eye-talian dress shoes vs sidewalks

[the macdonald]

I have a new job as a recruiter in a prominent financial firm in the (trying to be) swankiest downtown of the swankiest town around. Part of my job is to be seen in this area, meet and greet folks with potential for the firm. I have to wear a suit every day, which I don’t mind, but I also love Italian wingtips, a little sleeker and longer than the traditional brogues with leather soles. This swank downtown area has new brick sidewalks that are wearing the soles right off my slick shoes. Anyone run into this? I am going to have to re-sole my shoes every 6 months!

Rubber soles… well, I guess they are the logical solution but you can’t typically re-sole them so if I have the same problem I’ll be buying new shoes every six months.

 

[Puff Daddy]

On the contrary, if you buy good leather shoes with sewn leather soles the shoes are recraftable whether or not you have rubber undersoles put on or not. Google Topys, they are thin rubber soles designed to be glued and/or sewn to the bottom of leather soled shoes. These can be put on, and later removed by a cobbler and replaced, usually getting a lot more mileage out of a pair of leather soles before the soles themselves will need to be replaced. If you go to the Brooks Brothers website and click on footwear, then click on Dress Calfskin, you'll see on the top row A shoe called the Burnished Perforated Cap Toe. The photos of the shoe (once you click on the link to the specs of the shoe) show a view of the thin rubber bottom. These ae made for Brooks Brother by Allen Edmonds, really nice shoes IMHO. These particular shoes have the rubber Topy both glued and sewn on, yet they are still replaceable without removing the leather sole because the stitching is done outside the stitching of the sole itself. Allen Edmonds make some Italian-esque shoes as well, and you can order directly from them. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to get them to apply this Topy to any of their leather soled recraftable shoes. The do make quite a few lasts that the shoes are built upon, so I'd try to find a place near you where they are sold so you can try the different lasts on and find the one that best suits your foot.

I own a pair of AE Mctavish fully brogued wingtips In natural wax infused leather and I love them! They do run a tad long and wide in the 5 last, so mine are an 11 1/2E, a size smaller but wider than my usual 12D. Another wonderful shoe that I truly love are Tricker's, but they are best known for heavy English country brogues. I'm not terribly familiar with the Italian styles as the long narrow highlympolished svelt look doesn't really match my style.

 

[Tim_Haggerty]

I'm on my feet a good portion of the day and walk to work about a mile each way. I swear by Ecco shoes, which wear well. The Allan Edmonds are a little out of my price range, but the trick is to get shoes that are good enough quality to merit resoling.

 

[the macdonald]

On the contrary, if you buy good leather shoes with sewn leather soles the shoes are recraftable whether or not you have rubber undersoles put on or not. Google Topys, they are thin rubber soles designed to be glued and/or sewn to the bottom of leather soled shoes. These can be put on, and later removed by a cobbler and replaced, usually getting a lot more mileage out of a pair of leather soles before the soles themselves will need to be replaced. If you go to the Brooks Brothers website and click on footwear, then click on Dress Calfskin, you'll see on the top row A shoe called the Burnished Perforated Cap Toe. The photos of the shoe (once you click on the link to the specs of the shoe) show a view of the thin rubber bottom. These ae made for Brooks Brother by Allen Edmonds, really nice shoes IMHO. These particular shoes have the rubber Topy both glued and sewn on, yet they are still replaceable without removing the leather sole because the stitching is done outside the stitching of the sole itself. Allen Edmonds make some Italian-esque shoes as well, and you can order directly from them. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to get them to apply this Topy to any of their leather soled recraftable shoes. The do make quite a few lasts that the shoes are built upon, so I'd try to find a place near you where they are sold so you can try the different lasts on and find the one that best suits your foot.

I own a pair of AE Mctavish fully brogued wingtips In natural wax infused leather and I love them! They do run a tad long and wide in the 5 last, so mine are an 11 1/2E, a size smaller but wider than my usual 12D. Another wonderful shoe that I truly love are Tricker's, but they are best known for heavy English country brogues. I'm not terribly familiar with the Italian styles as the long narrow highlympolished svelt look doesn't really match my style.

Thank you, I think that will do it. Italian shoes probably aren't entirely appropriate for me either, but they are good quality, certainly re-solable and make me happy.

 

[Puff Daddy]

I think your choice of shoe style should have more to do with your overall choice of dress style, so if you love those Italian shoes and you wear a style of suit that fits them, why not? In todays executive climate there is more room for a bit of flair than the stamped out straight suits of yesteryear. Certainly it wouldn't do well to match a sleek Italian loafer to a country style casual suit - no tweed or squarely cut heavy cloth coat, those clothes would be better matched to the beefier English Brogue - but if you can pull off a cut of suit that runs trimmer in the leg and waist, certainly those sleeker shoes would do well.

 

[Harlock999]

I think your choice of shoe style should have more to do with your overall choice of dress style, so if you love those Italian shoes and you wear a style of suit that fits them, why not? In todays executive climate there is more room for a bit of flair than the stamped out straight suits of yesteryear. Certainly it wouldn't do well to match a sleek Italian loafer to a country style casual suit - no tweed or squarely cut heavy cloth coat, those clothes would be better matched to the beefier English Brogue - but if you can pull off a cut of suit that runs trimmer in the leg and waist, certainly those sleeker shoes would do well.

PD knows his menswear!

 

[Puff Daddy]

PD knows his menswear!

I'm full of surprises

 

[the macdonald]

I think your choice of shoe style should have more to do with your overall choice of dress style, so if you love those Italian shoes and you wear a style of suit that fits them, why not? In todays executive climate there is more room for a bit of flair than the stamped out straight suits of yesteryear. Certainly it wouldn't do well to match a sleek Italian loafer to a country style casual suit - no tweed or squarely cut heavy cloth coat, those clothes would be better matched to the beefier English Brogue - but if you can pull off a cut of suit that runs trimmer in the leg and waist, certainly those sleeker shoes would do well.

PD knows his menswear!

I concur. I have the eye-talian suits to match, including a couple vested suits that caused a little buzz. I find that a little bit of flair and swagger goes a long way--and is appreciated amongst a world full of blue and grey suits, boxy wingtips, and muted ties.

I have a certain style, I'll call it corporate sheik.

I said my "shoe aren't entirely appropriate" jokingly because my office seems to enjoy the strict banker dress code...but I have noticed more pizzazz lately, perhaps my influence, or spring on the horizon. I just can't wear the same dull suit and safe tie everyday. I believe that that fashion starts with confidence. If I don't feel right in a suit or shoe, I don't look right. Also, as a recruiter I am the public face of this firm, a financial firm who wants to continue to grow, so it doesn't hurt to be noticed.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Edward Green

 

[Puff Daddy]

Edward Green

:cheers: ....... But, $$$$!!!! If only........ :shock:

 

[Richard Burley]

Six months ain't a bad run, in my opinion, for leather-soled dress loafers. Think of the heels, too. Ya wanna look well-heeled, don'tcha? Just resole the bastards and forget about it. Plus you'd be supporting a dying craft.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I take the train to work and then I walk from my office to the various courts in Philly. I go through soles about every 6 months too. I think that's fairly standard for those of use who don't sit in carpeted office 8 hrs a day. I really like Allen Edmunds but I find that the higher end Johnston and Murphy are of similar quality and not quite as expensive. I have tried rubber soles and I found they wear just as quickly as leather, but the leather soles re-sole much better.