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It’s just shoes. Comfortable, functional, necessary - and, if you’re lucky or spendy, a little bit graceful. But in a retail ecosystem where fast fashion stamps out a new sneaker collab every week and TikTok drives entire warehouses’ worth of slip-ons out of stock by lunchtime, there’s something slightly radical…It’s just shoes. Comfortable, functional, necessary - and, if you’re lucky or spendy, a little bit graceful. But in a…
Ends: 1+ month
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
Terms & conditions, exclusions may apply.
It’s just shoes. Comfortable, functional, necessary - and, if you’re lucky or spendy, a little bit graceful. But in a retail ecosystem where fast fashion stamps out a new sneaker collab every week and TikTok drives entire warehouses’ worth of slip-ons out of stock by lunchtime, there’s something slightly radical now about buying shoes that are… well, meant to last. That’s what Herring Shoes has bet its business on. And honestly, it’s not a bad bet.
Founded in Devon in 1966, Herring Shoes is a family-run company with an unfashionable fussiness for quality. The kind of place where "Goodyear welt" isn't just marketing gloss, but a hard requirement. If the idea of investing in footwear that - for better or worse - could outlive your couch appeals to you, you’re exactly who this brand is quietly targeting. The range includes their own Herring house brand (a mix of British formality with a touch of modern lean) and a solid roster of old Northampton names: Loake, Barker, Cheaney, Tricker’s. You won’t find foam soles or knitted uppers here, and that’s sort of the point.
Naturally, this kind of craftsmanship doesn’t come cheap. Prices for the Herring house line hover around £200–£350 (£250–£440), depending on style and construction. Loake and Barker options are in a similar range, with a few styles crossing the £400 mark. But if you’re patient - or just reasonably strategic - there are ways to shave the edge off.
If you're currently skimming this with "Do they actually have deals?" somewhere in mind, the answer is yes - but with restraint. Herring offers a fairly straightforward 10% discount for first-time customers who sign up for marketing emails, and they roll out seasonal sales that are mercifully free from faux urgency. You won’t find clock countdowns or "only two left in your size" pop-ups. Just some classic markdowns on end-of-line stock, admittedly skewed towards more eclectic colours and wider widths.
There's also a low-key Offers Hub tucked into the site’s footer, which includes discounts for seniors, essential workers and youths (defined, helpfully, as anyone still eligible for a 16-25 Railcard). Not groundbreaking, but thoughtful - and frankly, a bit more grown-up than the endless abandoned cart nudges you’ll get at big-name e-comm sites.
Shipping to the US is reasonably priced, with delivery around £30 and usually arrives in under a week. Returns are accepted within 30 days, though sending them back across the Atlantic isn't free, so factor that into your calculus if you’re between sizes.
If you're new to the category (or just tired of buying plastic shoes every 10 months), the Herring house brand is a decent entry point. Styles like the Herring Churchill or the Herring Classic Oxford punch above their weight with full-grain leather uppers, leather insoles, and properly stitched soles - not glued. They won’t bowl anyone over in the office, which is kind of the point. They’re well constructed, unfussy, and built to take polish like a hedge fund resume.
If you’re deeper in the world of English footwear, there’s more to be intrigued by. Cheaney and Tricker’s models bring a bit more flair - contrast welts, bolder lasts - but also climb north of £500 quickly. Most people probably won’t need this level of artisanal detail to commute in, but it’s nice to know it's there if you’ve ever wanted your brogues and boots to outlast your car.
A quick note on sizing: many of these makers use UK sizing, which can lead to minor tragedies for the uninitiated. Consult the site’s "Last Shape Guide" - surprisingly helpful - and don’t be afraid to email. Customer service is usually manned by someone who actually knows what a shank is, which is rarer than you'd think.
Buy if: you're ready to stop thinking of shoes as consumables. Skip if: you’re mostly wearing joggers right now and don’t see that changing in the next fiscal year.
There’s no trend here, no celebrity endorsement, no AI-generated fit engine gently nudging you toward a slingback. Just well-made footwear that behaves like it has some memory of a time before "dopamine dressing." You won’t get compliments from strangers on the street, but you might get a small, satisfying moment the tenth time you resole your Cheaney semi-brogues rather than replacing them. In 2024, that’s practically countercultural.
And if nothing else, it’s nice to know your shoes were made in a place where people still care how they’re stitched, not just how they’ll photograph.
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⭐ Rating: 4.7 / 5 (66 votes)