I don't believe I've seen a pair of brogues like this pair from W. S. Foster where the leather has been left essentially uncolored, except in photographs, and then only twice. It may be the ultimate specialty shoe, too light in color for wear except in summer and, because of the limits that seasonality places on their usefulness, available only bespoke.
It would befit the man who owns these shoes to live in Positano, where his summer wardrobe consists of linen suits that he changes twice a day.
A mid-day change is good practice for linen trousers as well as suits, and that's a reason an elegant man might own more of each than may seem necessary to the casual, non-linen wearing, observer. My advice is that if there are any linen suits in a wardrobe they should be in multiples of two. Or, if it's not practical to change mid-afternoon, it's equally good form to disappear with a clothes steamer for fifteen minutes. Which is yet another reason why linen suits are less than ideal garb for office wear.
Of course, the man who owns these shoes is unlikely to spend much time in offices anyway.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Late Summer Musings
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7 comments:
I believe Saint Crispin’s does a shoe in the same hide, and that is where I first encountered it. I was struck by its interesting and unique appearance and tried to like it. But ultimately I found that no matter how I tried, this hide makes me slightly queasy.
I must agree with tim. The shoes construction and brogueing is exquisite, but the coloring resembles uncooked bacon. I'm guessing these are yours, Will? Perhaps seeing them with an outfit would tone down the coloring of them somewhat. Other then the coloring, though, I find them absolutely beautiful.
They are not mine. If I was to order a pair of shoes with very little coloring I'd tend towards ecru.
The combination of style and undyed hide is to swoon for, Turling's apt description of the color notwithstanding. As I prefer cool tones, these are a refreshing change from the orange-y tans usually seen in non-black brogues.
I could see these with jeans in a workplace such as a small-city German courtroom.
Unless I needed a recommendation for a good aesthetician, the sight of linen hems hitting these brogues would mean I'd smile at the shoes but keep walking without looking up at the face.
Will, linen trousers fully- or 3/4- lined in high-quality silk (charmeuse or twill vs. habotai) make it to the end of a long day lightly rumpled, with no sharp wrinkles. Despite the initially surprising weight, they feel a lot cooler, too.
I've always lived with the wrinkles. But it would be very elegant to appear pressed by day's end. Sound advice.
I like the shoes. Then again, I like the orangey brown ones, too.
The shoes are eye catching, but I agree that something doesn't work with the colouring. I prefer spectator shoes with a beige canvass colour when wearing a light coloured linen suit.
Okay, Will, you convinced me...I need another linen suit to look better in the evening. But M. mentioned a heavier weight linen... would that be Irish linen? It's heavier, yes, but it doesn't look all rumpled like most unlined linen suits I see around town during this time of year. Of course, they look fresher than me in my less-wrinkled suit.
Great shoes.
"the man who owns these shoes is unlikely to spend much time in offices anyway"
Very true.
- MPM
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