The Return Of The Classics Part 2 - Saddle Shoes

When executed well the saddle shoe can be the most stylish shoe style in existence. The sad thing about it, is that you don't hardly see them anymore and you don't see them created to their full potential. If you do see them in America, you see them in the classic form, white with a black or navy saddle but you never see them in other color forms which is where their style can really be shown. Nor do you ever see them in a more dressier form which I believe is far more elegant and stylish than the classic casual form. This is why I created my saddle shoe (pictured under my personal line) with some flair to it, to show that it can be done differently, with some style and in a dressier form that can be worn both with a suit or jeans.













Brown Shoe by: Altan Bottier
Purple Shoe by: Corthay




Saddle shoes were originally introduced in 1906 by non other than Spalding, who introduced them as a sports shoe that then became used by players of tennis and squash. However, they soon realized that there were more intelligent shoes that could be made for those sports and the saddle shoe quickly became adopted into society as a sporty day-to-day shoe. Throughout the 1950's teenagers all over America, both boys and girls, started wearing them to school and they quickly became apart of the preppy's new uniform. They were abolished in the hippie era and to this day are really only seen being worn by golfers, rich prep's in the North East and the super stylish (AKA someone like me)!



From top to bottom: Opening Ceremony, Women's saddle shoe by F-Troupe, Mark McNairy and Opening Ceremony


Classics are classics for a reason (they were once really cool) and it's time that we made them cool again! Today's standard shoes are so boring and monotone, we need to reinvent the wheel by bringing back classics like these but with a modern twist and then utilizing them into everyday society. I really feel like it would be acceptable to wear my black/red saddle shoes to a conservative work place and if not then we need to push towards a new direction so we don't always stay "America, land of the boring dressers!" Start taking chances by wearing bold shoes! Our reputation (for bad dressing) constantly precedes us and it's time for a change, lets start showing the rest of the world that Americans have style, since in all honesty, many of us do!!!














Top Shoe: Dimitri Bottier
Right Shoe: Marc Guyot