These shoes formed part of an outfit worn by Jerry Dammers and displayed in the exhibition Streetstyle, From Sidewalk to Catwalk, 1940 to Tomorrow held at the V&A in 1994-5. The complete outfit consisted of a bronze and turquoise wool Tonik suit (1960s); a Ben Sherman cotton shirt; cotton towelling sports socks; these Dr Marten leather loathers and a Hardy Amies wool blue beat hat.

The roots of Two Tone lay in Jamaican Rude Boy culture which had its origins in the ghettos of Kingston. Young, urban and frequently unemployed, Rude Boys drew inspiration for their cool and smart style – sharp suits, thin ties and pork-pie or Trilby hats – from American gangster movies. In the 1960s, increased emigration brought Rude Boy style and music, ska and rocksteady, to the UK, where it particularly influenced Skinhead culture. In the late 1970s the style was revived through the music and fans of the Two Tone ska revival. The sharp tailoring remained and was emphasised through a predominantly black and white palette.

Jerry Dammers was one of the chief agents in the promotion of the Two Tone look. As founder of The Specials, the 2 Tone record label, and as a graphic artist, he was mainly responsible for the distinctive black and white Two Tone image. He discovered a 1960s single-breasted Mod suit in a second hand shop which promptly led to the look being picked up by subsequent Two Tone bands and their fans.