All posts in Footwear

An Entry Level Tassel Loafer: The Bass Eddington

by oxford cloth button down on January 25, 2014 in Footwear, Men's Clothing Reviews, Style with 6 Comments

I am a big fan of tassel loafers, but I know that they are not for everyone. Some people think that they look too ornate which directly conflicts with the Trad ethos of utilitarian simplicity much like the always controversial horse bit loafer(Just read through the commments). However, to me the Alden or Allen Edmonds (AE) tassel is a shoe that says you have arrived. Unfortunately, I have yet to arrive and these sleek tassels are still out of my price range, but I did find an affordable alternative that I think is a good fit for me. This tassel is the Bass Eddington.
The more sophisticated and sleek AE Grayson Tassel Moc for comparison.

The Bass Eddington has a different shape than the Alden or AE tassel. It is much more of a casual loafer. They feature contrast stitching and are only available in a rich brown color. They wouldn’t look appropriate with grey flannel trousers and a blazer like the other two, but they look right at home with a tweed sport coat, cords, or even chinos and a sweater which is exactly where my wardrobe lives.
Bass is not known for producing high quality footwear, but I really like these tassels. The leather is supple and they are comfortable right out of the box. I think that the fact that Bass uses a Blake welt stitching construction is a big part of why they are so comfortable. To top it off, I picked them at the Bass outlet for around $75. If you are in need of an introductory tassel the Bass Eddington may be worth checking out.

Questions For Your Cobbler

by oxford cloth button down on October 5, 2013 in Footwear, Lifestyle with 6 Comments

Not too long ago I posted about the hole that I had worn in the bottom of my Weejuns (Penny Loafers for Penny Pinchers). I thought that my loafers were done for as the damage had made its way through the cork, but due to the encouragement of my readers I took them to my local cobbler for an assessment. It turned out to be the best choice as he was able to repair my loafers, but I was not as prepared as I prefer to be in such situations. I thought that I could use this experience to help those of you who like me are inexperienced with shoe repair to have a few questions prepared for your cobbler.

My Local Cobbler

My loafers were returned to me repaired using a different method than I had expected. Expecting, but not requesting, or at least inquiring was my first mistake. I only asked if they could be repaired and that was it. I should have asked how he was going repair them. There are two types of shoe repair, full soles and half-soles. Both methods are exactly what they sound like. Full sole repair involves replacing the full sole and half soles; you guessed it, half soles.

Weejuns before repair. Notice the finished stitching.

Most people tend to recommend half soles for cheaper shoes and full soles for a quality shoe. Full sole repair involves replacing everything from the toe to the heel. Half sole repair is when the toe and instep area are replaced. You can think of full sole repair as replacing a tire while half sole repair is more comparable to mending the tire. However, many have indicated that a half sole repair can hold up if well done.

Weejuns after repair. Here you can notice the absence of stitching.

I expected a full sole repair, but I received a half sole repair. I also expected the soles to be stitched, but they were only glued. Now all soles are glued, but I expected stitching as well, because that is the way they were originally finished. Was my cobbler wrong for using this method, I don’t think so, but I would have appreciated being consulted or at least informed as to how he intended to repair the shoes.

The new half soles are thicker than the originals

Despite being surprised by the finished product this was a good learning experience. I now know that if I want a full sole shoe repair I should ask for it. I also know to inquire about the possibilities of resoling my shoes. Will they finish the shoe with stitching? If not, why? What other options are there? I hope that my experience can help those of you who are thinking about visiting a cobbler for your first time. Remember there are no stupid questions. I am looking forward to wearing out the soles of my Weejuns for a second time.

My White Bucks

by oxford cloth button down on August 24, 2013 in Footwear with 5 Comments

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.

Outfit #1

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.

Outfit #2

Kennedy Inspiration Picture

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.

Penny Loafers for Penny Pinchers

by oxford cloth button down on August 18, 2013 in Footwear with 19 Comments

Due to my lack of observation (and now known to me awkward gait) I have worn a hole almost right through the bottom of my Weejuns. This means that it is time for some new penny loafers (and that I stay on my toes!). While I am excited about getting new shoes my bank account is not on par with my desires. Basically, that means that pair of cordovan Alden LHS is out of the question. After a little bit of research I have narrowed my choices down to a few more reasonable options.

