My Vass Purchase

Actually, in all seriousness, I think those shoes will actually improve with a little farmer dirt, scuffs, and patina on the heels and uppers. Â I'd imagine they'll look smashing after a few long walks during the spring and summer--a perfect match to those cords Andrew had on the buying and selling thread awhile back. Edit: I feel the exact opposite about Berluti. They look great in the store and when brand new, but how does that mirror like polish look after 5-years of wear, a few errant showers, and a couple hundred miles of concrete?

Is it me... or do others have an image of Ernest standing at the Pearly Gates telling St. Peter that his robes look farmer?

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Who is st Peter?

What is the Pearly Gates ?

Love the shoes. Consider lacing them in blucher style, cross-hatched, instead of oxford style.

Consider lacing them in blucher style, cross-hatched, instead of oxford style.

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The thing about Vass bluchers is that they are designed for the flaps to be laced very close together. I have some where they almost touch when the laces are fully tightened. On an American-style blucher, where the gap is typically much larger, the crossed laces would look better than they would on a Vass. At least, I think so.

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(Carlo @ Mar. 21 2005,06:06) Is it me... or do others have an image of Ernest standing at the Pearly Gates telling St. Peter that his robes look farmer?
Who is st Peter? What is the Pearly Gates ?
Quid est demonstrandum

they are derbies and so can not be worn with a suit

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Rubbish. Nothing wrong with wearing bluchers with a suit.

Here's a question, though: since suede is usually just reversed calf, wouldn't reversed suede just be regular old leather?

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I haven't seen those Vass shoes in "reversed suede", but in the Edward Green sample book the reverse side of "reversed calf" looks totally different from normal calfskin. (I presume as the reverse side is left naturally and does not get treated with heat, wax and rollers in any way.)

Almost like country grain with distinct pebble pattern but in a kind of semi-matt (not matt, but not shiny like polished country calf either). I did meet John Garner of EG once and suggested that this would make rather nice shoes. He looked at me quite flabbergasted, obviously thinking that this was a weird idea: "Why not use country grain?"

I have subsequently seen, either Zegna or Ferragamo use that leather and it looks very nice indeed.

I do not like them because :

they do not look so thin & elegant (may be on feet it is different)
the yellow thread make them look like worker shoes
they are derbies and so can not be worn with a suit
the color of the heel is odd
they have a wing (conservative detail) but they are derbies (casual conception)

I have never seen Vass shoes i liked. Are they all as "heavy" as the pairs we can see on this forum?

I like thin shoes as can make Aubercy or Green.

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I don't mind that they look like worker shoes, because I intend to wear them to work.

Actually, the above sentence was indeed meant as a snappy retort, but there is some truth to it. I recently started a new job that is the dreaded business casual. So in addition to the abandoned 20+ suits hanging in my closet, there are quite a few cap toes in there as well. I needed a great looking shoe that had both elegance and the ability to wear sans jacket and tie (or at least sans suit). This one will be great for that, I think.

I admire your shoes very much, *especially* the thicker sole.  I own Vass's monkstraps.  Enjoy them.  Regarding the sole, I have a pr. of bespoke shoes from Edward Green that are very elegant formal brogue shoes normally made with a *thin* sole, but in designing my shoes, Tony Gaziano and I agreed on eliminating the thin sole in favor of a thicker double sole design, and the results are very pleasing both aesthetically and in terms of comfort and durability.  Their elegance has not been diminished in the least.  Nor is the elegance of my JM Weston signature Demi Chasse shoes, widely regarded as among the most elegant shoes ever designed (and most copied), diminished by their nearly one-half inch thick soles.  So, you and your Vass shoes are that much more "soleful".
Grayson

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(tdial @ Mar. 20 2005,19:48) The Wingtip Reversed Suede with a bevelled waist on the P2 last.
Well, I saw the shoe at the exposition as well, and they are very nice. Here's a question, though: since suede is usually just reversed calf, wouldn't reversed suede just be regular old leather?
Have not seen the shoes in person (the picture looks quite smashing) -- but the leather looks a lot like what Hermes calls "distressed leather" -- they have an elastic-sided boot in such a leather at their store

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(ernest @ Mar. 20 2005,20:58) they are derbies and so can not be worn with a suit
Rubbish. Nothing wrong with wearing bluchers with a suit.
Not wrong, just that is not dressy

All you recent Vass orderers, we expect lots of detailed pictures when they arrive.

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(marc37 @ Mar. 21 2005,09:47)

Originally Posted by ernest,Mar. 20 2005,20:58

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they are derbies and so can not be worn with a suit
Rubbish. Nothing wrong with wearing bluchers with a suit.
Not wrong, just that is not dressy
Ernest, Both open and closed lace shoes can be worn with suits, and yes whilst close-laced shoes are dressier, open laced shoes do not fall so far behind them that they turn into sneakers. Jon.

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Originally Posted by ernest,Mar. 21 2005,10:19

Originally Posted by marc37,Mar. 21 2005,09:47

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Originally Posted by ernest,Mar. 20 2005,20:58

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they are derbies and so can not be worn with a suit
Rubbish. Nothing wrong with wearing bluchers with a suit.
Not wrong, just that is not dressy
Ernest, Both open and closed lace shoes can be worn with suits, and yes whilst close-laced shoes are dressier, open laced shoes do not fall so far behind them that they turn into sneakers. Jon.
Yes, but they are behind... If i spend much money on shoes, I prefer them to be in front, not behind. Derby don't look sharp enough for me. Why taking derbies when for the same price you can have oxfords?

Possible reasons:

1. It's more versatile and can be used with different types of clothing.

2. You already have oxfords from either Vass or a different manufacturer.

3. You like the derby/blucher more than the oxford.