I’m looking for some boots that are available in the UK, with a similar aesthetic to the standard 6” Timbaland leather ankle boot, but not rubbish. Suitable for wide toes would be a massive bonus, as would available to try on in a shop outside of London.
Having had two pairs of tims just plain fall apart on me, I’m really looking for a plain simple leather ankle boot with a softened top for day to day wear. I live in the countryside so I want them to be actual functional boots, not just a fashion statement.
I used to be a boot fitter and I have some experience with leather craft
The other reply that recommended recraftable boots is spot on, especially when they mention that no shoe can truly be a lifetime investment if you’re wearing it every day and putting in real work in it. The sole wears down faster than the uppers, so resoling the shoe will buy you more years.
I had a pair of danner acadias that I wore daily to work on asphalt and concrete, I got them resoled after 1 year. They’re still kicking but expect to get no more than 3-4 resoles out of a pair of boots before they’re goners.
Your price range should be 300-600 usd for a brand new pair, but also consider buying used. A lot of people get bored of their boots before their lifetime is up.