Click here for the previous candidate, the Cole Haan Air Garrett

Sleek looking in silhouette and not too clunky in the toe.  That’s all it takes to qualify for this ongoing search for the perfect modern wingtip.  Since affordability is a focus here, price has to be taken into consideration as well.

For well over $150, a shoe better be almost perfect.  And the J&M Murphy comes up short.  Literally in the toe, while being a little long on the price tag.  Here’s the breakdown after an in-person fitting:

Not as modern from the top.

The Pros

• Closed lacing
• Solid feeling construction.  Not too weighty, but solid.
• Easy to find at multiple retailers (Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Zappos)
• Leather sole
• Toebox can accommodate wider feet
• Goodyear welt construction

The Cons

• That 3/4 shot is not a true representation of the toe.  See right instead ->
• Toe is a more rounded Allen Edmonds style.  Needs a little more length in the toe for the slightly elongated look of an A. Testoni.
• Downright expensive at $165.  Ouch.

The Verdict

Damn.  Seeing it online and in person is just flat out a different story.  When you try the shoes on, stand up, and look down at your feet from above… they’re just about half an inch too short in the toe to be truly considered modern.  They’re ALMOST there.  But not quite.  A smart play for a more conservative environment, but if not?  Save yourself $30 and get the Cole Haan Garretts.
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Got a comment or want to share your experience with Johnston & Murphy?  Leave it below.
Here’s the slightly more modern looking Cole Haan Garrett.  Available for $135…

Ever since the DKNY Max Cap Toe Oxford bit the dust, there’s really been no affordable options if you wanted a slight cap toe on a sleek modern lace-up silhouette.

Well… long live the sale on the Regal King.

The Kenneth Cole Regal King has an incredibly subtle cap toe (just like the DKNY Max Cap), an updated shape, and although the chisel toe won’t satisfy the rounded-toe purists, it’s far from squared off.  Frankly, I kinda like it.

On sale for a moderate investment of $120.  Usually out of range for many at $150.

All sizes available for now.
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Usually $150, now $120.

]]> http://dappered.com/2010/09/kenneth-cole-regal-king-20-off-sale/feed/ 5 http://dappered.com/2010/07/shoes-every-man-should-own/ http://dappered.com/2010/07/shoes-every-man-should-own/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:01:23 +0000 Joe http://dappered.com/?p=8127 The Shoe Lineup – Nine Pairs every man should own.

Originally Published 3/6/2010

Pitchers and Catchers have reported to their spring training homes, and before you can say: “Bud Selig” it’ll be time for Baseball once again.  Nine men appear on a lineup card.  Nine men in the field of play.  Here’s the nine shoes you’ll want to collect and have in your own personal style dugout for maximum versatility, set just as if this were a batting order.

1. Classic American Sneakers – PF Flyers Grounder Lo – $49.95

Just like a lead off batter, you want something light, dependable, and gets the job done without being overpowering.  Look hard at Converse Jack Purcells, PF Flyer Lo, or the Italian Superga.

2. Motorcycle Boots | Kenneth Cole Play 2 Win – $99.99

You don’t need to actually ride a motorcycle to enjoy these things.  Tall enough to keep the street crap off you, casual enough to be worn to whatever dive bar you frequent, and good looking enough to impress whatever women are there once you arrive.  Most of them are obscenely comfortable too, and only get better with age.

3. Black Dress Boots | Florsheim Men’s Colfax – $89.95

These see a lot of action.  And you need them to be able to work well in any number of situations.  Casual, dress, somewhere in between.  Get a pair that look just as good with a pair of lighter colored chinos, blazer, and tie, as they do with a pair of jeans and an un-tucked well fitting casual button up.

4. Black Laceups | Aldo Hepworth – $100.00

Your go-to.  The clean-up.  When you need to knock it out of the park.  Avoid Square toes.  Stick with the classics or maybe a touch modern, like these black laceups from Aldo.  And take care of them like they’re the foundation of your lineup.  Because they are.

