Footwear brand Dr. Martens‘ shoes have paved their way from work-wear boots to becoming a staple for those who are fearless. Often associated with punks, goths, and rockers, the DMs’ durability and toughness have propelled the brand into the mainstream footwear industry. However, the Docs are also known for being pretty stubborn at the beginning, which is why wearing them for a long walk right after you just unpacked them is not recommended.

Any Dr. Martens fan will likely tell you not to ignore this process. Just Google “Hot to break in Dr. Marten boots” and you will get plenty of instructions on how to do it. Of course, with so many tips listed out there, it’s hard to know what’s good or bad for your shoes. But worry not, as you are about to learn how to break in your boots properly, directly from the ones who know. In a new campaign by London ad agency Breaks, the brand sheds a light on the best (and not-so-great) ways to break in your DMs, inspired by the fans’ techniques.

“Breaking in is a rit of passage,” admits the company, aware of the fact that everyone has got their own way of styling the boots. To help wearers make their first steps, Dr. Martens summoned the Docs community, asking the fans to share the tips they have come across throughout the years. The British footwear company then came up with a guide, presenting the audience with both the best and also some strange ways to break in your Dr. Martens.

A one-minute-long video directed by FAMILIA’s Henry Dean captures boot wearers trying different strategies to break in their shoes. Keeping them in the freezer, burying them in the garden, soaking them in the bath, or asking your grandma to wear them while she watches TV are some of the ideas mentioned. Yet, have you considered working that leather and rub some balm into the inside of the boot, stick on some socks, move around the house a bit, or even have a break from time to time? Sure, the ritual might not be complete overnight but “what’s a few days for a lifetime of wear?”

The breaking-in ritual requires patience, an ability that not all of us possess. Wanting to speed things up, these wearers might end up having a bad Dr. Martens experience. A decade ago, the brand came up with a solution for them: The “Broken-In” Collection, allowing you to “cheat” and take your boots out for a walk right after you take them out of the box, with the brand doing all the work for you.

Credits:

Client: Dr. Martens

Agency: Breaks

Director: Henry Dean