Some men notice a man's boots before anything else. For the men in the Foot & Boot Worship circle, that's where the whole thing starts.

Our team sums it up as bootblacking rituals, foot service and polish. The circle is for men who kneel at a good pair of boots, the men who wear them, and the bootblacks who keep them shining.

What the scene is

Boot worship is one of the oldest fetishes in the gay leather world, and it covers a lot of ground. For some men it's about the boots themselves: the leather, the shine, the weight and the smell. For others it's about the man in them, and the act of service at his feet.

Foot worship sits right beside it. Bare feet, socks, the care and attention a man gives another man's feet. Plenty of men are into both, and plenty are into one and curious about the other.

Then there's bootblacking, which is its own craft. A bootblack cleans, conditions and polishes leather, often at bars and events, and often for men he's never met. Done well, it's part maintenance, part ritual and part conversation. Leather culture takes it seriously, and the big leather weekends often include bootblack contests alongside the leather titles.

What members talk about

The circle's description says members share their boots, their bootblacking kit, their favorite makers and the scenes they love most. That tends to look like:

• Boots. New pairs, old pairs, pairs that took years to break in, and what each one is good for.
• Bootblacking kit. Brushes, cloths, polish, conditioners and the order to use them in.
• Technique. How to get a mirror shine on a toe cap, how to clean salt off before it stains, how to care for boots that are older than you.
• Scenes. Service at a man's feet, worship, the quiet ritual of a long shine.
• Bootblacks at events. Bootblacks offering their services at a bar night or a weekend are welcome to say so in the circle.

The house rule

Every circle follows the community guidelines, plus rules on consent and only posting photos you have the right to share. This circle adds one of its own. Keep it about the feet and the boots, and respect whoever is in them.

In practice that means two things. Keep posts on topic, so the circle stays useful for the men who came for it. And remember there's a person attached to every boot and every foot you see. Admire freely, and leave faces out unless their owner agreed.

How to join in well

Anyone signed in can read the circle. To post, open it and tap Join. You're in straight away.

Then:

1. Read the About tab. The circle's description and rules live there.
2. Introduce yourself. Say what draws you here. Boots or feet or both, wearer or worshipper or bootblack, how long you've been into it, and what you're looking for. A good intro gets replies from men who share your taste.
3. Post your boots. It's the easiest first post in the whole site. A clear photo of a pair you love, and a line about why, starts conversations.
4. Ask the craft questions. Experienced bootblacks tend to be generous with what they know.

Post from the circle's own page and it goes straight there. If you post from your home feed, every circle you've joined starts ticked under Also post to, so untick any that don't fit. Posting in a circle has the details. And keep an eye on anything Pinned by the team at the top.

Related circles

Boots turn up all over the site. These circles share a lot of members:

• Leather Brotherhood, where bootblacking grew up.
• Sneaker & Trainer Worship, for men whose devotion is to trainers.
• Uniform & Military Fetish, for parade boots and polish drill.
• Skinhead Brotherhood, for boots and braces.
• Humiliation & Service Submission, if the service side is what draws you.

The events calendar has a Bootblack scene filter for finding nights where bootblacks are working. And if you're about to give your own boots some attention, read gear care through winter first.