Spring Shoes

Spring is almost here and that means that every major magazine and the entirety of the Internet is in the midst of bombarding us with Spring fashion collections. To make sense of every single Spring catalog by every major taste-maker and designer is a Herculean task worthy of its own Encyclopedia line every Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. So instead I, being only human, will do my best to analyze the men’s shoe catalogs for the prestigious Mr Porter and the more accessible J. Crew catalogs.

Let’s get some ground rules down:

Firstly, I will only be doing casual shoes. That means no sneakers and no oxfords; although you may see shoes that look like oxfords and sound like oxfords, they are more along the lines of saddle shoes (casual oxfords).

Secondly, it’s almost the Spring Equinox and, therefore, the Summer Solstice. This is no time to be wearing boots. Actually, unless you’re playing basketball, this is no time to be wearing any kind of shoe where the upper extends above your ankles. The weather’s nice; show some skin.

Thirdly, unless it’s a cowboy boot, sandal, loafer, or moccasin, it’s got to have laces. Since it’s spring and I’m only doing casual shoes that means I will not be reviewing any of those. So don’t worry about them.

Remember, your watchstrap, belt, and shoes should always match.

Now, lets get to it.

Mr Porter:

Mr Porter’s shoe collection has quite the variety thrown in. I’m going to be focusing on three designers that fit my criteria as listed above for Spring/Summer shoes.

Yves Saint Laurent

I’m very impressed with the Yves Saint Laurent Leather Derby Shoes. They’re clean, simple, and sophisticated. Especially in the light brown leather they have advertised on the Mr Porter website. These shoes go great with dark denim and will look great during an evening out. Be sure to contrast these with a boldly colored pair of socks. I’m not talking rainbow cardigan socks but something that points out the shoes you’re wearing. They deserve the attention.

Alexander McQueen

You know, the Leather Brogues would look great if it weren’t for the fraying. Let me earn that broken in look, McQueen. Despite that, the perforations add great detail and give an impression of speed and precision. A man who wears these shoes should be a man who walks with purpose. Although I support these shoes, especially with a light colored pair of chinos, Alden of New England has a much better version that I will discuss later. The dichotomy here is whether you are willing to pay for European status with the McQueens or American tradition with the Alden’s coming up from J. Crew.

B Store

The Leather Derby Shoes by B Store are actually better than Yves Saint Laurent. Here’s why: the sole. B Store’s version has a much lighter sole that gives it not only more of an uplifting tone, but also a sense of authenticity. Rubber is the signature of processed creation. It’s like the Kraft Singles of men’s shoes. Avoid rubber at all possibilities. If there is a sole of a shoe that contains not only wood, but also leather as it’s main component, that shoe is a better choice. Overall, this shoe is not only versatile in the sense that it can be dressed up and down, but also in the way that it affects the viewer—this shoe carries a tone of lightheartedness and that, in turn, effects who’s wearing it and who’s looking at it in a positive way. It’s a feel good shoe and my pick for the Mr Porter catalog for your Spring/Summer shoe.

J. Crew:

Much like Mr Porter, J. Crew’s catalog has a wide selection of shoes to choose from—both very light boating shoes to very heavy boots suitable for what one can only imagine as a cross country hiking trip of the highest taste and class.

Alden

Beautiful coffee brown leather. Incredibly detailed perforations. White leather sole. And the fact that it’s made by Alden, a company that has been hand crafting the finest shoes since 1884, make the Longwing Bluchers a must have for this Spring and Summer. It’s nice enough that it can be dressed up, but casual enough that it can take a great pair of chinos and turn them into an excellent pair. These do not go well with dark denim, but get along fine with a lighter shade. As I said earlier, these are the American version of the McQueen Leather Brogues. Upon further inspection and reflection, these are not just the American version but the better version. The McQueen’s prefabricated erosion just seems trivial to the quality of craftsmanship present in these Alden shoes

This is my number one choice out of both catalogs.

SeaVees

The most eccentric and interesting of the bunch, SeaVees’ 10/61 2-eye Oxfords are named after, and made after, Jack Kerouac’s book Big Sur. They do a great job at capturing the comfort and lack of pretense that was so prevalent in the literary figures of the beat generation of the fifties and early sixties. These shoes are beyond comfortable. I may have said earlier that rubber is the bane of men’s footwear—this case is the exception. The rubber does nothing but enhance this experience. It’s like you’re walking on a cloud while your feet are wrapped in what can only be considered the material manifestation of “love”. These are great for casual nights out, rooftop barbeques, and are sturdy enough for outdoor adventures to lakes, rivers, and even hiking trails.

This is my 1B choice.

Gifford

Simply stated,  If you can’t get Alden’s Longwing Bluchers, than get these Leather Wing Tips. The design is nearly the same, and they both have the esteemed leather sole that is a hallmark of a well-crafted shoe. This is my third highest choice out of both catalogs.

I started out this investigation assuming that the auspicious and British Mr Porter would reign supreme over J. Crew, but as I furthered my investigation I was proven wrong. The types of shoes are, obviously, the same. But the quality of craftsmanship available in the J. Crew is just as high as that available in Mr Porter's catalog for cheaper. Furthermore, all three of my top choices came from the J. Crew catalog. This creates an interesting situation for me as I've grown to like Mr Porter's catalog as a whole more so than I like J. Crew's. It just happens that their shoe collection does not stand up to par with the rest of their operation.
 But, whatever you choose, keep in mind that it's important to feel comfortable in what you wear, but even more so to expand your comfort zone and explore new territories and styles. You may be surprised with what you find.