Gunboat leather, cordovan or pebble grain?

[UrbanComposition]

Looking at 50s era pics of my recently passed father-in-law, I noticed he wore gunboats (longwings) with both suits and sport coats. It looked good.

I have two black blucher gunboats, in cordovan and pebble grain. In my mind the cordovan is shinier and goes well with suits; conversely the pebble grain is better with sport coats. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you don't like gunboats, don't bother saying so. You're obviously marsupialed.

 

[gs77]



Looking at 50s era pics of my recently passed father-in-law, I noticed he wore gunboats (longwings) with both suits and sport coats. It looked good.

I have two black blucher gunboats, in cordovan and pebble grain. In my mind the cordovan is shinier and goes well with suits; conversely the pebble grain is better with sport coats. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you don't like gunboats, don't bother saying so. You're obviously marsupialed.

I love gunboats and wear them with suits, although mine are simple calf, and that's how I like them. My understanding is there is a school of thought that says no gunboats with suits, but...

And your last sentence kind of might draw the wrong type of discussion, not sure what was your intention. I think of it as a joke

 

[UrbanComposition]

100% a joke. No one is marsupialed.

Seriously though, calf gunboats seem neither here nor there to me. The brogueing firmly puts it in casual territory. Might as well cement its place there with like leather.

 

[gs77]

Just to add, pebble grain would be OK with suit, IMHO, in case suit is something like tweed, or flannel, not wursted.

 

[gs77]



100% a joke. No one is marsupialed.

Seriously though, calf gunboats seem neither here nor there to me. The brogueing firmly puts it in casual territory. Might as well cement its place there with like leather.

Perhaps. I just never had thing for cordovan. Pebble grain is an option, just happens that all my shoes in pebble are kind of ankle boots. Like this

 

[dieworkwear]



In my mind the cordovan is shinier and goes well with suits; conversely the pebble grain is better with sport coats.

I wouldn't think the shininess has anything to do with it. Neither are as dressy as calf, but depending on the style of the shoe, they can work with suits.

Shell cordovan looks heavier to me, even when the silhouette is the same. If it were me, I'd prefer pebble grain.

 

[gs77]

Here's the one in black calf. Wear them with suits all the time.

 

[UrbanComposition]

The calf is nice, gs77. I'm not an absolutist; I just feel gunboats, like tweed, are at the far end of the casual spectrum and thus look better in a heftier leather.

DWW the shine and relative smoothness of cordovan is practically opposite that of pebble grain. Which might be a nice contrast to tweed...while pebble grain complements it.

Either is fine, but all other things being equal, I lean towards cordovan being slightly dressier.

 

[dieworkwear]

FWIW, I feel like shell cordovan gunboats would fit better with your wardrobe. Both leathers would look good either way though.

 

[UrbanComposition]

On a side note, I don't know how I feel about suede gunboats.

 

[Salad]

When I think of gunboats, I ONLY think of burnished chestnut pebble grain. The old chestnut Florsheim Imperial is the one true gunboat, in my mind. I remember going into a Florsheim store with my Dad as late as the early 80s and being shocked at the prices. All I could think of was he's about to buy some hella expensive shoes but won't buy me some Jordans. Funny thing is if he had bought me those Chicago Jordan 1s then and I had kept them in good condition, they would be worth a lot more than those Florsheims.

 

[UrbanComposition]

Black gunboats are criminally underrated. Never more so than now, when chestnut shoes garishly gleam underfoot like a neon sign in a forest, apropos of nothing.
FWIW, I like chestnut shoes. Just not with everything.

 

[dieworkwear]

Hm, when I think of Florsheim gunboats, I mostly think of the shell cordovan model.

 

[YRR92]

I have tan grain. I may try 'em with a flannel or tweed suit sometime soon. I'd rather have black pebble grain than black calf or shell. I think I could scratch the same itch with a black pebble grain wingtip oxford, with a plain welt – another very '50s choice. Great with a gray tweed or flannel suit.

Suede gunboats... I'm not sure. I might end up with a pair before I buy black grain ones. But that's because I can get the same shoe I have in brown suede, and it happens to be the most comfortable shoe I own.

 

[Salad]



Black gunboats are criminally underrated. Never more so than now, when chestnut shoes garishly gleam underfoot like a neon sign in a forest, apropos of nothing.
FWIW, I like chestnut shoes. Just not with everything.

You talkin' 'bout black shoes on SF? Come on, man!