The reason for new loafers.

Sebago Classic
Although they are better known for their Dockside boat shoe Sebago also offers a pretty nice pair of penny loafers. I have my eye on their Classic model in cordo. It looks like a solid loafer and even better, I have heard good things about them. The one thing that I don’t really like about this model is the beef roll. The Sebago Classic comes in at an affordable $145.

The Sebago Classic ($145)

Johnston & Murphy Ski-Moc
While Johnston & Murphy (J&M) is not the company that they once were their penny loafer the Ski-Moc still gets a little love around the Trad world. The price of these loafers is $175, which is a bit high in my opinion. I am not sure that I could justify spending so much for a pair of J&M’s when I could probably spend a little more and get a pair of Allen Edmonds loafers. Another negative is the appearance of the seemingly unavoidable beef roll.

Johnston & Murphy Ski-Moc ($175)

Allen Edmonds Walden
Allen Edmonds (AE) offers a variety of desirable loafers (Patriot, Randolph, Kenwood), but the Walden is more of what I am looking for due to its casual nature. The other selling point of the Walden is that they do not have a beef roll. However, there is something about the strap where the beef roll would be that looks a little off to me. The retail price of the Walden is $245.

Allen Edmonds Walden ($245)

Bass Weejun Logan
The Weejun needs very little explanation as to why it is on my list. It is the classic penny loafer. Plus, it retails for $108 making it the most affordable shoe on my list. The biggest downside to the Weejun is the plastic-like leather. Other than the shape, the biggest pro for the Weejun is that I know that they fit me well. Never underestimate fit.

Bass Weejun Logan ($108)

The clock is ticking and I will need to make a purchase soon as this hole is getting very close to wearing completely through to the other side. The main reason that I have included the options that I have is that they are all available at the outlet mall not too far from my home. This will reduce the price of all the shoes that I have listed above. In fact, I can usually pick-up a pair of Weejuns for about $65 and I saw a pair of AE Waldens for around $150 not too long ago. I will update this post with the outlet prices after my next visit, but being a planner I needed a plan first.

Summer Cycling Shoes

by oxford cloth button down on June 30, 2013 in Footwear with 4 Comments

I was about to head over to my friend’s house and I was looking for the appropriate footwear. I am sure that you are wondering if I am over thinking it. I mean, one of my favorite qualities of classic style is that there is very little to think and fuss about. However, I was traveling by bicycle and I knew that I was going to have a hard time riding leisurely (I am never satisfied until I leave my lungs gasping for air at some point during my ride.).

This means two things in regards to the footwear. One, I did not want to wear my athletic cycling shoes (Not casual enough.) and two, I did not want to wear my Topsiders (They would get ruined too quickly.). I found the answer in the back of my closet.

In the back of my closet is a trash bag full of items that do not fit. As I dug through this bag I discovered a pair of shoes that I had completely forgotten about. They are an odd looking pair of Johnston & Murphy shoes, part boat shoe, part moccasin, with just a touch of contemporary mixed in (The part I don’t like). I never would have purchased them if they were not $20. I couldn’t resist at that price point and I was positive that I would find a use for them. I was wrong and they soon made their way to the “to be donated” pile. I snagged them just in time.

The shoes fulfilled their duty well. This was their first trip out of the house and they were a bit stiff. I wore them sans socks and suffered a little irritation to one of my ankles. I am s pretty sure that they will break in over time. Hopefully this will eliminate the ankle irritation.

The shoe still looks very off to me. It looks like someone just stopped for the day before completing a boat shoe and never finished them. The eyelets are really close together and it would take six eyelets instead of the normal four to complete this shoe. The toe box is also a lot longer than your average boat shoe. They are a weird hybrid.

I am thankful that I found these shoes. Traveling by bicycle is one of my favorite things about summer and these shoes will allow me to do more of it. Plus, I did not have to spend a dime. I am however starting to think that these shoes might even be my next project. How hard could it be to add another eyelet? The moral of this story is do not overlook what you already have.