MoneyWellSpent's Southern Trad Thread

[Roycru]

Here is a (very) short write up from Garden & Gun about how to wear white bucks. Can't say I've ever had the inclination to wear them with jeans. Any thoughts on how you guys wear yours?

http://gardenandgun.com/articles/how-to-wear-white-bucks/

Never had any jeans, so can't comment on wearing white bucks with jeans. Usually wear white bucks (white wingtip bucks in this picture) with what I wear between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

(Pointing out the Lobster Festival probably isn't very festive for the lobsters involved.)

(Posting pictures on Styleforum using the new format is in many ways similar to the experiences of the lobsters at the Lobster Festival.)

 

[Michael81]

Never had any jeans, so can't comment on wearing white bucks with jeans.

I obviously know nothing of eating Southern Trad, (or any other kind of trad for that matter) but I've been following the discussion in this thread with a lot of interest. I have nothing to add except that I find this to be an incredible statement. It's an impressive feat in this day and age and you are an example to us all.

 

[Count de Monet]

Here is a (very) short write up from Garden & Gun about how to wear white bucks. Can't say I've ever had the inclination to wear them with jeans. Any thoughts on how you guys wear yours?

http://gardenandgun.com/articles/how-to-wear-white-bucks/

Regarding with jeans, no on white bucks; yes on dirty bucks.

 

[Caustic Man]

A bit of dirt really makes that much of a difference?

 

[Count de Monet]

I meant the ones sold as "dirty bucks" right out of the box. Something like gray or "sand" suede/nubuck. Not white ones that turn "dirty" by going to outdoor weddings or taking a Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil walking tour.

Empires have been lost by those unable to appreciate the distinction.

 

[Caustic Man]

There was no empire to be had for those unable to wear white bucks. Besides, the dirty part used to refer to white bucks that actually looked like they had been worn a few times. Seems middling to go any other way with it.

 

[Caustic Man]

So this was today. Vintage U of L tie makes it Southern, I guess.

 

[Count de Monet]

My Floyd & Haig bucks with proper brick sole ceased being bright white a few presidents ago. Accordingly, my man Fairchild monitors their patina and slowly darkens two or three pair of NOS shoestrings held in reserve so in case I break one, no one will notice.

But back to the original question, and in a slightly more serious vein, I don't wear true white bucks with blue jeans for a couple of reasons. One, despite their casualness, I regard them as nevertheless more "formal" than the sorts of jeans I wear and therefore incongruent. Not the $300 per pair stored in ziplock bags in the freezer kind the cool kids on SF wear. I mean my regular ol' 505's, suitable for wear when changing a headlight (whether one's Bentley or tractor).

The other reason is that if it is the time of year for white bucks, down here it is usually too hot for me to be wearing blue jeans. More likely, if wearing long trousers at all, it would be linen, seersucker, etc.

On the other hand, something that didn't begin its life as an official "white buck," e.g. some suede/nubuck blucher that when brand new was darker than "dingy," yeah, I think I might.

I'm not saying it is a defensible distinction. Just a quirk with me. And for whatever it is worth, on the odd occasion I notice someone else wearing a pair of white bucks, it never seems to be with jeans.

 

[Caustic Man]

For what it's worth I wouldn't wear white bucks with the jeans. Then again, I wouldn't wear tan ones with them either. I would be tempted to wear a pair of highly polished black oxford's with jeans, just out of spite.

 

[kickstand]

Long time reader, first time poster. I probably wear my white bucks the most with jeans.

If anyone needs a pair then I think this pair of Allen Edmonds looks great. A hair under 190 with discount.

http://www.clubmonaco.com/product/index.jsp?productId=58405736

 

[smittycl]

I wear Oxfords with jeans every now and again. Usually with a sport coat. I wear AE Strands with jeans all the time. Don't own any white bucks so I will try to pull off Seersucker with AE Shreveport. Think these will work or should I go black shoe?

 

[Caustic Man]

I'm not a fan of those shoes generally. Too much of a mixed metaphor.

 

[smittycl]

Yeah, but will they pair with a Seersucker suit? I like the half formal, half Tropical look. Might even be able to pull these off at work when it's 100 this summer.

 

[Caustic Man]

I'm not sure what that question means. I think they look bad overall, so they would "pair" with nothing to me. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

[Count de Monet]

Yeah, but will they pair with a Seersucker suit? I like the half formal, half Tropical look. Might even be able to pull these off at work when it's 100 this summer.

Given the choice between the Shreveport in walnut and a black dress shoe, I would go with the Shreveport. IMO, black shoes with a seersucker suit is very difficult to do well. You have to dress everything else up somewhat formally, just so, almost a sort of "big city business" version of seersucker. About the only person who quickly comes to mind I've seen do that very well is our very own @upr_crust . To paraphrase Bobby Jones speaking of Jack Nicholas, "he's plays a game of which I am not familiar." The possibility of failure is great. You can end up looking like one of those senators who bought a new seersucker suit for Seersucker Thursday and doesn't quite feel comfortable figuring out what to do next. Bottom line, the SS suit is inherently informal, quite the opposite of a typical black dress shoe, so opting for something less formal in design and color is usually a safer move.

That Shreveport has open lacing, is light in color, and woven. Its plain cap toe seems a bit out of place but, again, if my choices were it and a black captoe, I'd opt for the Shreveport and not look back.

My own top 3 choices, in order, when wearing a SS suit are:

1. walnut and bone spectators
2. white bucks
3. a tan shoe with a lot of brogueing, e.g. everyone's walnut Strands.

I'm curious: is the Shreveport lined?