Monk straps: Any regrets?

Originally Posted by Tarzan

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I was fascinated too when I saw the double strap monk for the first time. Wanted the C&J Lowndes but couldn't find it in Italy but I was lucky and found another pair of dark brown double strap monks. They are my go to shoe for going out at night in jeans.

These are mine (the ones on the left). I have not worn them yet. What would they go with? I tend to dress casual more than suits.

buy the monks -- they will be one of your goto shoes for 2010.

enjoy

no regrets...

No regrets here, either.

No regrets either....... Regards.

Originally Posted by mkarim

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These are mine (the ones on the left). I have not worn them yet. What would they go with? I tend to dress casual more than suits.

Your double monks are B-eautiful I think I had seen them in another thread. Are they Canali?
Mine are these






and I usually wear them with jeans and a blazer or sportcoat.


Yours are a little lighter in colour so for jeans I would say yes to light and medium blue but no to dark blue, but I am a newbie so experiment and see for yourself.
Also, yours are more elegant and would look perfect with dress pants or a suit.

I own seven pairs of monkstraps and regret buying only one of them--a C&J wingtip monk that is just too busy. My burnt pine EG Ashby (basically a Dover style lake and split toe in a monkstrap) go well with jeans, whereas my dark oak RL Grants are on the more formal end of the spectrum. My special-order, shell cordovan, color #6 (think redder than color #8) Marteganis are my favorites and see a lot of wear. Since I wear business casual a lot, my monks all get a lot of wear and I actually have some of my trousers cuffed/hemmed with no break to show off my shoes. I'm now in the market for double monks, preferably the JL Chapels. I love the sweep of the buckles on the Chapels, but I don't love the price.

Needless to say, my vote is an enthusiastic "buy the monkstraps".

mkarim, your monks are beautiful (make and model?). If I owned them, I would find every possible excuse to wear them.

Alright, you guys got me. I'm doing it! PLAL has them in my size, but the only remaining caveat is I avoid buying stuff on credit if at all possible, and if I can't wait till next month then this will be a credit purchase, December being what it is. So I just sent a note asking when they believe the online cutoff from C&J will be.

My girlfriend has been pretty supportive of all my StyleForum-enthused purchases to this point. She just said no to these and to the Weymouths for my first C&J purchase (ended up getting Audleys, although she preferred the Hallams).

Originally Posted by thinman

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mkarim, your monks are beautiful (make and model?). If I owned them, I would find every possible excuse to wear them.

Those are Canalis. I got them on sale at Nordstrom for $262 (40% off the regular $440 price).

Originally Posted by Tarzan

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Your double monks are B-eautiful

I think I had seen them in another thread. Are they Canali?
Yes, mine are Canalis.

Originally Posted by Tarzan

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...would look perfect with dress pants or a suit.
Yes, any suit (navy, charcoal) and most dress pants (navy, charcoal, light brown, maybe even chocolate brown).

Originally Posted by brandall10

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I've rarely seen them in San Diego. I'm pretty sure I've never seen them before in my office. My girlfriend - who works in a vintage clothing store and is a tatted-up indie fashion chica - says "don't do it".

I was in a very similar situation not long ago. I rarely see monks in Dallas, never see them in the office, I saw and loved this pair of Monk Straps

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=146933

ran the purchase by my wife, got a NO, then went ahead with the purchase anyway. This is now my favorite pair of non-black shoes and knocking at the door for my favorite overall pair, but my Black AE Bel Air's still hold that title.

I'm glad you've decided to do it, you will not regret your purchase.

Dump GF, get monks. Snuggle into SF's bosom for comfort.

Do it. Like you, I wasn't really aware of them (or of many other things) before I found SF. Now, I've got pairs in black, brown and cognac, and I (and my wife) absolutely love them.

Get 'em and don't look back. I've got the Peal version of the C&Js, and pairs from Alden, Ferragamo Tramezza and the AE Moras. And now I'm hunting for a pair in brown suede. They're incredibly versatile. They're sleek, but subtle.

I was on the fence too and I have not regretted a thing since buying a pair of Lowndes.