Put This On

Q and Answer: Shoes in the Rain

Andrew writes:  Here is my problem: Corporate casual dress code.  Leather soled shoes.  Rain.  What is a good choice to prevent the ruination of good shoes?  Rubber soles?  If so, what are good ones?

Well, we’re pretty ambivalent about rubber-soled dress shoes generally.  It can be done well, but it often isn’t.  For that reason, we’re hesitant to steer you in that direction.

If you have dress shoes you like, you can buy a pair of Swims or Tingley’s overshoes.  These slip over your dress shoes, protecting them from the rain.  We live in Los Angeles, so we don’t have much use for them, but we kind of want a pair because they’re really neat.  Swims have the added benefit of being lined, so they won’t dull the finish of your shoes.

Many folks also simply wear rain shoes to and from work, which we’re not opposed to, either.  You can either lug your good shoes with you, or leave a pair in your desk during rainy weeks.  When it rains outside, I get so excited that I get to wear my duck boots that it’s a non-issue.

It’s On Ebay

Crazy Canvas / Wool Boots

Seriously: if you know anything about these crazy boots, tell me.  They’re kind of hideous, kind of amazing, and I’m dying to know what they’re for.

Starts at $19.50, ends Monday

The proprietor of the (somewhat creepily-named) blog Fleshfoot is a man named Dave.  Dave purchased a pair of natural-leather hobo boots made by Esquivel, and he intends to wear them every day for the next year and document their aging process.  Like raw denim, untanned leather gains patina with wear, and we can expect the band-aid color above to gradually transform into a dark brown by the end of the year.  I’m excited to follow the process.

It’s On Ebay

Grenson Chukkas in Navy

Starting at about $130, ends January 16

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.

Eight Days of Style

Reader Lucy wrote to us to ask that we suggest eight super-basic, affordable Hanukkah gifts for her boyfriend “to replace his stained light-wash jeans and Nine Inch Nails t-shirts.”  We’ll offer one choice for each day the oil burned.

For bad weather days, get him a pair of L.L. Bean “Duck” Boots.  Resolutely practical and eccentrically attractive.  About $95 new, or find them used for about $25.

Q and Answer

Paul got some new boots and asks:

I just got a new pair of “vintage” work boots and I’m wondering how I should go about maintaining them. The leather is dull, not shiny, and I’m not sure what kind of shoe-care products I should be using. Any suggestions?

We’re not sure if those “quotes” mean that you think “vintage” is jargon that demands to be set apart, or whether they mean that your boots are faux-vintage.

If the boots aren’t meant to take a shine, then don’t shine them.  You can use a conditioner on them - you should be able to get some at your local shoe repair - and that will moisturize the leather and help prevent cracking.  This is especially important if they’re actually vintage, and not just “distressed” or whatever.  (Can you tell we don’t like simulacra here at PTO?)

One product we’ve had good experiences with is Obenauf’s LP.  It’s a combination conditioner and protectant that was originally created for wilderness firefighters.  It moisturizes, but it also contains some waxier oils that both protect the outside of your boot and “melt” in over time.  It also smells like beeswax, which is nice, especially for those of us who aren’t wilderness firefighters.

And perhaps this is obvious, but we’ll say it anyway: don’t do any of this to suede or completely unfinished leather.  It’ll mess up the nap.

It’s On Ebay

Vintage (unworn) leather buckle boots

Starting at $74.99, ends Wednesday

Q and Answer

Wes writes:

You sound like a pretty kick-ass middle school assistant principal.  My middle school principal drove a 1987 Civic hatchback and directed a girl in the lead role of a Kabuki version of Hamlet.

As for your question: good boots aren’t cheap, Wes, which is why those Red Wings come in around $300.  Red Wing does have a less expensive line called Irish Setter that would probably work for your purposes, and some bargain shopping could help you too.  I have a pair of those Red Wings from J. Crew which I bought last fall for about $125 on eBay.

Speaking of eBay, though, I think vintage might be your best bet.  Good boots are expensive - but they also last, so they’re plentiful on the used market.  You’re riding an old bike, and an old beat up pair of boots like these Fryes (pictured above) would be apropos.  Try searching for “engineer boots” or “work boots” and your size on what our pal Jimmy calls The Electronic Bay, and see what you can come up with.  What you buy may need some conditioning and perhaps even a few repairs, but they’ll have character that you can’t buy at J. Crew.

All I Want For Christmas: Marc Maron

In our series All I Want For Christmas, we ask men we think are cool what they’d like to get as a gift this year.

Marc Maron is an comic, radio & podcast host and writer.  His hilarious show WTF, is one of the top comedy programs in iTunes, and he’s appeared on Late Nate with Conan O’Brien and The Late Show with David Letterman literally dozens of times.  So what does he want to wear next time he goes on national television?

I commit to shoes and boots. I mean for the long haul. I’ve got some that have outlasted my two marriages. I don’t have a lot of pairs. I have enough to rotate them in and out on a yearly cycle (not unlike wives apparently) so I don’t wear them out (like I did the wives). I just bought a pair of Red Wing Black Cherry Gentleman Traveler boots. I NEED the black ones. NEED. Seriously… NEED. Please buy them for me.
Red Wing Gentleman Traveler