Perhaps the flashiest of traditional shoes, spectators are both beautiful and of limited utility. After all, how many opportunities are there to dress to the nines on a weekend afternoon?
But when the occasion suits, as it did this past weekend, they are unsurpassed paired with cream gabardine trousers and a linen or seersucker jacket.
The pair in the photo are by Edward Green, in chestnut leather and white reversed goatskin.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Spectator Season
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
11 comments:
beautiful shoes. I love spectators. I wear them during the spring and summer every chance I can. I wore a similar outfit with a seersucker sort of coat for my wedding in May.
Thanks for reading my mind--I was just thinking of asking you for a shot of you in your spectators! I, too, love Edward Green's take on this classic look, and the socks bring everything together.
Would you consider spectators out-of-place on casual Friday? Would you ever wear them in the city on a weekday?
Now, can we ask for a shot of your black-and-white spectators in action, too?
This week in SF will offer ample opportunity to wear spectators. Tomorrow will be toasty and I'm putting mine on.
I've two pair of brown Horatio, and I wouldn't wear them in town even if I did own a black pair.
I think those shoes are extremenly beautiful. Some people consider them old fashion but to me old is something totally different from classic. I only have a pair of Spectators (from Albadalejo)but I believe they are a must
My regards
Thank you for the answers.
More questions about summer attire:
The other day at church, I saw an elderly gentleman wear a combination I had not seen before: a cream sports coat with navy trousers. I thought it was a nice variation on the classic summer combination of cream and navy, but I wonder if it has much in the way of historical precedent.
Will, in your archives, have you ever encountered a cream jacket? Other than a dinner jacket, would you wear one? If you had one, what might you wear it with?
Cream linen is a classic jacket for summer evenings. Wear the same combinations you'd wear with a cream linen suit, or, if it is a peak lapelled DB, dress it up with a black bow tie.
Spectators, allegedly originally made by John Lobb in London for watching the cricket, are leisure time shoes, and even the black and white one would be out of place in the city during the working weekday, unless one goes to an elegant racing day or a similar occasion and is not wearing a morning suit. If it is a time of elegant leisure, spectators can have their place whatever the day, as an article on dandyism.net (http://www.dandyism.net/?p=987), mentioned by Will in this blog on 1st August 2008, shows: Spectators for a walk in the park. Originally they were, however, made to "spectate" (=watch) a sport.
Great timing, as I just picked up a pair of Allen Edmonds Broadstreets in brown and white. I really love the look, and had been going back through previous ASW posts looking for advice on best practices for wearing them.
Great
I have recently bought a pair of Hydes from msrs. Herring.
Though I have no idea how to maintain and clean them. I'll have to find out.
Wonderful shoes, though!
Post a Comment