Button Boots Were Never Cool

[TheFoo]

The Prince of Sicily describing the ostentatious but poor dress of a newly monied, local mayor, circa 1860:

" . . . Don Calogero's tailcoat was a disastrous failure. The material was excellent, the style modern, but the cut quite appalling. The Word from London had been most inadequately made flesh by a tailor from Girgenti to whom Don Calogero had gone in his tenacious avarice. The tails of his coat pointed straight to heaven in mute supplication, his huge collar was shapeless, and, what is more, the Mayor's feet were shod in buttoned boots."

The Leopard, Giuseppe di Lampedesa (1960)

 

[Mr. Moo]

This forum is one of the last places I'd ever think of people worrying about looking cool. And I mean that in the best of ways.

 

[Hany]

"We were the leopards, the lions, those who take our place will be jackals and sheep, and the whole lot of us - leopards, lions, jackals and sheep - will continue to think ourselves the salt of the earth. "

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

This forum is one of the last places I'd ever think of people worrying about looking cool. And I mean that in the best of ways.
I'm so out, I'm in.

 

[Connemara]

I've been meaning to read The Leopard for like two years.

 

[Working Stiff]

Originally Posted by Connemara

I've been meaning to read The Leopard for like two years.

Me too. I just made a note of it, to try to find a copy this weekend.

 

[Manton]

You aren't supposed to wear button boots with a tailcoat anyway. Or is that just a bad translation?

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

The Prince of Sicily describing the ostentatious but poor dress of a newly monied, local mayor, circa 1860:

" . . . Don Calogero's tailcoat was a disastrous failure. The material was excellent, the style modern, but the cut quite appalling. The Word from London had been most inadequately made flesh by a tailor from Girgenti to whom Don Calogero had gone in his tenacious avarice. The tails of his coat pointed straight to heaven in mute supplication, his huge collar was shapeless, and, what is more, the Mayor's feet were shod in buttoned boots."

The Leopard, Giuseppe di Lampedesa (1960)

There's a gold mine of wisdom in that work.


- B

 

[acidboy]

so what does go with button boots? jeans?

 

[Michael Ay329]

When in town last year, Cleverley had some pleasant stitched cap toe faux button boots with a zipper on the side. The leather felt cheap and was another reason I was turned off by Cleverley

Mafoofan...I'm sorry, but to be iGent you must desire...yet never possess button boots. Thus the closest thing iGent can acquire are EG Shannons or for the consiglieri....G&G Canterbury

 

[Lel]

Button boots are gorgeous and I swear I will have Cordovan ones made someday.

 

[Bird's One View]

^good idea. All cordovan, or boxcloth or suede above?

 

[kwilkinson]

Distinguished gentleman like you should never discuss teh button bootz.

 

[robin]

Here in this photo the rivals Manton and Film Noir Buff are forced to sit with each other... nah, just kidding.

On the left in the button boots is Ernest Shackleton, the man in the middle is Robert Peary (who is wearing some laceup boots), and on the right is Roald Amundsen.

 

[Sator]

Some examples of patent leather dress boots:

Here they are being worn with a dress suit:

Dress Chart from Fashion, 1902: