Penny Loafers for Summer

Boy I am in a shit mood today. First, I’ve had writer’s block like a motherfucker, and I want to apologize for that. One of my goals is to entertain, and while some of my recent posts have hopefully offered some useful advice, they were a bit dry. 

Second, my Internet is going so slow lately, I can’t seem to get anything done. I don’t know if it’s the porn, pirated movies, my computer’s old age (pushing 4 years, which in computer years might as well be 400), but I can’t browse the web for more than two hours before the thing slows to a halt. It’s so frustrating I feel like my dick is going to fall off. 

Anyway, on to some style advice. Summer is a time to go sockless, and in fact, some style gurus say socks shouldn’t be worn with shorts at all. I kind of like that no-bullshit mantra, so I’ve been sticking to it. I’ve also heard that flip-flops should only be worn near a body of water, and I like that too, because people who wear flip-flops with jeans look like they went to college in the 90s and never grew up. People like that need to get punched in the groin.

Going sockless might seem like a tough transition for a whole season, but it’s really not that hard. First, just don’t wear socks. That shit’s easy and will save you from having to buy new ones. If going completely bareback isn’t practical though, check out my post on no-show socks. They allow you to still wear socks without sacrificing the look. 

Available at J.Crew, but can be found at most retailers

Another great shoe to have during the summer (besides canvas plimsolls) is a leather slip-on. I’m thinking penny loafer here, because they’re so simple. It really is just a leather slip-on; no tassels, no frilly crap. You can wear them from the office to the streets, no problemo. 

Sperry Authentic Original Penny Loafer- $55

For my money (and I don’t have much), I like the options over at Sperry Topsider. They have two versions, a dressier (read, more expensive one), and then a cheaper one for around $55. For a guy my age, I like the $55 option. It’s more casual looking, so it’s great for bars, barbeques, and whatever other summer shenanigans you’ll get into, but since they’re relatively cheap, you shouldn’t fret too much if they get a little beat up. Plus, they’re dressy enough to wear to a business-casual office setting (Granted, it’d have to be a pretty laid-back office). 

Gold Cup Dress Casual Penny Loafer- usually $150, but on sale for $90

If you’re office is more uptight, or you're tossin around $100s like Rick Ross in a strip club, spring for the dressier version, or check out some other high-end selections here. I’ve preached about the values about splurging for high-quality products before, but in this case, the Sperry loafer is nice enough to wear out and about without being so costly that you’ll be worrying over what kind of shit you’re stepping in. 

PS- some light water will take car of most bar stains if you tackle them the day after. Don’t soak the things though, they are leather, after all. 

PSS- Sperry did not pay me to write this article. But if they’d like to send me some free shoes or other cool shit, I’m totally DTF.

Thanks for reading

MD

It's Getting Hot, So Take Off Your Clothes

It’s spring, though it feels like summer. As the temperature rises, try taking off some clothes. You’ll cool down (temperature) while becoming more cool (like the football players and cheerleaders in high school) at the same time. So try going sockless. It’s a chic look that does well on just about anybody. Plus when it’s summer and you’re rocking shorts, you don’t want your feet to be looking like this:

Penny Loafers by Sperry Topsider

And especially not this:

Sandals by J.Crew

If you just can’t fight the feeling and you need some cotton to keep your toes in check, try some no-show socks like this to still achieve the look:

Available at J.Crew

Calves by my gym and I

Your feet will thank you (just make sure to use shoe trees so your shoes can thank you too).


PS- check out this very informative article by Derek from Put This On for more. Put This On is a great site if you're at all menswear oriented, but especially if you're into classical menswear or the process of tailoring/manufacturing.

More news as it develops,

MD