Fit, Care & the Little Details

This is the question we're asked THE most, so I'm here to reassure you that there's no set way to wear CHAPTER 2 boots. You can wear them with anything in your wardrobe and they'll look great. Think jeans, cropped trousers or a floral dress. It's your style so you choose. The great thing about a timeless pair of boots is that they adapt to your look season after season. Head to our customer gallery if you're in need of a little outfit inspiration.

Our shoes are made in European sizes and we work towards traditional European fitting standards. The length is true to size but we've worked hard to be slightly more generous on the width without compromising style. As everyone's feet are so different the only way to truly know if they will fit you is to try a pair.

Yes, all styles can be returned*. We know that it's tricky to buy shoes online so as long as your boots haven't been worn outside we offer a refund or exchange if they don't fit. We suggest trying them on at home on carpet or a rug so that the leather sole isn't damaged. Click here for more details about delivery and returns.

*Styles bought from the Archive Sale can be returned for exchange or credit note, they cannot be refunded.

If you have a wider foot I would recommend either the Harrier or Jackdaw Boot. Why? The laces open really low down the boot which allows more flexibility for the pattern to open and adjust more to accommodate a wider foot.

This all depends how long your legs are!! We've worked hard to make the height of our boots as flattering as possible on the leg as we know it's something we women worry about. 

All CHAPTER 2 boots will cover your ankles. Wren & Hawk Boots cover the ankle by an inch or so, and the Jackdaw & Harrier Boots are a little taller so comfortably cover the ankle and more but they won't cover your the calf. 

Being a taller style the Jackdaw & Harrier Boots tend to hug your ankle. As you wear them the leather will soften and gently crease to mould to the shape and movement of your ankle like a glove.

Wren & Hawk Boots are approx 12.5cm tall.

Jackdaw & Harrier Boots are approx 17.5cm tall.

Yes it does, and the more you wear them the quicker you'll get at lacing up your boots at speed!

Fay's tip: "after I've taken off my boots I keep the laces loose so that next time I come to put them on it's really quick as I only need to tighten up the top half of the laces."

No. Most people are comfortable wearing their new boots straight from the box.

The leathers we use are pretty soft so they shouldn't need to be 'broken in'. We also use a soft calf lining so although there is no padding in our boots the lining will instantly feel soft and smooth against your feet. 

First things first, leather is not like rubber and it will not perform like rubber. The first time the shoes are worn the top surface of the leather will start to scuff. This is normal and is how leather soles wear - this doesn't mean they have worn out, more that they are wearing in.

The leather sole is hand built directly onto the shoe, the edges and forepart are dyed and the waist area is detailed with individually painted black brushstrokes to reflect the artisan nature of CHAPTER 2 shoes. Each process is done by hand which means that each pair will be slightly different.

We use a traditional Blake stitch construction which means that the sole is stitched to the insole, making the adhesion of the upper and sole stronger. It also means that your shoes can be easily repaired. Replacing the leather sole every few years means your favourite pair can keep on living for longer.

The heel is also built using leather stacks and has a TPU heel tip for extra durability and anti slip. 

Leather soles will only look absolutely beautiful the first time you wear them. Each time you wear your boots the sole will scuff a little and the surface will begin to dimple. This is totally normal and is the sole wearing in, not wearing out. In fact it's a good thing as the scuffing will also help your boots feel slightly less slippy.

If you're not used to wearing leather soles and would feel more comfortable with a rubber sole you might want to get your local shoe repairer to add a rubber patch to the sole. 

Every few years we suggest to replace the leather sole so that you can get several more years wear from them. Read about a sole repair on a 3 year old pair of boots as well as some tips on when to spot it's time for a new sole in our blog post on sustainability & shoe repair.

We've created the winter sole with a practical nature in mind; to see you through the winter seasons when we’re in need of pulling on boots that give us the confidence to step out and face the elements.

If you’ve worn our leather sole boots before you’ll notice a difference underfoot with the winter sole, and if you’re new to CHAPTER 2 boots this is a great place to start; comfort, beauty & practicality all rolled into one!

The sole has a heavy tread which is made from EVA and detailed with a leather storm welt to keep a beautiful classic look as well as a nod to our shoemaking heritage. 

EVA is a very dense & highly durable yet lightweight foam which means it feels soft & spongy underfoot. It’s a great shock absorber so it feels pretty smooth when you walk. It’s much quieter as a footstep than leather and will give you a literal spring in your step. It’s the same material that is used to make almost every mid or outsole of a sports sneaker which should tell you something about its properties and how comfortable it’s going to feel underfoot.

It's lightweight so although the sole is heavy looking it's actually much lighter than our leather sole. This isn't something you'll necessarily feel when you wear them but when you take the boots out of the box you may be surprised at how light they are. 

We’ve created a chunky tread sole so that you can feel confident to go on adventures wherever you choose. And compared to leather you won’t have that initial slippy feeling as the EVA has great anti slip properties so it's much more grippy.

Finally, as EVA is highly durable you should be able to wear these for years to come. The construction of the winter sole also means that a shoe repairer should be able to replace the bottom tread if this one does start to wear thin.

We all need a little looking after from time to time and that's no different for your leather boots. To help you keep your boots looking beautiful for longer we've created a simple shoe care guide. It's easy to do at home and just a few simple steps will make sure your boots are ready to wear season after season. Click here to read it...

No, I'm afraid we don't currently offer repairs. However, we can recommend our local shoe repairer Kevin (Courtyard Shoes in Lewes) who does a fantastic job of replacing or repairing our leather soles.

If you'd like more information on repairs please take a look at our blog post which features the repair of a much loved pair of Jackdaw Boots.

We always send a second pair of laces in the box.

However, if you're in need of a replacement to refresh your boots we have a wide selection of laces to fit all our signature styles.

Discover our selection of shoelaces here...

We make each of our shoes in small batches which means there are limited pairs of each size. When a size is sold out we need to wait until we are low in stock across all sizes before we can make another small batch. This can often mean that it takes a while before sold out sizes are available again.

However, we do always re-stock our signature styles so if your size is currently sold out please sign up the newsletter as we always share product launches and re-stock notifications with our subscribers. We also recommend emailing us to join the waiting list as we'll always contact you before anyone else when we know a re-stock is forthcoming. That way you'll be the first to know when sold out sizes are due back in.