The return of winter's chill signals the end of the beautiful, pseudo-winter we were having. I'm glad because my pasty pale skin is always at risk of a sunburn, and now long pants can be comfortably (or necessarily) worn. That being said, I’ve decided to break out my derby shoes. Everyone I know with a penis has given me crap about these shoes at one point or another. However, almost every girl I know has complimented me on them. Style tip #1- express your sense of style. Don't let it be dictated by haters. Chances are they don't know what they're talking about anyways.
Available here
The ones pictured here are leather. Mine are suede. The brown is a good for any fall/winter wardrobe. Brown fits in well with the earth-tones often favored for fall, but it can still be dark enough to pull off all winter and even into the spring. Suede is also a great way to mix fabrics, balancing well against denim or cotton. With something heavier like wool or tweed, I'd go with the leather version. Leather, of course, is always a go-to shoe material.
The shoes here are pretty lightweight, so be warned when wearing them in the winter. Suede doesn’t stand up well to the slush and sludge of a midwest blizzard, and I’d recommend a good silicone spray to prevent any damage if you decide to wear them during or after a fall or spring rain. My pair has taken a good beating, but it gives them that kind of worn-in patina that can’t be reproduced (unless you fork over the extra cost for a foreign child-worker to painstakingly reproduce it for you).
Nevertheless, style, and history for that matter, is about the trends. These shoes strike a good balance at a good price point. They aren't as dressy or casual as other pairs and styles, but the idea is that the color and texture do strike that interchangeable balance. They aren’t Florsheims, but people will at least notice that you looked in a mirror before leaving the house. And they’re a damn sight better than the space-age type tennis shoes most men opt for (except for the Nike Back to the Future shoes; those are fresh to death).
Bonus tip; these can be worn sockless in the spring or summer if you’re that kind of classy, hipster guy.
Blog is still in the infant stages, but more news as it develops,
MD
Upon consideration, these shoes are actually not derbies by true definition. Derbies have the shoelace eyelet tabs sewn on top of the part of the shoe that covers your toes and instep. These have no shoelace eyelet tabs at all. Someone should tell the people at Urban Outfitters.
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