PUBLISHED May 24th, 2013 02:23 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:27 pm
…just make sure they’re in a good pair of clogs!
Every detail in a man’s ensemble is important, just as every brush stroke in a painting is important as they all come together collectively to make a single masterpiece. That said, there is always a central focus to every painting as much as there is in the collective that define a man’s look. To that end, shoes have always been my central focus on a gentleman of worthy note. For as long as I’ve known myself to love men’s clothing, shoes were and have always been my start and end point of focus.
Even for the fairer sex, shoes are the starting point. In speaking to many female friends and acquaintances, they have confirmed and validated that as a general guideline a man’s shoe punctuates their perception of him, especially as a first aesthetic impression- of course your personality matters most, so don’t just wear nice shoes but behave like an ass!
So then gentlemen, let’s get some basics in order. I will break it across the 3 main ‘pillars’ that I believe rest upon making the right choice of shoe: colour, shape and material.
Colour
Never be seen in white shoes. Ever. There is something very Miami grease-head gangster about this look- think Manolo and Scarface in that most iconic of gangster flicks from the 80s. No, there is nothing remotely cool about aspiring to look like that kind of gangster, we’re grown men now- that was a misguided adolescent fantasy you should have long forgotten about. (This of course excludes sneakers- Common Projects come to mind).
A grown man’s choice of colours usually express a depth and saturation of tone that could almost be a metaphor for his maturing [don’t misread that as ‘aging’] tastes. The hues of those colours should lean towards the burnt/ autumnal range. There is something of a sophisticated edge to these colours, especially on formal shoes such as Oxfords, Derbys- cap toe or otherwise- and brogues.
On the casual end you may venture into more playful- yet still serious- colour territory: red (burgundy/ mauve), brown (tan/ tobacco/ mahogany), green (moss or racing) in styles that fall in accordance with such colours: tasseled loafers, Huaraches and Belgian loafers.
Shape
As far as shape is concerned the 1st rule is as important as never being seen in white shoes: Never be seen in square toe or Elfin pointed shoes. And heaven help you if you’re ever going to be caught in either of those shapes in white leather [the vision alone is a stain on my conscious]. So what should you go for?
After struggling for some time to find the right words to describe a well shaped shoe, I eventually did and it comes as thus: pick up a shoe and look at it from the sole [should that be ‘soul’?] and the top should narrow slightly forming a soft rounded shape (the head); as you work your eyes downwards the shoe should broaden in an a slightly exaggerated manner (the shoulders) and then further down still, it should exaggerate the opposite way, tapering dramatically (the waist) and finally there should be a solid, firm structure that forms the heel, a euphemism (if you like) for the groin!
Yes gentleman I have just described the ideal shoe as resembling the ideal masculine physique: that of a Grecian Adonis as sculpted by Michelangelo himself. But I shall venture further still (as I often like to) by making a better comparison from the canvas master: Caravaggio. I have the utter conviction that the man’s mastery of the brush stroke in expressing the masculine form at its best using the technique that he propelled to ever greater effect, chiaroscuro, is comparable to a shoe made by a gifted cobbler. The shapes and tones he used to achieve impact and depth are exactly the same as those which I advocate for men when working their way through a selection: find deep rich colours formed into strong, deceptively gentle in appearance, shapes made of the best materials- leather in all its varying forms (cordovan is the epoch, although one need not always go so far) or even canvas, and sometimes combined materials all make for fine foot adornments. Which leads us to the final pillar: material.
Material
As already discussed, leather is the best material for a serious gentleman’s shoe. In fact it is the only material you should look for in dress/ work shoes. Shell cordovan- a horse hide leather- is the best of the leathers. Yes there is crocodile and ostrich skin but they are decorative and at times offensively garish materials, not to mention often times extremely expensive.
For casual shoes, again stick to natural materials- soft leather and canvas lend themselves best to weekend shoes. Observe the success of casual shoe specialists Rivieras who have made their vintage chic shapes and colours a distinctive signature of their own.
With that said gentleman, here is a list of websites for you to peruse for some fine footwear…just remember to have the correct balance between your fine shoes and your personality for the fairer sex. Good luck.
For Singapore’s finest:
www.rockstar-soonlee.blogspot.sg
On the web:
Photographs courtesy of K.I.N and Ed Et Al.