What are chukka boots?

Chukka boots are ankle-high boots with open lacing, two or three pairs of eyelets and a rounded toe. They are usually made in suede or smooth leather and sit between a shoe and a full boot in formality.

Why are they called chukka boots?

The chukka name comes from polo, where a period of play is called a chukka. The word is usually linked to the Hindi chakkar, meaning a round, and polo players are said to have worn short ankle boots between periods.

What is the difference between a chukka and a desert boot?

A desert boot is a type of chukka, usually in suede on a soft crepe rubber sole. This pair keeps the classic two-eyelet chukka shape but sits on a lugged sole with a stitched welt strip, which gives more grip and structure than crepe.

Are chukka boots formal or casual?

Chukka boots are smart-casual, dressier than trainers but more relaxed than Oxfords. In tan suede on a pale lugged sole, this pair leans casual, so wear it with chinos, denim or an unstructured blazer rather than a formal suit.

What do you wear with tan suede chukka boots?

Tan suede chukka boots go well with dark denim, olive or navy chinos, grey wool trousers and cords. On top, try a button-down, a knit or an overshirt, and keep black trousers for black shoes.

Are chukka boots good for Indian weather?

Chukka boots suit dry Indian winters well, from November to February in the north and on hill trips. Suede breathes better than many people expect, but it is not a monsoon boot.

Can I wear suede boots in the rain?

Suede boots can cope with a light shower, especially after a protector spray, but heavy rain will mark the nap. If they get soaked, stuff them with paper and let them dry slowly away from heat, then brush the nap back up.

How do I clean suede chukka boots?

Clean suede chukka boots with a soft suede brush, working in one direction to lift dust and restore the nap. A suede eraser handles small marks. Avoid water-based cleaners and direct heat.

What sizes do these chukka boots come in?

These chukka boots come in UK sizes 7 to 11, in whole sizes only. Order your usual UK size, and because the open lacing adjusts across the instep, most feet find a comfortable fit.

Do suede chukkas need breaking in?

Suede chukkas need only a short break-in, since suede is softer than smooth leather. Wear them for a few hours at a time for the first week so the collar and heel settle around your ankle.

Where are these tan suede chukka boots made?

These tan suede chukka boots are made by leatherworkers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and reach My E-Haat through Freedom Bazaar. Tamil Nadu is one of India's largest leather-working regions.

Are these chukkas handmade?

Yes, these chukkas are handmade, with the suede cut, the upper lasted and the boot stitched by hand. Expect small differences in nap and tone between the two boots.

Tan Suede Chukka Boots for Men

Tan Suede Chukka Boots

Rs. 1750

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Product Details

A two-eyelet chukka in tan suede, cut, lasted and stitched by hand by leatherworkers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, for Freedom Bazaar. It rises just above the ankle, with a leather pull tab at the heel and tan stitching tracing the collar and quarters. Underneath, a brown welt strip stitched in pale thread meets a cream lugged sole, which gives grip and a lighter, more relaxed look than a dark dress sole. Nap and tone vary a little from hide to hide.

MaterialLeather

SizeUK 7 - 11

Packaging Dimension12x16"

Materials & Care

Genuine leather, handmade. Keep dry and away from direct heat. Wipe with a soft dry cloth and condition occasionally; natural variation in grain and tone is expected.

Product Disclosure

SKU: FB-LTSH-CH-01-UK-7Style Code: FB-LTSH-CHHSN Code: 64039990Region: ChennaiState: Tamilnadu

Curated by Freedom Bazaar

Each piece is handcrafted, so slight variations in colour, texture and dimension are natural and celebrate its handmade origin.

The smart-casual office look: Olive or navy chinos, a white or pale blue button-down and an unstructured blazer in grey or brown. Tan suede softens a tailored outfit without making it sloppy. It suits a Friday office, a client lunch or a long day at a design studio.

The weekend look: Dark indigo jeans with a clean turn-up, a plain tee and an overshirt or a light denim jacket. Let the hem stop just at the top of the boot. That way the ankle shape and the cream sole both stay visible.

The cool-weather trip: Chukkas come into their own from November to February. For Delhi winters or a weekend in Shimla or Darjeeling, wear them with grey wool trousers or cords, a crew-neck sweater and a quilted jacket. Suede is warm and breathable, though it prefers dry cold to slush.

Pairing notes: Tan suede sits best beside navy, olive, grey, white, cream and every shade of denim. A brown suede or leather belt in a similar warmth ties it together. Keep black trousers for black shoes.

Fit notes: Sizes run UK 7 to 11, in whole sizes. The open, two-eyelet lacing adjusts easily across the top of the foot, so a higher instep is rarely a problem. Try them with the socks you plan to wear most, since the collar sits right at the ankle bone.

Care while wearing: Brush the nap with a soft suede brush after a day out. Avoid heavy rain, and if they get wet, stuff them with paper and let them dry slowly away from heat. A suede protector spray before the first wear helps.

Where the name comes from: The chukka is generally traced to polo. A period of play in a polo match is a chukka, a word usually linked to the Hindi chakkar, a round, and the game itself reached British officers from Manipur in the nineteenth century. Players are said to have pulled on short ankle boots between chukkas. So a boot made in Chennai carries a name with Indian roots.

Cutting a simple pattern: A chukka is one of the plainest boot patterns there is, usually just a vamp and two quarters. Fewer pieces means fewer seams. With so few pieces there is nowhere to hide a flaw, so each piece is cut from a clean area of the suede. The nap is normally kept running the same way on both boots, which keeps the tan reading evenly across the pair.

Closing the upper: The quarters are stitched on top of the vamp, which creates the open lacing that makes a chukka easy to slip on and adjust. Two eyelets are set on each side. Tan thread runs round the collar and down the quarters. A leather pull loop is sewn at the heel and a lighter leather lining goes in behind.

Lasting: The closed upper is pulled over an ankle-boot last by hand and left to settle before anything else happens. This rest is what lets the suede hold the rounded toe and the shape around the ankle. Rushed, it would sag.

The welt and the sole: A brown welt strip runs round the edge of the boot, stitched in pale thread, and the cream lugged sole sits beneath it. It is a welted sole.

Finishing: The nap is brushed up so the suede looks even, the laces go in and the insole is fitted. Both boots are checked side by side for colour.

Telling it is handmade: No two pairs come out identical. Look at the stitch line on the collar and you will see small, even variations in spacing. Hold the two boots together too, because tan suede is a natural material, and a slight difference in nap and depth of colour between them is expected rather than a defect.