talk to me about driving shoes

Originally Posted by Singular

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I love my CarShoe and Tod's driving shoes. With a bit of attitude it's no problem to use them sockless even to a nice suit, I do it a lot during spring and summer.

/M

+1

Even without attitude, they're great for casual suits in the summer.

I just asked this in another thread and got no responses, but what about these?

Originally Posted by JayJay

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I like them for driving. I have a few pair but rarely wear them for any purpose other than driving.

Serious question: Do you change out of them when you park?

Originally Posted by contaygious

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I just asked this in another thread and got no responses, but what about these?

I like the tan ones a lot. who makes them? the third ones from top on the left

Originally Posted by J'aimelescravates

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Serious question: Do you change out of them when you park?

once i get enough money, this is exactly what i plan to do.

I have several pairs of driving shoes that I wear with jeans or shorts for casual looks. They are definitely not designed for walking great distances. I think they look very chic with a casual look. Ferrragamo and To Boot make some great styles but I don't see most of the guys that post here wearing them since they are far from the Edward Green look.

Left side is all Ferragamo and the right is Zegna. Which do you think are the most versatile? Blue or Brown? The ones I think you mean are slightly orange which like, but am not sure it would work with my light skin tone and blond hair.

Let me just reiterate (as people bring this up all the time and always confused) that driving loafers are meant strictly for driving.
Yes, you'll see people wearing them to the office and you'll see them advertised as just a casual shoe but it is not.

The rubber nubs on the 'sole' will not last you very long if you walk on pavement in them.

You see the nubs going up all the way on the heel?
That is supposed to be for the car carpet mat from being pinched and punctured from ordinary shoe leather heels.
You see the nubs?
They are meant for grip on the pedals.

During wet seasons where you wear your expensive shoes out in the rain, well, you know you aren't supposed to dry them directly near a blowing heater, right?

But you go into your car and chances are you'll have the heater on and those vents blow hot air directly at your feet, while your shoes are still wet.

Yeah, do that often and you'll end up with dried cracking leather eventually. Better to swap shoes and into driving shoes. Or just some beater shoes.

I like driving shoes. I wear Car Shoes constantly in summer, with everything from casual clothing to suits. Never with socks.

I haven't seen much posted in this thread that I care for, though. I think that the suede ones are the best (obviously, with the laces), and they look good in most of their natural colours. I don't buy into the trend of wearing them in bright colours.

They wear out fairly quickly, though, if they're being used for a great deal of walking. The laces also sometimes break after being re-tied too many times, and they're seemingly impossible to replace, which makes them look pretty bad.

Thanks for letting me know all of your concerns.

I have a feeling that the mass-produced options intended for the general public (Banana Republic, Clarks) probably make them more as a durable shoe with a driving loafer look that will last a while longer.

That's what I'm going to convince myself of, anyway.

IMHO all these driving mocs are horribly ugly. But I digress. For track duty I have a pair of Piloti I got from Ross for US$19 + sales tax (yes, I am a high roller, lol). On a more serious note I would think that these are essentially disposable/short-lifetime footwear anyway, so I would worry more about the comfort and fit than the brand...

they look atrocious.

Originally Posted by lars7625

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they look atrocious.
better than those ugly boat shoes everyone is so fond of

Originally Posted by contaygious

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I just asked this in another thread and got no responses, but what about these?

Originally Posted by anon

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I like the tan ones a lot. who makes them? the third ones from top on the left

Originally Posted by contaygious

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Left side is all Ferragamo and the right is Zegna. Which do you think are the most versatile? Blue or Brown? The ones I think you mean are slightly orange which like, but am not sure it would work with my light skin tone and blond hair.
Like anon, I like the style of the orange-y pair. I don't think I would wear any of the other styles. The top left and bottom left look too much like boat shoes for my liking and I'm not a bit loafer fan. As for the bright colors, I wouldn't pay retail for them; but if I could snag a deal on them, I might pick up a pair for a change of pace. I'd stick with brown.

Originally Posted by JDHsatx

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I have several pairs of driving shoes that I wear with jeans or shorts for casual looks. They are definitely not designed for walking great distances. I think they look very chic with a casual look. Ferrragamo and To Boot make some great styles but I don't see most of the guys that post here wearing them since they are far from the Edward Green look.
I bought a pair of To Boot similar in style to the orange-y ones at Nordstrom's Semi-Annual sale a couple years ago and wear them casually (khakis, jeans, and shorts).

Originally Posted by anon

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better than those ugly boat shoes everyone is so fond of

+1,000. I don't get the boat shoe craze. Then again, there are obviously those who don't get the "driving" shoe craze.

Reviving this thread to ask about sizing for driving mocs. I am thinking of getting a pair of suede ones for casual wear this summer. If one intends to wear them without socks, should one size down .5? I'd appreciate your input/experiences. Thanks.