...One Two Button My Shoe..........3...4......

[Shoe-nut]

Yes, it would be wonderful to be able to button my shoes if only to be the only one on the block who would have a pair of these fine shoes. No more laces to mess with and the attendant never ending problem of retying laces that have come undone. I've tried all sorts of knots with varying results no simple knot works for me I always have to make at least 2 knots and then suffer with pulling it undone at the end of the day.

Please don't tell me I'm Ugly


So I too dream of having a decent pair of button boots but I would mention that I have some concerns about achieving a proper fit and style of this boot. I don't speak of this lightly as I have owned a number of button shoes & boots in the past and can speak from experience on this matter. To put some perspective on this a number of years ago I considered ordering a custom pair of John Lobb Button Boots and attended a trunk show in my area with that end in mind.

The gentleman I spoke with at the time recommended that I wait and let him send me some pictures of the type of boot they made along with a price quotation. At the time they were making custom shoes for around $1800.00 but because this boot was more custom than the regular custom shoes they made the price was going to be $4500.00.

I know I have laces but I came with buttons too.


Yikkes!!! I'm sorry but I can't see the justification for that much more money for a rather ordinary looking pair of Button Boots so I'm going to pass. I would imagine that the $4500.00 price reflects more attention to the true custom side of shoemaking as opposed to using a standard last with different leathers. It is a thought that has crossed my mind.

Sometime later another custom maker from the East Coast (can't remember their name) who mostly makes ridding boots came out here and I showed the rep some examples of what it was I wanted made. Here we go with the excuses and the exceptions all the reasons why he couldn't really do the job.

I'm cute!!!

Let me put this thought out to the world in plain English what do the words Custom Shoes mean? To me it means they will make any shoe you desire in any shape or form you wish and it will fit well. He didn't say he wouldn't do it but he did say that any design is open to interpretation. His workers are used to making shoes and boots on particular lasts and that my request would challenge their normal routines.

Needless to say he didn't instill a lot of confidence in me about his abilities to handle my request so I passed. Defeated I put my desire aside for years but have renewed my interest in the last year with some of the examples I have seen being made by quality manufacturers of today.

First what do real button shoes and boots look like? Well, not at all like what is being made today. Most of the button shoes of the period had high heels and bulldog cap toes. The button boots of today look like they should I suppose if they had continued to be made for the last 100 years or so---a more modern interpretation of an older style. Actually to be specific a regular shoe with buttons instead of laces. I can't say they never made this style of shoe back then as some of the Formal Button Shoes of yore did have a very similar look to today's shoes. But men's everyday dress shoes were quite different from today.

As to fit there are some potential problems. With lace-up shoes you are given some latitude for closing up your shoes. If the shoe is not perfect the laces can take up the slack and or expand out if need be. With button shoes it has to be right on or it will be either too loose or too tight. I have a high instep and although I have owned Victorian Button Shoes that my foot would easily fit into I have never been able to close them up due to the lack of flexibility of the design. What more when the shoes are new and haven't stretched out as yet? How would you be able to predict the outcome of the fit? If you put your foot into the shoes you probably would swear that they are way too tight. I still like the thought of these newer designs but would imagine that an off the shelf great fit may not be possible. And one shouldn't forget that you will also need a button hook too. Maybe dangling from your keychain??

Knock your socks off.

 

[grimslade]

Those toes just aren't doing it for me.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Those toes just aren't doing it for me.

yeah I agree... reminds me of Charlie Chaplin in character.

 

[Shoe-nut]

There was a reason for the general design of this stye of shoe at the time and that was comfort. In most cases the shape of the toe-box was to prevent cramping of the toes and in this capacity it did very well. A result of this style it allowed one to fit a much smaller shoe than would have been otherwise possible.

I'm a size 11 and could easilly slide into a size 9 from that era of time. Don't forget that their mentality was to have a shoe a short as possible as big feet were not fashionable.

Another point in their design being a shoe was fitted mainly to your instep which gives the shoe a very unusual look in some of the more dedicated styles.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Shoe-nut

There was a reason for the general design of this stye of shoe at the time and that was comfort. In most cases the shape of the toe-box was to prevent cramping of the toes and in this capacity it did very well. A result of this style it allowed one to fit a much smaller shoe than would have been otherwise possible.

I'm a size 11 and could easilly slide into a size 9 from that era of time. Don't forget that their mentality was to have a shoe a short as possible as big feet were not fashionable.

Another point in their design being a shoe was fitted mainly to your instep which gives the shoe a very unusual look in some of the more dedicated styles.
Indeed, I've noticed in period illustrations that rather slim and tall men always had dainty-looking shoes.

 

[lakewolf]

Originally Posted by Shoe-nut

No more laces to mess with and the attendant never ending problem of retying laces that have come undone. I've tried all sorts of knots with varying results no simple knot works for me I always have to make at least 2 knots and then suffer with pulling it undone at the end of the day.

I used to have the same problem but this knot solved all my laces related problems...

Secure Knot

I like the buttoned boots but I don't like those toe boxes in your pictures

 

[lakewolf]

Also monkstraps eliminate the laces problems...

 

[Leaveitothexperts]

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

yeah I agree... reminds me of Charlie Chaplin in character.

I was thinking donald duck's holiday purchase for his misses . . .

 

[Shoe-nut]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

I used to have the same problem but this knot solved all my laces related problems...

Secure Knot

I like the buttoned boots but I don't like those toe boxes in your pictures


Thanks for the tip it certainly appears to help but long laces are a must for this one. I have heard that rubbing laces with beeswax also helps but I haven't tried that one yet.

 

[neyus]

I like your shoes/boots shoe-nut. unconventional looking toe box. but looking at them more and more I like them. They would look very nice, with a very slim fitting suit. something like a jazz suit of the 20s perhaps.

Well I would like to see what these shoes look like on. I think the fact that there are no trees in these shoes exaggerate the style.

 

[Shoe-nut]

It's nice to hear someone out there sees some merit to this style of shoe. It isn't like they just stopped making this design as it continued in one form or another well into the 70's with service shoes and military boots just no buttons. I'm speaking here of the Munson Last as that design was called in later incarnations.

This style looks especially nice in narrower versions but can look rather clunky if too wide. It all a matter of perspective as a few here have already commented that they make the association to these shoes as the same that Charley Chaplin wore. Actually they don't look at all like the shoes he wore but I can see how the connection can be made.

I wish I had some copies of pictures I have seen of groups of business men wearing this style boot as they don't look nearly as bad as members here would imagine they would.