Put This On

Moccasins from New England: Arrow Moccasin and Town View Leather

I love the idea of canoe slippers, the Northeastern staple. They’re soft, tough leather shoes, suitable for wear indoors or out. Quoddy has gotten a lot of attention in the menswear world the past few years (I presume they have a good publicist), and they make a fine product. There are other options, though.

I have a pair of trail boots by Arrow Moccasins, and recommend them highly. They’re comfortable with or without socks, and are my go-to for autumn lounging. They’re also hand-made by a father and son team, who answer the phone with charming New England accents. I wore them on concrete for a year or so with no ill effect, but then I got rear-ended in a car accident and found that long walks in such unpadded shoes made my back act up.

The Arrow last is broad and masculine, and I wanted slippers that were a little more refined in shape, so I placed an order with Town View Leather of Maine. They’re also a family operation, and their finest deerskin lined mocs still come in at less than a hundred bucks. I’ve got a foot tough to fit for slip-ons, and I had to return them, but doing so was painful. These are beautiful shoes. You can even buy their basic, unlined model for less than $60 on eBay. If you have special width requirements, they can accommodate at no extra charge, and I received my shoes (in a special width) within a week of placing my order.

If you’re looking for soft, comfortable shoes, look no further than these two classy outfits. Hand-made products made by expert craftspeople at reasonable prices: you can’t beat that.

Valet looks at some moccasins, starting with the LL Bean Blucher Moc.

It’s On eBay

Arrow Moccasins Trail Boot, Size 9.5-10

I have a pair of trail boots from Arrow.  They’re wonderful.

Starts at $59.99, ends Monday

Q and Answer: Dr. Martens

J.C. askes: I love my Doc Martens (classic black 8 holes)—they’re solid shoes, have lived through several moves, jobs, era’s of my life, and numerous repairs. I have been told, however, that they are not exactly a fashionable boot. Is this true? I’ve always assumed that they were at least not embarrassing shoes/boots, but I’m worried that such may not be the case.  If they are an embarrassment, do you have suggestions for something as durable and comfortable that is also a bit more fashionable?

Dr. Martens are indeed a classic.  We learned from Quadrophenia that they’re the only thing that the Mods and the Rockers have in common… they’ve always been a symbol of youthful rebellion.

But let’s get semiotic for a moment.  Like many sub-culturally specific clothes, they’ve developed very specific associations.  Their roots are in mods, punks and skins, but for most people, they recall something else entirely: grunge.  They are, essentially, the uniform of the man who has a crush on Janeane Garofalo.  Also, Janeane Garofalo.

If you’re old enough to have worn Docs in the early 90s, and you’re not a mod, a punk or a skin - that’s how you’ll be received.  As a guy who’s watched “Slacker” too many times.  Or, worse, like a guy who’s watched “Reality Bites” too many times.  Or even, possibly, like someone who’s watched “Empire Records” too many times.  And that’s not really going to fly in 2010.

That said, there has recently been a bit of a revival in skinhead and mod fashion.  In the last five years or so, brands like Fred Perry and Ben Sherman have gone from British niche products to worldwide, mass-market fashion.  And Dr. Martens have, to some extent, ridden that wave.  They even did a collaborative collection with Raf Simons, which yielded some crazy stuff, but also some really nice stuff.  So if you are a mod or a skin or a punk rocker - or even if you’re just cool or young enough not to send the message that you’re stuck in 1992 - then Docs can be a great way to go.  Just don’t ever, ever, ever wear those God-awful sandals.

One further word of warning.  When Docs last had a great revival, they were being made in England.  In the early aughts, all production of Dr. Martens shoes and boots was moved overseas to China.  If you’re the kind of guy who cares about that kind of thing, they brought back some UK production in 2007, with a line called “vintage.”

As for alternatives, if you’re looking for a Dr. Marten-style boot, Solovair or Gripfast are solid options.  Still made in England, and preferred by many of those in the know for that reason.

If you’re willing to consider other styles of boots, we’ve recommended the Red Wing Gentleman Traveler before, and will gladly do so again.  A much heavier boot, but it will take anything you can throw at it.  Other classic choices include the Alden “Indy” boot, which even looks good with a tweedy sportcoat, or a moc-toe work boot, like the Red Wing 875.  You might also consider these, from LL Bean.  In a completely different vein, I believe I’ve mentioned how ape-shit I am for my Arrow Moccasin Lace Boots, which can be ordered with a double leather or crepe soul.  And don’t forget Clark’s desert boots.

If you asked me what my favorite shoes were, I’d have to say my Arrow Moccasins.  Arrow is a family business, and they make their mocs the traditional way, by hand, in Hudson, Massachusetts.  My lace boots have withstood heavy wear on concrete over the past year, and I expect they’ll continue to be my go-to casual shoe for the next year.  Of course, if one of my soles wears out (they’re double-soled, of course), Arrow offers inexpensive re-soling.  My wife got so jealous of mine, she demanded I order her a pair.  Arrow is happy to take your order in person (they’ll cut your mocs to match your feet) or over the phone.  Call 978-562-7870 and listen for the sound of a friendly New Englander.