How to wear in your Dr. Martens: the ultimate guide

This is the only guide you'll ever need to read about how to wear in your beloved Dr. Martens. Keep reading for our tips and tricks on how to feel comfortable in your boots as soon as possible. As well as this, we've got a fashion guide below on the best clothes to style with your Docs.

Let’s be honest - the world consistently lets us down. Running for the bus? The bus driver drives off as you reach the doors. Brand new jeans? They shrink in the wash. Wearing heels on a night out? Guaranteed the world is waiting for you to eat concrete. But, dear reader, do you know what has never let a girl down? Dr. Martens.

Ah, Dr. Martens, how we love you. The design, the comfort (once you manage to wear them down), the durability, and the commitment to stay in our lives for many a year. This level of commitment? Our Tinder dates could never.

*Cue angelic chorus singing Hallelujah*...

Created by Klaus Märtens (who looks like a very German Woody Harrelson btw) in 1945, this classic boot has taken the world by storm and is now available in a variety of styles and colours. If you need a pair of boots emphasising 'til death do us part, a pair of Docs is your answer. Dr. Martens last so long that you’ll want to put a clause in your will to wear them at your funeral. Rigamortis-realness.

We’re here to answer the age-old question - how do you wear in Dr. Martens? Sure, having our trusty Docs by our side is lovely and all, but… they are a pain to wear at first.

Cue blisters, aching feet and a tear or two. Never fear, we’ve interviewed a Dr. Martens fanatic who has some secret special tips to make wearing in your Docs quicker and simpler. Sign us up.

As well as that, we’ve sprinkled in the best trending Docs to buy right now, from classic laced to Dr. Martens more recent, modern designs. We'll also look at Pinterest and see the statistics on the best clothes to style with your Docs.

How to wear in your Dr. Martens: a full-proof guide

To find out the tea on how you can best soften your Docs in the most efficient way possible, we went on a mission to find the biggest Dr. Marten fanatic who would divulge their secrets. And, boy, did we succeed. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Maria Gebhardt, Social Media Producer from West London and Doc collector extreme. She's had years of wearing-down-Martens experience, so we couldn't wait for the secrets to be spilled. So Maria, what's the best way to wear in Dr. Martens?

Before you buy a boot:

Maria explains, "Do research what shoe style you want and what issues/ advantages they come with. For instance, a platform boot will always be stiffer than a canvas boot and a sandal can’t be worn in knee-deep snow. Also, be realistic about how often and for what you can wear them. Docs aren’t cheap and last (when treated well) for many years."

Plus, "If you have small feet (I have a size 3 for instance) you can go for kids’ versions. These are often more comfortable and worn in (and often come with a zipper)." Mind blown. 🤯

Look out for the material:

Maria continues, "Every material is different. Canvas is already very soft and vegan leather is a lot softer than normal leather. Also, if you buy the original version (often a lot more expensive) you should be aware that they are made of tougher leather and therefore made to last." So, vegan Dr. Martens are much easier to wear in than the original leather Docs. Good to know.

How to wear in your pair of Docs:

Here's where we get to the meat and potatoes. Listen up. Maria explains, "The first and most important tip for wearing them in, is to wear them as often as possible (when I get new ones, I wear them around the house). Don’t give up straight away. On the contrary, do not go to the other extreme and go for a hike in your brand-new Docs." Agreed there- that's asking for blister city.

"Before your first wear, give them a good massage: Bend them and treat them like play-doh. It helps here to use Vaseline (although Doc Martens sell their own product too, Wonder Balsam, which I recommend) and a hair dryer to soften the leather. You can be rough with them."

Maria continues, "When wearing them, bandage and bolster up your feet with tons of socks etc. The more and thicker, the better. Keep using warmth to keep it soft while putting them on for the first few times."

Have you found that there's one nagging point causing blisters and rubbing inside your Docs? "Use a nail file to diminish or remove it. If something doesn’t want to get soft, you can even use a hammer to work on it."

Maria concludes with our favourite tip on softening your Docs. "For the cases, where the boot just feels too tight, no matter what, take a freezer bag and put it into your boot (or two, depending on the size). Now fill it with water until full and zip/tie them up" (No soggy Docs here.) "Now put them into the freezer like that and get them properly frozen." Water expands when frozen, so this will stretch out the hard leather so it's not as stiff. "When you take them out and put them on, you can use a hairdryer to shape them to your feet. This process can be repeated until they fit you perfectly."

Genius! Your roommates may judge you when they go to the freezer to get their oven chips and find a pair of boots there, but jokes on them because you'll be having Docs that are perfectly moulded to your foot shape.

And that's our ultimate Dr. Martens guide done. Expect us all to be hitting the cold weather with our favourite Doc stompers on very soon.

What to style with your Dr. Martens according to Pinterest

As we all search for cold weather outfit inspo, Pinterest has revealed an incredible 77% increase in the search term ‘how to style Dr. Martens’ since last year for the UK. So, Dr. Martens have delved into social media data to find out exactly what the UK are wearing with their winter boots for those who want some inspiration for their winter wardrobe.

From checking out boots tagged with #drmartensstyle, we pulled together some statistics to see how the fashion community have been styling their DM’s during the colder months.

The most popular combination found was the grunge look of the 90s with skirts and dresses. 15 per cent of tagged social media posts styled Docs with a maxi, midi or mini-length dress for the colder months (tights included, of course, can't be going outside with freezing knees). As well as this, 1 in 7 wearers made statements in skirts.

In terms of the top half, the most popular shirts to rock with your Docs are either a graphic tee or a black top, according to social media. 13 per cent of posts with the hashtag #drmartensstyle included a black top and 10per cent with a graphic tee.

So, if you're wanting to reflect the DM community style in your wardrobe, we've picked out some gorgeous garbs to pair with your Dr. Martens.