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Square-toed shoes

kabert

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A troll, yes, but I couldn't resist. On a daily basis, I see dozens of men (mostly under age 40, but certainly well out of school) who wear them. Like these things: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....40&rd=1 These are guys who wear them to work too. Frankly, when I see someone wearing shoes like these, they fall a few notches in how seriously I'll take them. Didn't square toed shoes have their start in the circus. OK, that's a little bit too far, but. . . what is the appeal?? Do chicks like them? Are they viewed as more "macho" than rounded toe shoes?
 

shoreman80

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Now, I'm not that experienced in the ways of the world, and I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to clothing trends before 1999 or so (when I got to college, had a dress code in h.s.), but I think that's about when I saw a lot of guys begin wearing square toe black shoes, and most seemed to think they were pretty fashion forward. I've always worn completely plain-toe oxford dress shoes or loafers, (certainly nothing board-worthy
confused.gif
), and I think that the square toe is just a trend that hasn't died out. I mean, excepting some high-end, shoecrafters to HM-type stuff, and the pretty conservative stuff from brooks bros. et al, shoes are subject to some pretty severe trends. That pair on ebay is a particularly egregious example of a style that is not in favor right now. Man, those Diesel sneakers are gonna look dumb in a few years. I'm rambling. Man, can you imagine anyone thinking that was a macho shoe? Look at the damn heel.
 

kalra2411

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Perhaps more macho than pointed toed shoes a la Paciotti, Rossi. Or even Berluti.

They are far better (Paciotti, Rossi, and Berluti), than Oxfords.
 

banksmiranda

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Here are the shoes I've got, which I like and don't regret buying one bit:
0067993_M.jpg
 

LabelKing

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Wouldn't you think that wide legged trousers look much better with pointed shoes?

By that I mean extremely pointed such as Dino Bigioni might make. Or Dolce Gabbana.

But I suppose there is a certain style to them. Albeit more towards what teens or the average person in theri 20's would like.
 

Nick M

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Knowing some of the guys who wear this kind of shoe, I would say they do so because they think it makes their feet look bigger... anything more rounded would be an affront to their manhood. That's for those who've thought about what's on their feet - I'd imagine the rest do so because cheap shoe brands follow whatever trend was most prevalent six months ago, and that was square toes. Banks' shoes would be fine for casual, though, I think.
 

Renault78law

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Here are the shoes I've got, which I like and don't regret buying one bit: [pic]
Cool shoes Bank. I haven't seen those in a while...brings me back to my college days, around 1998 or 99? In fact, I believe those are the first designer shoes that I ever lusted for.
 

jcusey

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Ah, yes, duck-billed monstrosities. I don't understand the longevity of these things. They've been in fashion for at least five or six years now. I would have expected the pendulum to swing in the other direction by now.
 

LabelKing

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Ah, yes, duck-billed monstrosities. I don't understand the longevity of these things. They've been in fashion for at least five or six years now. I would have expected the pendulum to swing in the other direction by now.

It had at least for a while. Pointed shoes were quite en vogue about a year or so. But then chunky shoes always tends to resound with the average young set. Besides that, pointed shoes have always remained more or less at the higher end of fashion.
 

Renault78law

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Ah, yes, duck-billed monstrosities. I don't understand the longevity of these things. They've been in fashion for at least five or six years now. I would have expected the pendulum to swing in the other direction by now.
Longevity? I'm by no means the fashion police, but I'm almost certain that they're no longer "in fashion" whatever that means. In fact, I haven't seen anyone wearing overly square shoes in a few years...where are you guys hang out that you're seeing these things?
 

johnnynorman3

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I see people wearing them around my office A LOT. Mainly the under 30 set -- but they're still lawyers for crying out loud. They do look ridiculous. I suppose there is a place for these shoes, but it is definitely not with slacks.
 

jcusey

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Longevity? I'm by no means the fashion police, but I'm almost certain that they're no longer "in fashion" whatever that means. In fact, I haven't seen anyone wearing overly square shoes in a few years...where are you guys hang out that you're seeing these things?
I see them all over the place. I know enough to know that I am fairly clueless when it comes to fashion, but take a look at the current offerings from Gucci and Prada: the duck-billed shoe is alive and kicking with them.
 

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