I hate the way 'porn' has become the suffix of choice these days for the perusal of anything that's…read moreso pleasurable it feels slightly indecent. Shoe porn. Recipe-book porn. Motor porn. But I can't deny that the phrase that sprung most readily to mind on leaving Genius shoe shop on Exchequer Street was, indeed, boot porn.
And it's true that my interest in boots is slightly indecent. It feels a little bit underhand. I'm not sure how comfortable I am with others knowing just how much time I spend thinking about them. The possibilities, the nuance, the look, the leather. I know it can't be healthy.
It took me a few times passing before I worked up the nerve to walk into Genius, one of the latest arrivals on to the Dublin footwear scene on a street that has a long history of the trade. I had averted my gaze fairly promptly the first time it fell on the shop window as I passed by. This bold display, here, so publicly? It felt wrong, illicit. Titillating but a bit daunting. The stuff looked different, braver and more specialised than its nearby competitor Buffalo. And if the quality looked beautiful, the prices seemed a bit scary, too.
Times passes, taboo erodes, nerve builds. When I finally crossed the threshold, I knew there was no going back. And it wasn't long before I was boot-deep in conversation with the owner who was only too delighted to indulge my indecent interest: a mine of information about the products in this specialist shop.
Details, boot lovers? Ok, so the American brand Frye, the longest-running boot making brand in the world, is on sale here, exclusively in Ireland. Classic looking with a twist, I'm told the quality is second to none. The Spanish brand of Sendra, also exclusive to Ireland here, looks to be another beautiful collection with the slightly more European cut (narrow, sleek) you'd expect, and there are a few other great looking brands too. I could continue ad nauseum and without great authority with details of insoles, moulding to foot shape, cork centres, and other technicalities, but you might not come out the wiser. Suffice to say, the story goes that feet like them.
The feel is cowboy, urban cowboy, cutting edge, hard wearing boots for life. Which at the price, which ranges from the low hundreds towards the mid from what I saw, you would want. But there's no doubt that if you could save the cents, good boots are a solid investment as, with proper upkeep, you will get year after year from them.
And this place is definitely worth checking out, especially if you're looking for something that you won't see reflected all around you, or an interesting twist on a classic look.
I hope that when I come to actually buy a pair, it'll be a five-star experience. As the indulgence of browsing goes, it most certainly is just that, but when I find out for real if the boot fits when you wear it out, I'll update. For the moment, I'll dream on, indecently.