My first pair of Red Wings was a gift, a hand-me-down from a studio photographer I worked with who didn't have the patience to break them in properly. A classic pair of Moc-Toes. He had bought them in a rich navy blue by accident, and instead of returning them, rubbed on black shoe polish and called it a day. Surprisingly, it worked: the boots had a depth and hue to them richer than the man-in-black versions straight from the retailer.