Summer is quickly coming to an end and I wanted to break out my white bucks before it completely passed me by and the chance was lost. White bucks are not a shoe that I would have purchased for myself, but the nice people over at G.H. Bass & Co. sent me a pair (unsolicited), of their Buckingham white bucks, which is very much appreciated (Thank You!). While I have shied away from such a bold shoe, white bucks are quintessentially American and there is no shoe that says summer quite like a pair of white bucks.
From Esquire Magazine via The Weejun
Wearing these shoes presented a challenge. I generally try to construct outfits that fly under the radar and this is hard to do while wearing bright white suede shoes. For my first outing, I paired them with a poplin Brooks Brothers 3/2 sack blazer, chinos, and a light blue/pink repp tie. I thought that pink/blue tie complimented the shoes and added a touch of playfulness to the outfit. Overall, I was comfortable in the outfit and I received multiple compliments on the bucks, but I thought that I could do better.
My second outfit was actually inspired by an old picture of Joseph Kennedy, Joe Jr. and a young JFK. My outfit was very different from theirs, but it was the casual sophistication of their outfits that I wanted to capture. This time I paired my white bucks with chinos, a white OCBD, Uniqlo linen jacket, and blue tie with red/white stripes. I thought that this tie added more contrast to the outfit as I had previously planned on wearing a pink Gant tie. In my opinion, this outfit was a success. I felt and looked at ease, exactly as you should on a sunny summer day.
White bucks have won over a new fan. As I previously said, I was apprehensive about wearing such a bold shoe, especially considering that I try to avoid rather than garner attention. However, the tradition of the shoe along with their association with summer inspired a laid back attitude in me which overcame my fear of looking like a dandy. I am actually a little disappointed that I waited so long to give my white bucks a try, but next summer is not as far away as it seems.