Split Toe Derby

[aj2603]

Thundermarch may surpass DieWW.. Regardless they are in the executive board of shoes.

Pick up those Dovers, and cross the proverbial shoe bridge when it comes.
Whilst I am proponent for Hand Welted hand last etc etc., a good year welt is still a great build. Hence, the Dover is a fantastic buy. As a proud owner of Doak Dovers, I would steer you towards that color.

If you do decide to buy pairs thereafter, DieWW brings up a talking point about a chiseled toe. They have inherently dressy traits. Consequently, they become less versatile. A round toe is extremely versatile, while an almond toe is mildy more sleek.
I have a pair of Y. Fukudas which look extremely sleek and chiseled, however when I wear them with odd trousers my wife claims I look like a ballerina haha. So be mindful of balance lines with either your body and clothing.

Thanks for telling me something to think about

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Definitely something I never considered until it was brought to my attention. At times, certain shoes just look better on others or on display. I used to own several Carmina Simpson shoes, those Fukuda's I mentioned earlier, amongst others. After that Ballerina comment, sometimes she calls me GRU (the villian from Despicable Me), I decided to balance out my total look.
Which is why I second DieWW's comment about rounded toes.

If at all possible whatever shoes you choose to purchase, try them on with a potential outfit you intend to wear the shoes with. Having said that, if the Dovers work for you they will serve you well in that regard. They can be dressed up or down.

As another potential shoemaker, Rozsnyai is a great choice. I spoke about them earlier on this thread. In case you need to see the pictures again, here you go. These were hand-welted, hand-lasted, machine sewn aprons. I wanted them a bit more rugged looking, but when I shine them up they easily serve multiple functions.

 

[aj2603]

thanks

 

[minimal1]

fantastic list and writeup!

 

[aj2603]

Heschung also does their version of the split toe called Catalpa, Ebene & Meleze. It is very distinctively Heschung. If u are into that style then go for it. It seems to be trending with paraboot now especially with the denim community.

 

[aj2603]

Sticking to the same style.. Or somewhat same style next up is Paraboot. People love this in Japan, especially the denim community..

 

[aj2603]

Church's Northwood Split Toe Derby: The formerly Great shoe institution and now whored out shoe maker of Prada

 

[aj2603]

JM Weston do what JM Weston do and they are unapologetic about it and i love that.

The last is not my favourite. But i can see how some people like it. It one of the few rounded lasts on this style.

 

[aj2603]

At the price point of sub 350 pounds, i think it is worth checking out Barker's Montrose.

The last looks sleek and the construction looks good..

 

[aj2603]

For around 200 Pounds Herring is an excellent option. Their Pershore Derby shoes has a good last and they look very well constructed..

 

[dieworkwear]

If I were to get three pairs in RTW, I'd do:

1. Edward Green Dover on the 606 last in Dark Oak
2. Saint Crispin's 633 in brown suede with a handsewn apron
3. Paraboot Avignon or Crockett & Jones Durham for something I can wear with jeans

I don't have a photo of my Dovers. I also don't own the Avignon. But here are my StCs with a cat monogram.

 

[aj2603]

As of now .... My top 3 would be:

1. Edward Green Dover on the 606 last in Dark Oak
2. Meccariello Centurion In Janus
3. Saint Crispin's 633 in 130 colour

 

[dieworkwear]

I personally find tan shoes to be hard to wear, especially in a CM context. With more causal ensembles, it doesn't really matter because so much is open to interpretation. But in classic menswear, the general formula is to put the focus on the upper half of the outfit, around the jacket, shirt, and tie combo (or no tie, depending on your situation).

This is why it's easier to wear patterns up top, on your jacket or shirt or tie, rather than your trousers. Or to wear more unusual colors up top, rather than your trousers (which are almost always tan or grey)

With a non-traditional color, such as tan, your eye gets drawn downward because it becomes the brightest point in an outfit (like navy jacket, grey trousers).

It's easier to wear tan shoes when the jacket is light, so then things balance out. But few men own light-colored jackets (and then, if you do, you have to get used to wearing them in specific ways -- either by going very dark with your trousers, such as navy or charcoal, or going even lighter, such as cream). So then: tan shoes with sandy brown jacket and cream trousers, or navy trousers. Or tan shoes with tan jacket and charcoal trousers.

Tan also often has a ruddy hue to it, like a red undertone, that can make it clash with cooler grays and blues.

Anyway, horses for courses. If you're just starting to build a wardrobe though, I recommend going easy on the tan shoes and maybe not with a super expensive item until you're sure you like the color. I think guys are attracted to tan shoes at first because they're bright and shiny, attract the eye online, and promise to add diversity to a wardrobe. But over time, I find that you rarely see them being worn well -- and the cases when they are, the outfit is so specific, it feels like very few men have the kind of clothes necessary to pull the color off.

 

[dieworkwear]

Some examples. These are good because the suits are light-colored. But not many men own light-colored suits and they can feel a bit dandy to wear (most suit occasions are somber or serious, so they call for darker colors). I like light-colored suits, but they're for very specific situations.

Here's a light-colored sport coat worn with even lighter or darker colored trousers. Most men don't own light-colored sport coats because dark ones are easier to wear.

This also works because it's low-contrast, which gets you out of the problem of having the eye getting draw downward.

Some examples of tan shoes not working: with a dark worsted suit where the shoes are too bright. This is how most men end up wearing the color because they don't have the wardrobe to support tan shoes. Notice the first photo, which is the worse of the two IMO. The shoes are too ruddy for the charcoal grey, which just exacerbates the problem.

 

[aj2603]

Thats some really good advice.. thanks