I’ve caught the shoe bug this fall as I started to re-organize my bedroom into a more user-friendly layout. I’ve taken inventory of my “dress” shoe wardrobe and noticed a few glaring absences and some unforgivable duplicates. See below. I have additional shoes that I wear but don’t like that much, so I’ve left them out of the shot. I’ll replace them in due time as finances allow.
In my desire to build a shoe wardrobe with items that have been relatively easy to get or opportunities that have arisen, I’ve not made purchases to fill holes. Instead I build the collection with items that are good deals at the time and I buy things I like. So I’ve decided I need to focus and make a list so I don’t buy any more black, cap-toe bals than I already have.
So I started to make a list…and quickly got overwhelmed and anxious about how much money I’m bound to spend on such lovely, lovely shoes. It’s a curse really, to know what you want and be able to find what you want, but not be able to spend the money on the thing you’ve looked for and pined over for so long. But, alas, a list is often necessary for proper planning and it prevents purchasing things you don’t really need. I, for instance, have two pair of black cap-toe oxfords that are almost exactly the same. I also have two pair of black wingtip bals that are almost exactly the same. Why? Because I go shopping when I’m hungry and buy things I like right now instead of what’s on the list and end up with 10 bags of Utz, taco mix, Pepsi Max, and Milano cookies for dinner.
My list includes a decent number of bluchers. Most of which have double leather souls and are often referred to as “gunboats” in both longwing and plain toe form. Starting with the longwings I’m almost certain I NEED at least one pair in black (possibly pebble grain also), color 8/burgundy, tan pebble grain, brown, and a variation of rust/chestnut. Additionally, I’ll need plain toes in black, brown, and color 8/burgundy. Florsheim leads the race now with an insane sale at the outlets for roughly $117 per pair or Kenmoors (regularly $225). I’m considering a present from me to me this Christmas.
Florsheim has a new line called “Limited” and the shoe that’s caught my eye is the “Veblen”. They’re built on the same last as the Kenmoor, but in a decidedly different style. I particularly like the contrasting “oak” sole and heal. Nice touch. They also have a more “rugged” upper that looks like it was specifically designed for young, city dwelling hipsters to wear with jeans and Ray Bans. In any event, I like them quite a lot. Mixed reviews online but I’ve yet to see them in person. See http://www.florsheim.com/shop/index.html
I’ve just recently picked up a pair of vintage Stafford plain toe bluchers in a tan scotch grain that’s quite nice and they’re very comfortable. They’re surprisingly lightweight for such a hefty shoe. In the past I’ve focused on longwings and they have always had added weight, presumably from extra material and stitching. These are light and airy, if not a bit chilly to wear in cold weather.
Additionally, when scouring the blogs this past week, I started looking at styles I hadn’t really given much thought to in the past. I came up with about 5 or 6 saddle styles and 3 or 4 suede styles that I can’t believe I’ve gone without. GH Bass has a new line of shoes in a “heritage” collection that features bucks in many different colors, chucka boots in a bunch of styles; some with crepe soles, some with red soles, and some with commando soles. They also have a few saddle styles in a more casual line that have red soles. I do like the New England Trad look and it is becoming a little more accessible to commoners like me. Below is a selection of GH Bass’s newest offerings in the Trad spirit. I like these quite a lot and can see myself wearing these around New England this spring and summer. With super-comfy crepe-soled shoes like these, who needs sneakers? See https://bassshoes.harborghb.com/
I’m continuing on the thread of affordable quality and value; I’m focusing my resources and energy on these ideas. However, I’m going to take a break from all that to talk about these lovely numbers below. They’re from ReMix Vintage Shoes in LA and I found their site a few years ago when looking for wingtips. The white suede cap-toes are the most recent addition to their line and I’m completely speechless. I want them. Now. They can also cap and heal them in black leather or brown leather; your choice. They run in the $165 range and they appear to be of good quality. Other styles include the penny loafers, both in actual loafer style and in a lace-up. These are in blue suede along with white suede. The brown wingtips are just classy in a casual sort of way and I think one could rock them without being a rockabilly boy. See http://www.remixvintageshoes.com/
Well, that’s all for now folks. Enjoy these lovely images for a while and make your own lists. Christmas is right around the corner…so I wear an 8D and….oh wait…what I mean is that you should put your lists together and if you’ve got any cash left after the 25th, buy yourself a nice pair of shoes. Your feet will thank you, and you’ll be doing important work towards rebuilding our economy. ;0
