Shoe Horn

You're gonna nead a shoe horn to help you put on all you great new shoes.

I saw these in Jack Spade (Boston) a few weeks ago and they look great, but I think Leffot has a much better price on 'em.

Picture and video from ACL, read the full story here.

L.L. Bean Boot

The L.L. Bean boot is THE classic wet weather footwear. They range from low to high and are available unlinned or with shearling or thisulate lining. I own a pair of the unlined gumshoes and I'm happy with them, although I do wish the heel was more comfortable. Getting the size right is kind of tricky. You must size down, way down. I wear a size 12 shoe and my gumshoes are a size 10; big difference.

Some other points about the Bean boot is they're quite affordable. They are also unique. And they are made in the USA.

Work Boot

You've gotta have a good leather work boot. I'm sorry, but you just do. So don't be a loser; get a pair.


Irish Setter

Thoroughgood



Wolverine 1000 Mile



Red Wing




Red Wing



Timberland




Dr. Martens



Canvas Sneakers

The canvas sneaker is another favorite of mine and there are many options, all of which are relativly inexpensive, classic, and simple. You really should have two pairs; one white and one color. And they are washable, so you can get the stink out...and that's a good thing. Let's cut to the chase.



Chuck Taylor All Star




Vans Authentic




Jack Purcell




Sperry Top-sider




Keds




Tretorn




Chuck Taylor CVO (I've never seen these before but I think I like them)




Seevees



Chukka Boot

The chukka boot, like the desert boot, is versatile. It's a boot, which gives it a bit more of a casual look, but it's also a plain toe shoe. Having versatile footwear, and clothes for that matter, can make a relatively small and inexpensinsive wardrobe go a long way. I own a pair of black chukkas from Johnston & Murphy that I've had for about 5 years now, but I would go for either black or burgundy as shown below.

All pictures from Leather Soul

Desert Boots

It's week two of "The Month of Shoes" and I'll continue with the more essential shoes of a man's wardrobe this week.

The desert boot is a great option for a suede shoe. It's a plain toe shoe but it's so much more; It's a chukka boot, it's suede, it has a comfortable crepe sole. The only down side to the desert boot is that it's not good in cold weather. My feet get frozen in these things, but then maybe that's just me. You should go for brown, dark or light, but enough to avoid monochroming with your chinos.

This is from the Clark's website, the original makers of the desert boot:

"It's 60 years since Nathan Clark sparked a revolution. Not with a bang but with a shoe. Or a boot to be precise. Modeled on a style made in the bazaars of Cairo and favored by off-duty British army officers, the Desert Boot instantly stood out from the crowd and set a trend for casual footwear that lives on to this day. Often imitated but never matched, the versatility of the Desert Boot has seen it through six decades of ever-changing fashion."

Shell Cordovan

Let's learn about cordovan.

Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan from Horween Leather on Vimeo.

Boat Shoes

The boat shoe is one of my favorite shoes. They slip on easily like a loafer but you can tighten 'em up for optimal comfort. That's kind of stating the obvious to me but a lot of guys don't realize this. Boats look good with casual pants like chinos, Reds, and jeans and they always look good with shorts. They're a great summer shoe. Sometimes I wear them with socks in the Spring and Autumn, and I know purists won't like that but I don't give a shit. I know that rules so I can't break 'em. I especially boats look good with ragg wool socks.

I would only buy Sperry Top-Siders if I were you. They have the original non-slip sole. The color choice is up to you. Sperry makes chukka boat shoes and a winter boat shoes. I do wish I had some money to burn on those. Did I mention that like boat shoes?

Wingtips

Wingtips are a must own shoe in a man's classic wardrobe. Burgundy wingtips are the color you want. They are infinitly more versitile than brown or black. A common misconception is to call them cordovan. Cordovan is a type of leather and not a color (as you will learn soon enough, grasshopper).

Personally, I own a pair of Bostonian Maldens. I bought them for less than $100 and I feel that they are a great low end wingtip. From there you can go right up the scale; Florsheim, Allen Edmonds, Alden.

[picture of Alden longwings color #8 from Leffot]

Black Captoe Balmoral

The black captoe balmoral is a terrific dress shoe. Along with fancy slippers or opera pumps, it is a perfect shoe for formal wear. I would consider it to be the preferred shoe for a tuxedo, but it all depends on the occasion. Opera pumps can only be worn with a tux and fancy slippers may be hard to pull off for most people, so the black captoe balmoral is the obvious choice because it can be worn with a suit or trousers and a jacket (and by jacket I mean blazer or sportcoat).

The word balmoral or oxford refers the the type of lacing. From wiki: Balmoral or Oxford "is a style of laced shoe characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are stitched underneath the vamp, a construction method that is also sometimes referred to as "closed lacing". Oxfords first appeared in Scotland and Ireland, where they are occasionally called Balmorals after the Queen's castle in Scotland, Balmoral. 

[photos from BB]