Four surprising footwear style picks to learn from Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is known by many as the star of blockbuster successes such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, and Sweeney Todd.
But on screen and off, this Hollywood star always carries himself with a sense of style, charm and swashbuckling cool - and a big part of the success of his style comes down to his choice of footwear.
In this Depp-inspired blog, we’re going to show you how you can add a bit of Johnny to your own wardrobe with our top 4 footwear picks to help you dress like the star.
Flared Boots, The Cavalier Look
Cavalier boots were a popular style of shoe for pirates, shipmen, and the navy for hundreds of years, and for good reason. The folded hem and loose but sturdy aesthetic meant these leather shoes could handle anything the elements threw at them, from torrential rain to crashing waves.
Our Peter Blade leather Chelsey emulates the loose, stylized vibe of the 16th century shoe with its purposefully low-strung laces and open top.
It’ll fit your foot like a glove, while providing breathing room for your ankle and lower leg, all while giving you a bit of swashbuckling style as well.
Add some Heel
Perhaps one of Depp’s most colorful and quirky characters, Willy Wonka strutted his stuff in rich red tones, complete with a top hat and a walking stick.
Our take on emulating this look comes with our J. Bradford Burgundy Torontos, which are made with rich, suede leather and a powerful dye.
We highly recommend this style to anyone who feels like their wardrobe lacks variety in colour and flair, as it’s an iconic style matched with a color that evokes class, decadence and character.
Cut a Severe Style like the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Cold, calculating, but so very stylish - this entry is all about bold, powerful blacks coupled with a vintage, refined aesthetic. Sweeney Todd, reflecting his morbid character, didn’t dress with a single speck of colour, and his boots were no exception.
If you’re looking for a style that doesn’t try to be noticed, but just is, our black low-cut boots from J.Bradford are the perfect way to tie the look together.
Complete with brogue patterns and twin buckles that fasten the shoe onto your foot, this boot works as perfectly in the office as it does at meetings, or smart dinner parties.
Straight razors not included.
Dress Like Johnny Depp Himself
Despite all his amazing characters in film, there’s a lot to be said for the style of the man himself. Johnny Depp has worn a variety of different footwear over the years, but to emulate the mixture of rockstar, swashbuckler, and refined feel of this hollywood star, we recommend our Black, leather J. Bradford Valt.
It features a unique, aged leather texture, minimalist laces and a slightly rounded toe. The heel of the shoe provides a vintage feel and the thick sole also offers additional lift.
The seam work around the front and sides also offers some wild, weathered character that is synonymous with Depp’s famous Sauvage work, and paired with a waistcoat, smart pants, rolled sleeves and a mustache - you might just start to feel like a Hollywood star yourself.
Bonus Tip: Create a worn look on your shoes
Depp is known for adopting a worn, overused style to his shoes, and its an aesthetic that many people find attractive. So, if you have a pair of shoes that you’d like to “age” or “wear down”, here’s how you can do it without walking in the desert for 20 years.
You’ll need:
- A pair of leather shoes
- Some moderately rough sandpaper
- A work surface you can keep the shoes steady on
- A hammer or weighted object
To start aging your shoes, we recommend placing them on a sturdy surface where they won’t move about easily. Then, take a strip of sandpaper, and begin scrubbing it with moderate pressure around the shoe until the leather starts to strip away and gets a faded look.
We recommend starting with the toe of the shoe, and working on a single spot until you achieve a fade that is to your liking.
Then repeat the process on the sides of the shoe, the tongue, and the back. To make it look as natural as possible, scrub in a circular motion, slowly widening the arcs of your hand movements, as this will create a blemished effect that fades outward naturally.
After that, if you want to wrinkle the leather to give it a used style, take a hammer and carefully start hitting the shoe while keeping your free hand well clear.
Eventually, after repeated strikes, the leather will begin to crease, wrinkle or in certain places even crack slightly.
Continue doing this until you’ve achieved a worn style that you’re happy with, then let the shoes rest for a day, and carry on until you feel happy with the look.
