How I Think About Shoes & Picking The Right One
https://alittlebitofrest.com/2024/04/09/how-i-think-about-shoes-picking-the-right-one/
Hi all, I wrote a blog about shoes and what it means to pick the "right" one for an outfit. Usually shoe talk is about upgrading past low quality ones but at a certain point, its more about aesthetics and the desired look you're going for!
Its a long blog post with a lot of photos but hopefully its interesting!
I also did a podcast discussion here: https://soundcloud.com/styleanddirection/e120-picking-the-right-shoes
Ethan M. Wong
a little bit of rest
How I Think About Shoes & Picking the “Right” One
Visit the post for more.
Style and Direction
SoundCloud
E120: Picking The "Right" Shoes For An Outfit
How do you pick the “right” shoe for an outfit? Is it about formality? Color? Or the subculture or genre we’re trying to play up? We discuss it all on the latest episode of the podcast, going into our
9 Replies
@sioku Thankyou for the post. There were a lot of good fit pics in there. I do have a question (because I'm a student of limited means) can you remember the first shoe that you chose for yourself and why?
i think one of my first shoes i bought for myself was a wingtip derby
but the first adult, educated shoe i purchased was an alden full strap penny loafer
if i could go back though it would be a tassel loafer
i just found that i wear these the most and i love them across jeans, trousers, chinos, etc
The first shoes I chose for myself were McKinleys... Kimbell's I want to say. I was being outfitted for high-school and they were the only shoes I figured wouldn't fall apart. (and they didn't! I wore them quite literally every single day for three years, including going tramping in them, until the rubber outsole cracked. I would still have them if I realised I could have had them resoled).
The first shoes I bought myself that weren't special purpose are the ones I am currently wearing: I bought them because I wanted town shoes to wear, that also would protect my feet on the long walks I sometimes have to make by necessity (missed the last bus, or I'm standing on my feet all day in retail, or standing in a muddy puddle for ten hours as security).
One thing I found interesting in your post was that you mentioned: leather shoes are all seen alike in mainstream in formality (outside of menswear people few are going to differentiate between a loafer and an oxford) and that you pair your hats with laced shoes (thematic protection in both items). And that got me thinking... I don't see a lot of leather shoes worn casually. Nearly all shoes I see in a casual context are trainers of some form. Except for boots. I see leather boots like my own. And I think... I think that's because for outdoors activities, you either have running shoes, or leather boots. You either want something light and comfortable, or heavy duty and durable: and the middle ground of derbies doesn't have a lot going for it.
...my 2c
I def think its because leather shoes aren't what most people think of for "fun shoes"
usually because leather shoes lack the flash or status of sneakers
however i think we're slowly seeing a shift toward leather shoes, at least when it comes to fashion enthusiasts
doc martens, bass weejunsetc
idk if it will go mainstream but its a decent indicaiton!
I think it may be because people are mostly dressing for comfort and sneakers tend to be the most comfortable shoe. Plus they are comparably cheap
Nothing like looking at the Vans website to put your Crockett&Jones shoegazing into perspective.
I think my cowboy-sidezip thingies from sendra were kind of the start of me becoming more fashion conscious.
I think personally I really like the historical idiosyncracy of cowboy boots, because they are a remmnant from a time when high heels were considered masculine