What Shoes Are You Wearing WSYW

Jakeys · Nov 15, 2025

dsio
A lot of vintage Omegas came with vintage elephant leather straps, Omega doesn’t really mention that anymore when they talk about those watches though lol.

Defiantly a lot of roo leather around, I’ve got a few watch straps made of roo, my Mrs was a bit shocked by that and didn’t like the idea of leather being made of a cute marsupial. Having said that, we have a whole lot of spare roos

Yeah, there seems to be a bit of misconception around the use of roo meat and hide. It's understandable to make the assumption roos are cute and an Australian national icon, it does seem weird on the face of it to eat or wear the animal on our coat of arms. Some states in the US even ban kangaroo I believe.

I've done work in the outback before and it's absolutely nuts how many of them there are, including how many litter the edges of highways unfortunately. They do need to be population controlled and my understanding is it's pretty regulated but I'm no expert in this. I'm satisfied enough to be okay with using kangaroo products. It can be done more ethically and sustainably than some more commonly used animals.

The leather is very good, thin and soft yet strongest by weight in the world. The meat... eh, I could take it or leave it. Though I have used roo mince for my ex-racing greyhound in the past and he seems to like it.

TexOmega · Nov 16, 2025

A Ray Jones boot in French calf.
When you see uneven spacing on the sewing, you know it is hand stitched by a human.
A master craftsman, a bootmaker’s bootmaker.

dsio · Nov 16, 2025

Jakeys
Yeah, there seems to be a bit of misconception around the use of roo meat and hide. It's understandable to make the assumption roos are cute and an Australian national icon, it does seem weird on the face of it to eat or wear the animal on our coat of arms. Some states in the US even ban kangaroo I believe.

I've done work in the outback before and it's absolutely nuts how many of them there are, including how many litter the edges of highways unfortunately. They do need to be population controlled and my understanding is it's pretty regulated but I'm no expert in this. I'm satisfied enough to be okay with using kangaroo products. It can be done more ethically and sustainably than some more commonly used animals.

The leather is very good, thin and soft yet strongest by weight in the world. The meat... eh, I could take it or leave it. Though I have used roo mince for my ex-racing greyhound in the past and he seems to like it.

Yea its sad seeing them on the side of the road but they are remarkably bad pedestrians, I was up at Hope Island resort helping a mate buy a car a few years back and the place is full of wallabies, they're small enough that they dart from the sidewalk in front of your car out of nowhere. I had an E46 330ci with this Mtech 2 bumper that had fog lights in these large gaps in the front bumper. A Wallaby dived in front and broke through the foglight cover and starts jumping around inside the bumper between the radiator, splash guard and bumper. We had to break the mesh screen on the front to let the dopey thing out.

There were hundreds at that time bounding across the sidewalk, they really are rather prolific rooters.

I'll take a pic some time of my RMs pairs but they're both craftsman, just one brown one black, both with the non-slip rubber sole rather than leather. As a former semi-professional drinker, I needed the extra traction offered by the rubber when staggering in and out of the John at bars.

There are few things manufactured in Australia to a very high standard, but RM Williams boots and Akubra hats are definitely among the very best.

Jakeys · Nov 17, 2025

dsio
I'll take a pic some time of my RMs pairs but they're both craftsman, just one brown one black, both with the non-slip rubber sole rather than leather. As a former semi-professional drinker, I needed the extra traction offered by the rubber when staggering in and out of the John at bars.

There are few things manufactured in Australia to a very high standard, but RM Williams boots and Akubra hats are definitely among the very best.

As I understand it nobody buys the leather soled variant any more, out of probably a hundred of model and colour combos they now offer, only I think four men's chelsea options with it. Black or chestnut in standard or signature. Aussies have spoken, they like the sneaker level comfort more than the heritage construction.

dsio
There are few things manufactured in Australia to a very high standard, but RM Williams boots and Akubra hats are definitely among the very best.

We also have Wootten. Far, far lower volume than R.M. but from what I've seen they're making boots to rival the world's best. Would love a custom pair of lace ups from them one day.

Wore my kangas today, took a pic just for this thread.