[Hammock Parties]

The perfect in-between of casual and dress — nicer than a sneaker but more relaxed than a dress shoe — the desert boot provides a great way for looking smart without suffocating your feet.

The warmer months can be tricky as far as dressing well is concerned. It’s not unreasonable to put comfort before style, but is it really necessary?

Not if you’ve got a pair of desert boots.

Similar in form to a chukka boot, the desert boot is based off a style British Army officers in World War II fell in love with from the markets of Cairo. If you’re not sure about the look, don’t cast the idea off until you see a pair being worn.

The desert boot looks great with jeans and khakis, with a dress shirt or a t-shirt, proving to be one of the most versatile things about spring.

Less rugged than a larger boot like my beloved Fryes and less formal than most oxfords, desert boots provide a nice balance of dress and casual.

The go-to brand for desert boots is Clarks. A classic British shoe company founded in the 1800’s, Nathan Clark launched the desert boot in 1950.

Several styles exist, but our favorites come in suede. The brown pair shown here are known as Taupe Suede and are the perfect warm month replacement of any brown casual boot or shoe in your winter arsenal.