Trying Too Hard - Baby Steps Before Leaps!

I don't know how many of you have noticed, but 2011 definitely started off as the year that bold colored shoes have become significantly more prominent in the shoe industry. For me this breakthrough is amazing, but the only downfall is that I feel that many of the shoe companies attempting to introduce more color into their shoe lines, skipped all subtlety and went straight for gaudy. Let's take Prada (pictured above), for example, who has been making all of the headway with their new tri-colored shoe with a sharp edge-cut sole trim and a one inch (2.5 cm) hemp braided sole with storm welt. Seriously??? That shit is ugly! I mean, I can appreciate the colors, but to then add all of this unnecessary stuff is just a little bit much. It's like the industry went from repressed black shoe producing to using 47 colors coupled with a space-aged sole on their shoes?? What happened to that middle step?

Obviously, 'designers' will be 'designers' but still, let's not carried away. Using colors outside of the normal spectrum for shoes should be carried out in an elegant way, or those who may have always been color-adverse, will be even more so when they see these monstrosities. Baby steps Mr. and Mrs. Designers of the world! Or else there will always be this divide between those who wear only black shoes and those who wear this crap here. It makes me wonder who they try and reach with this product. I guess that they are not looking to gain new clientele but instead only keep the one's they have happy. How do they grow, in terms of a business model? Maybe just by upping the prices? Because seeing these shoes, certainly would not make me want to go buy D&G or Prada products, it actually makes me want to avoid the store all together.



















What saddens me is that even Paul Smith, a company that I actually like, came out with some of this crap (pictured below). I mean, I don't think shoes made with reflector type looking pleather will ever be cool. And those pointy toes that could kill an ant in the corner of your room, just have to go. I know that these British companies make those, thinking that they are 'Italian style' but in reality, no Italian wears that pointy shit. They usually wear an elongated round toe, plain and simple. And who would ever think that Christmas colors would look good in a shoe (as Prada apparently did)? I could understand if they added white in there, to make the colors of the Italian flag but, they didn't, they added brown, of all the 'third' colors they could have added. It's just strange to me, it's almost like they were thinking, 'hey, let's take the three ugliest colors combined and put them into a shoe.' And viola, they achieved just that!! Now I hate to be a pessimist, but it is just strange that very few companies get it right, as the Japanese company, Saion, did in the post below. It really is not that difficult to create something different, but still have it be elegant and appealing. But hey, who am I to judge.........?

Some Pictures Courtesy Of: The Shoe Buff

No Brown In Town = Yeah Right!

In this day and age, most of the strict sartorial rules have been thrown out the window, and rightfully so! Now, don't get me wrong, some rules still apply and should never be broken but those that are so incredibly ridiculous and leave us all looking completely uniform and monotone (like 'no brown in town') are thankfully loosing their strength as the new generation of sartorialists plant their individualism into the minds of society. For too long, were things so boring. Black shoes have ruled the industry since the invention of dress shoes but mark my word, 2011 will truly define the year of color and seeing dress shoes in all shapes, colors and designs. It is no longer cool to 'fit in' and be just like everyone else, to all aspire to be Cary Grant, Steve McQueen or Gianni Agnelli. I would rather admire Andre 3000, Fred Astaire, Paul Smith, or anyone else whose outfit portrays character and thought, rather than just grabbing one of your 10 black suits, 20 white shirts, 7 blue ties, 8 black shoes and piecing those together to make a 'stylish' outfit.

Shoes Top Row: Gaziano & Girling
Shoes Bottom Row: Santoni

While living in the States, you get the feel there still are certain individuals who strictly adhere to this rule (men over 50 or crazy strict conservatives) but all-in-all, American's who are generally known as bad dressers across the world, are actually turning around to become some of the most daring, well-put together individuals around. Granted, I still think that Italians, as a whole, are the best dressed but the risk takers in the States who actually get it right, to me, are a step above the rest. Then again, these are far and few between.

While living in Italy, I noticed that this rule does not even exist. In fact, it is quite the opposite. You hardly ever see anyone wearing black shoes and to me this is how it should be. Black is so morbid and does not convey personality or character, unless of course you are going for a goth look, then you will be hitting the nail on the head. And I feel like the Italians think the same way. Color to them displays creativity and being a country deeply involved in art and romance, I feel that they blend the two together to create and choose the attire that they wear. (I may sound crazy with that last line but you would understand if you went there and saw with your own eyes)

But what truly brought me to write this, is my short time here in England. While British culture has created some of the finest and most stylish pieces a man can find in his wardrobe: tweed suits, Edward Green shoes, brogues etc., there is still a strict mentality in the way that 'it should be.' And while it is no longer forbidden to wear brown shoes for business, I feel like it is still an unwritten rule enforced by the thought police and carried out by society. I have met many men who will only wear black shoes with their suits and brown only on the weekend, because a 'gentleman' does so. What a load of crap. This old-world mentality, be it elegant and dapper, is unnecessary. A gentleman should not be defined by his shoe color or clothing attire that he wears during the week vs. the weekend, but rather how he carries himself in the clothing and shoes that he is wearing!

Just because blue shoes may compliment the color of the sea does not mean that I am going to wear them to the beach!

Food for thought.....

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"