Shoes & Socks — outBespoken

Socks

Shoes

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Vegano Brown, Leather Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Vegano Brown, Leather Sole

TLB Artista Custom,
Vegano, JR Sole — TLB Artista Custom, Vegano, JR Sole

TLB Artista Custom,
Old England, JR Sole — TLB Artista Custom, Old England, JR Sole

TLB Artista Custom,
Museum Calf, JR Sole — TLB Artista Custom, Museum Calf, JR Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Suede, City Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Suede, City Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Suede, Leather Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Suede, Leather Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Polo Suede, Leather Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Polo Suede, Leather Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Vegano, Leather Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Vegano, Leather Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Box Calf Black, Leather Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Box Calf Black, Leather Sole

TLB Mallorca Artista,
Box Calf, City Sole — TLB Mallorca Artista, Box Calf, City Sole

Baudoin & Lange

Suede loafers has proven to be my favourite type of shoe, and having sufficient rotation in the this area of my line-up thus has become one of my main aims on the shoe front.

It’s no secret that the Sagan loafer from B&L is considered the holy grail of ready to wear suede loafers and one that I have long been eager to try.

The Sagan loafer is truly a remarkably comfortable loafer to wear. Initially I wasn’t quite sure about them because of the slightly more dainty appearance, but they live up to their reputation and even more so. I’m yet to know about their longevity, but as far as comfort goes they’re like walking on a cloud.

Another loafer I wanted for rotation, from the Grand collection, the Seine tassel loafer is a slightly more robust loafer both visually and in craftsmanship, than the traditional Sagan. With a Blake sole construction the benefit of having it resoled if needed can’t be underestimated.

Along the same line as the Sagan loafer and even more so as far as comfort goes, the Stride loafers from Baudoin & Lange is pure bliss to walk on. These were acquired to be comfortable beaters that can be worn casually, all the way down to shorts and jimbeis, yet also with a dressed down suit.

Gomila

These Belgian style tassel loafers were the result of a collaboration with Gomila Intersole.

As mentioned, having sufficient rotation in the suede loafer department is important seeing as they’re my favourite shoe to wear. The Belgian loafers from Gomila fits the bill perfectly.

As far as the aim goes, because all my suede loafers from TLB have Goodyear welt, I want to expand the selection of shoes with blake stitch, glued soles and rubber soles as they are preferable for walking and travelling.

The Belgian tassel loafers from Gomila were based on an existing model, where I changed the last to a slightly narrower one and moved the line slightly further up. For these I also chose Dainite soles.

Cobbler Union

Through a collaboration with Cobbler Union I got my first try with a different brand in quite a few years.

As of now I only have this one pair, but I am more than convinced of Cobbler Unions quality and could definitely see myself trying more of their models.

These have essentially become a part of my summer line-up and I’ve mostly kept them without a mirror shine.

Zara

Yes, you read right and yes, we are talking about Zara the fast fashion brand.

There evidently was a time when Zara made some traditional shoe models with no fashion quirks and this conveniently aligned with the start of my sartorial endeavour. Seeing that Zara these days makes every effort to make loafers as chunky, un-timeless and unwearably hideous as possible I see it almost as a victory that I managed to “cop” these (as Zara.s clientele would call it) while the going was good.

The whole upper is made from real leather, which is something I wouldn’t compromise on, while the soles are glued and thus serves the intended purpose: comfort. As my wardrobe evolved into the 2.0 version and a lot of sub-par items were sold, I kept them initially as a rainy day alternative. They have since proven to be some of the most comfortable shoes I own, perfect for travels, days with a lot of walking and to be fair quite versatile.

Other Shoes

In the other shoes category we find mostly boots.

I tend to only wear boots when it’s either snowing or raining, but occasionally decide to give them a shine-up and wear them in winter if it’s dry and cold outside.

Shoe Care

You can’t underestimate the importance of shoe care. For both longevity and visual beauty, proper maintenance is crucial.

To the extent that many will claim that the first impression of an outfit starts with the shoes, the whole impression of an outfit can be ruined by lack of care and upkeep of the shoes.

As sartorialists, we might categorise ourselves as either minimalists or maximalists. Some might build their wardrobe exclusively from vintage and second hand garments, while others swear by bespoke commissions. The thing we all have in common is that we are by the nature of our passion materialists. We want things neat and in order and if there’s a box to put things in, we want it to be part of a holistic beauty.

The Paul Brunngård shoe care kit from Arterton epitomises this sentiment. Not only is the walnut briefcase a beautiful decorating piece when not in use, the glass containers, tools, brushes as well as the interior are all stunning and well crafted, inspiring success whether it be maintenance or a proper shoe shine. You can’t underestimate how beauty and order on the one hand inspires you to strive for the same level on the other.