler, swinging in a park, my dad Jack pushing me, and on my tiny feet - red patent 1460s. It was inevitable, really. My dad, fancying himself as a bit of a skinhead, and my mam, a mod during the 1980s mod revival, ensured that Dr. Martens would be part of my upbringing. Once I was big enough to fit into a pair, I never looked back.

When I started working for Dr. Martens nearly five years ago, it really was more than just a job. It was a lifeline. After a breakup had left me completely shattered, the opportunity to work for the brand I loved so much gave me the chance to relocate to Belfast and rebuild my life and myself. That job wasn’t just about selling boots - it was about finding my footing again, and figuring out who I was or could be in this new place. Belfast, and that store in the middle of Cornmarket, became like a hub. The people I met, the friendships I formed, establishing myself in this new city and new life - it all stemmed from there.

I quickly discovered I was good at the job. Talking about a brand that had been such a big part of my family's DNA came naturally. My customers loved hearing about my Dad just as much as I loved talking about him. They loved hearing about my lifelong love of Docs, and that enthusiasm translated into sales. Before long, I was one of Belfast’s top sellers. Not only that, but I further developed my skills in stock control, and within just over a year, I earned a promotion to the management team, specialising in stock management.

Dr. Martens Belfast gave me so much more than just a pay-check every month - it gave me back my confidence. It made sense, then, that when the brand launched the ‘Broken in Once, Worn For a Lifetime’ campaign, my own well-worn 1460s - 15 years old at the time - were chosen for display. To see my boots, my history, my story in that campaign filled me with pride. And nothing made me more excited than being able to tell Jack about that.

In February 2024, my partner and I relocated to Bath so he could begin a teaching fellowship at Bath Spa University. Once again, fate - or maybe just a stroke of Dr. Martens magic - played a hand in this transition - my second time relocating my life to a new place in less than 5 years. The Bristol store happened to be recruiting for my exact position, and though I initially hesitated at the idea of a commute, I now know Bristol is where I was meant to be. The store had been struggling, but with the training and standards I’d learned in Belfast - one of the busiest Dr. Martens stores in the world (mad, right?) - I helped turn things around. Seeing that progress, and being part of this wonderful, wonderful team, has been deeply fulfilling.

But for all the love I have for my job, I can’t ignore the internal struggles I’ve had with it. Retail, as many know, is often seen as a stepping stone, something temporary. People make jokes about moving on to their “real job” or their “big-girl job.” And I won’t lie - I’ve felt that pressure. I’ve had moments of shame, of feeling stuck. But then I take a step back and remind myself of everything this job has given me: stability, opportunity, friendships, and the flexibility to support my true passion - my art.

So as I write this, I think about all the moments in my life that have happened in 1460s. My childhood, gigs, my first heartbreak, my personal growth, my many moves, my art career. When I opened my first solo exhibition, ‘To Jack,’ a tribute to my dad, there we were - both in our 1460s. Because that’s just what we do.

So, as the 1460 boot celebrates 65 years, I have to celebrate too. I celebrate my family’s history with the brand, the journey it has taken me on, and the future it continues to help me build. Working for Dr. Martens may not be my forever job, but it is, undeniably, a part of my forever story and I am so, so grateful for it.