My Shoes #20 - To Boot New York

During my time at Nordstrom, I acquired a lot of To Boot New York shoes and this was one of the first models that I got, and definitely my favorite. It is just such a great summer shoe and it looks good with jeans but can also be dressed up in a casual sort of way. The toe, while it was already darkened from the get-go, was probably the first burnish that I ever actually did and it took me awhile to actually do it, as I had no idea what I was doing but was just so eager to give the shoe some contrast. Thankfully it actually turned up nicely and they have been going strong for quite some time, even with that razor thin sole. Like I said in an earlier post, I have been obsessed with loafers lately and it has definitely been expressed in my outfits as I have set my oxfords aside. While it is such a boring option, I have been longing for a simple black, elegant loafer but have yet to find the right one. Anyway, sorry that it has been awhile since my last personal shoe post, but it is not always easy finding someone to flash pics of me, at least not flattering ones that don't involve the background of my flat!

Shoes Of The Week

Lately, I feel like I have been putting a lot of crazy colored shoes from French and Japanese makers on my blog and representing just a certain sect of the shoe industry. When, in fact, I am a lover of all shoes and happen to really like simple, elegant pieces such as these two pairs from To Boot New York. What I particularly like about them are the rich cognac color that they come in, which in my opinion is damn near perfect for the ultimate jean compliment. In the perfect world (where my feet are not jacked up), I would wear leather soled shoes like these with my jeans, everyday. But unfortunately, my feet need a break every now and then, and I have to throw on some Nike's or Vans or whatever that has soft squishy soles, just to give my feet a little EVA/soft rubber cushioning (sometimes my self-pity ramble's on and on unconsciously, sorry).

But yes, these two pairs are great and I would love to own either one. In reality, they are two styles, that any shoe guy should have in the closet. They don't have to be in this color but a simple loafer as well as a nice chelsea boot are two things that deserve to be occupying shelf space in your house! If you are in the market currently and indecisive about a model, I would give my recommendations for either one of these! I believe that they are both currently found at Nordstrom.

My Shoes Part 2 - To Boot New York

Style: Caldwell

I started a post called 'Critique The Shoe Snob' a week or two ago and I saw that no one would critique me so instead of labeling it as such, I figured that now I would label it 'My Shoes' and just try to display every shoe that I own to show you what I wear, how I wear it and if you feel like applauding, critiquing, or anything else along those lines, so be it! However, I do encourage commenting, whether it good or bad. That being said, these are my recently acquired Caldwell shoes by To Boot New York. What I absolutely love about these shoes is the beautiful blue contrast stitch. To me, this is the epitome of the type product that I want to create; shoes that have a classic look with an added flair of modernity. Because shoes like this are timeless in their style yet unique in their detailing which allows them to stay relevant with the times and maintain themselves as a staple piece in the wardrobe. Now that Autumn is here, it's also a great piece to add to my weekly rotation. The fact that it is black suede means that it won't be so affected by the rain and goes well with the darker shades of clothing that people tend to wear during the colder seasons. Overall, it's a great shoe with a lot of wear-ability and you can never go wrong with that!!

This also comes in brown suede with an orange stitching and you can find the two either at Zappos or Nordstrom.

Boots - A Man's Necessity

Whether it's one of those disgusting Mark Nason boots, a simple chukka boot or a nice dress boot I feel like every man in his right mind wants or needs to own at least one pair of boots to solidify his manhood. "Boot: The man's shoe!" Maybe it is just me but ever since ads have created something showing what a man's man looks like and the fact that in the ad, this man is almost always wearing a pair of boots, I feel like this idea of having a boot in the wardrobe has become eminent to one's sartorial completion. And I think that it is great because I am a big fan of boots, certain one's that is!! Earlier I did an article on the perfect boot (here) in which I stated that the proper dress chukka could go a long way in versatility and function but of course I also think that there are many other styles that are essential to the completion of many looks and a balanced wardrobe.

Let's go through the different types of boots:

Lace Up's

Balmoral (Closed Lacing):









Left Boots: Stefano Bemer
Right Boots: Gaziano & Girling










Left Boots: Koronya
Right Boots: Rider Boot Co. (Picture provided by Leffot)

Derby (Open Lacing):










Boots Above: Edward Green (Pictures provided by Leffot)











Left Boots: Alden (Picture provided by Leather Soul)
Right Boots: Alden (Picture provided by Leffot)    


Slip On's

Chelsea's (2 Gore Boots):










Left Boots: To Boot New York
Right Boots: Gaziano & Girling (Picture provided by Leffot)













Left Boots: Gaziano & Girling
Right Boots: Edward Green (Picture provided by Leffot)


Zip Up's:

Boot Above: To Boot New York


Chukka's -Go to 'The Perfect Boot' to see many different styles

I particularly like the Edward Green boots under the lace up derby section. The pairing between the calfskin and a pebble grain gives it a great balance between casual and dress. It has the cap toe design creating more of a dress feeling while at the same time has the nice thick sole and the copper eyelets that lends it the casual look. Although I would not pair it with a suit you could dress it up with a nice set of trousers and a button up shirt and look very presentable but could also throw on a blazer with a nice pair of jeans over the boots and also come out with a great look. It's hard to find that perfect boot that can go so many ways with different styles/occasions/looks and be affordable at the same time. I have yet to make a boot for myself but it is definitely in my line up for what I need to do next so that I can truly complete my wardrobe!

But for all those guys who buy boots such as Mark Nason, Jo Ghost, Robert Wayne etc. (Look here for examples) and wear them with your tight T-shirts and True Religion jeans that are so baggy you could probably fit my entire torso inside the pant leg of a size 30......PLEASE spare yourself the embarrassment!!! You are not cool and you look like a joke. Buy yourself some grown up boots and become a real man!!