Orleans Shoe Co. — Men's & Women's
Solovair
Boots and shoes made in England at the NPS factory in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. Goodyear welted, built to be resoled, and made to last for years.
The thing everybody gets wrong
Don't Size Up for the Break-In
Solovair are firm for the first week or two. Then the leather and the insole mold to your foot and they fit like nothing else. Solovair says its welted boots run a little large, so snug on day one is right. Buy the bigger size to skip the break-in and they'll be loose by week three.
Solovair Size Conversion
| Solovair (UK) | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Men's | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| US Women's | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | — | — | — |
Quick rule: add 1 to the UK size for US men's, 2 for US women's. Between sizes? Solovair recommends going a half size down, so take the smaller size.
What We Carry
8 Eye Derby Boot
The classic eight-eyelet English boot. In hi-shine black and oxblood, black greasy leather and brown crazy horse, plus a zip-side version in black.
3 Eye Gibson
The low-cut shoe version, in the same four finishes.
Women's Mary Jane
A hi-shine black Mary Jane on the same welted sole, in UK 4 to 8.
Picking a Leather
- Hi-shine is polished and dressy, and the stiffest to break in
- Greasy leather has oils worked in. It's softer and a little more forgiving on a wider foot
- Crazy horse is a pull-up leather that lightens where it creases and gets better with age
Why We Carry It
Most boots are glued together and thrown out when the sole wears down. A Goodyear-welted Solovair can be resoled and worn for years. If you like the classic English boot look, this is the real thing, still made in England.
Also see Blundstone
Come get fitted. Free fitting, no appointment, at Magazine Street · French Quarter · Metairie Road · Severn. Don't see your size? Call 504-910-2900 — we can usually order it. In New Orleans since 2002. How we fit.
