Balmoral Boot Porn

I was never quite the biggest fan of pairing black with a burgundy and/or an oxblood/merlot type of color, but I must admit that the more that I studied this prototype of mine (for wear-testing), the more that the combination of colors grew on me. Having friends and colleagues try it on, wearing jeans, suits, dress casual trousers etc., the more that I felt that these colors actually go quite nice together. It never presented itself as being too dressy for one thing, yet too casual for another. Meaning, that when my colleague tried it on with his navy suit, I felt that it complemented the outfit quite well and when tried on underneath a pair of jeans, it happened to smarten up the outfit. That being, while it's contrast is subtle and not in the least ostentatious, it still provides a great deal of pleasure to the eye, overcoming the monotony of two colors too close in tone. I am still not sure if this will be a colorway that I offer for my first collection, but nevertheless, I am now pleased to have at least had it made up, which gave me the chance to absorb its subtle yet elegant contrast....

Today's Favorites - Caulaincourt

I wanted to try and squeeze out my usual long-post that I do on Mondays, but I simply have not had enough time, as I prepare for my flight to Spain and such. But as I hate to leave my blog content-less for too long, I figured that I would give you a little tidbit to hold you over until I get back on Thursday. I know that I have been showing a lot of boots lately but I just can't help it as the majority of lovely things that I have been seeing, are in fact boots. This one above by Caulaincourt (go to site at your own risk, my computer denied access) just might take the cake however. The mix between tweed, colors, a touch of burnishing and brogue detail were simply perfect, not leaving a single trace of lack in style or aesthetic. And while I had always heard of this brand before, but never really putting much thought into them, I will now definitely keep them on my radar after seeing these bad boys....

Well, it's that time to be off now, as I head out to have a quick lunch before my flight. Optimistically thinking, my prototypes will be all sorted out by the time I come back, but realistically speaking, I will at least have one (if not more) round of corrections. Just know that after much talk about releasing my own shoe line, it is creeping upon realization. Thanks to all of those that have been loyal in following my progress, I only hope that I do not let you all down....

Enjoy your week and be back on Thursday!

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Shoes Of The Week - Alfred Sargent Special Make Up

Following a survey on Style Forum, online shoe store 'A Fine Pair of Shoes' created (based on popular vote & in conjunction with Alfred Sargent) what was considered to be the perfect brogue boot. While I can't say that I agree that this model is the 'perfect' brogue boot, I can say that I do like them very much. Probably the thing that I like most (outside of my obvious two-tone obsession) is the brogue design that leads from the bottom part of the facing/quarter all the way to the back end of the shaft bit. While this boot would be a great option come Spring/Summer, I just can't say that it's perfect for the fact that it cannot be worn during the cold months, for fear of thrashing that lovely light suede during a wet day. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful model that I am sure will become a great seller. If you are interested in this boot, the nice gentleman at AFPS informed me that they are currently available via Special Order at info@afinepairofshoes.co.uk and are going for £420.

I will try and post again sometime this weekend, but if I do not get a chance, there might be a little while before you here from me as I am taking a trip back to Spain in order to sort out some of my other prototypes!

I hope that everyone has a fantastic weekend.

-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Today's Favorites - Carmina Balmoral Boot

I have never actually had the pleasure of holding a pair of Carmina shoes in my hands, but I have always appreciated what I have seen in pictures and all of the nice things that most people have to say about them. While they tend to not stray too far outside of classic styles, I did notice this pair on Ethan Desu's blog a little while ago and was quite taken aback by the uniqueness of them. There was no description of what they were for, but I could only imagine that they must have been an MTO, as this is not a combination that you see often, especially in RTW circulation. And even though it did not make me say 'WOW' for some unknown reason, I feel that I would love to have them and would gravitate towards them more than I think. Something about them really captures me, but in a way that is almost indescribable. The seem to have these little subtle qualities that make them really stand apart, but only after 3 or 4 glances do you notice them. I feel that they come up higher on your leg than your average pair, the stitching along the facing is not quite straight but not quite as curved either when it comes to the edge of the vamp/quarter, and that the mouth of the boot (above ankle) is a lot smaller than most openings. And all of these details make me think that this is truly inspired by what they used to wear in the late 19th, early 20th centuries.... I applaud the person that designed them...Well done!

Shoes Of The Week - Perfetto

Hands down, these are among the coolest boots/shoes that I have ever seen. Every single detail is bang-on, the styles are amazing and the mixtures of fabric with leather are extremely well-executed. The more that I see shoes that are either designed, or made by Japanese people, the more I feel that the Japanese are surely becoming the masters of shoes. I had never heard of this brand, Perfetto, but upon stumbling across them, I fell in love instantly. And what shoe love wouldn't? After researching a little, it seems that they were an up-and-comer at the last Pitti Uomo, which means that with cool shoes like this, we can expect to hopefully see much more of them as they get purchased by stores around the world. Granted many stores buy rubbish shoes, so maybe we won't, but nonetheless I believe that they will be successful. And believe it or not, this model above, is definitely an example of something that I would still buy, even when I have my own line.....

On that note, let me tell you that I will be getting 8 of my 13 samples on Monday, so be on the look out for a picture or two, for sneak-previews sake!

Majority of Pictures Courtesy Of: The Suitorial

Today's Favorites - Septieme Largeur Chelsea Boots

While I had originally wanted to wait until Friday to share these with all of you, I simply could not wait, as I am such a fan of them and sure that many of you will be too. They are hands-down the most beautiful chelsea boots that I have ever seen, no question! What's funny is that I have only now see this done, in this fashion. Weird too, because for something so simple, you would have thought that somebody else would have thought to create this. Which I am sure, that if you go back in time, they probably had done, but it's not something that I have seen any time recently. Nevertheless, these boots by Septieme Largeur, are the epitome of what I mean when I say 'classic with a twist.' They are such an elegant and simple boot, aka very classic. But they offer something that most chelsea boots don't: two-toned, multiple fabrics and a shorter gore area. The shorter gore area allows the boot to be more dressy, as the trousers will most likely not extend upwards enough to show the gore when someone is walking. I love them and cannot wait until I get a pair. The only question will be which color should I get?