5. Brown Dress Boots | Kenneth Cole Long Time-A-Bow – $117.00

You won’t lean on them nearly as much as your black dress boots, but when you gotta have them deliver, you want to have a good set at the ready.  Good with dark jeans and chino blazers or khaki pants.  They can stand up to a days worth of work and are especially nice when you gotta look nice and the weather is awful.  Don’t like the elastic sides of these Kenneth Cole’s?  Try another less tall version from the Kenneth Cole brand, the Foot Note Dress Boot for about $10 less.

6. Brown Laceups | ASOS Clean Point – $51.73

You want to depend on your black lace ups.  Your black laceups will go with your dark suits, and sometimes your brown shoes won’t perform as well with those.  But you NEED brown lace ups.  Great to pair with Navy suits for a very British look.  And that Lighter colored pair of pants or Chino Suit you have for the summer?  That’s what these were made for.  Shoes that are just like your cleanup heavy hitters, only… not as irreplaceable.

7. Waterproof Hiking Boots | ASOLO FSN 95 Gore Tex – $124.95

Getting down to the specialty guys.  It’s a big world out there.  Get out and see some of it.  GoreTex will breathe in the warmer weather and keep the water out when there’s snow on the ground.  A pair (or two) of wool socks will keep you warm enough in the winter that they can be an all season bad weather shoe.  Try wearing a pair of Sorels in July and you’ll see why splurging on solid Gore-Tex lined hiking boots is a smart decision.

8. Monk Strap | Aston Grey Reed Monk Strap – $99.99

Your Dad wore penny loafers or those loafers with the goofy tassels on them.  Monk straps are much more dressed up.  Not for beginners.  Takes some serious style chutzpah to pull them off.  Tough to find under $150 let alone $100 making this pair from Aston Grey Reed a real steal.  Want a double strap?  Try These from Gant.  Not cheap at $150.00, but very cool.

9. Running Shoes | Brooks Adrenaline | $74.95

Like most pitchers, great at one thing, not so great at others.  Your runners should be kept to the gym and the trail.  They shouldn’t function as casual shoes.  And also like pitchers, don’t use your running shoes every day.  The cushioning of your running shoes need time to rebound from the pounding.  If you’re a running freak and have to get your jog in every day, buy two pair and rotate.  The Brooks Adrenaline Running Shoe usually retails over $100, and even then it’s a bargain.  Bar none the BEST running shoe on the market for those of us who pound the pavement two to three times a week.  Durable as all hell, well cushioned, and fast.

So we’d miss any?  What shoes would you drop from the lineup, and which pair would you send in to pinch hit?  Leave those comments below.

Dealbreaker? I say no.

Johnston and Murphy stuff isn’t cheap.  So when one of their dress oxfords gets down to $100 or under, it’s worth noting.

The silhouette of the Gillum Runoff is perfect.  Just enough point to the toe without getting spear-like.  A bit of shine makes the leather formal enough for any occasion, and the outsole has J&M’s “flex sole” technology, meaning the shoes will bend and move with you on even the longest of days.

The catch is the stitching.  It’s sort of a hybrid cap toe / bike toe.  Guaranteed that’s why these are on sale for $100, with all sizes available between 8.5 – 11.5.  It’s going to be questionable to some because it’s not the most traditional.

But sometimes breaking from tradition can have its rewards… like acquiring an attention-getting, quality, and sharp pair of black laceups for $100.

Available in a loafer version for the full price.

Square, not okay. Chisel? Why not?

Sure Steve Madden was once sentenced to 41 months in prison for money laundering and securities fraud, and he’s been accused of producing blatant knock-offs of his more expensive competition… but the guy knows how to make an inexpensive pair of shoes.

The Bedlamm Brown and Zacharyy Black dress shoes are precisely what you want on your feet when wearing a suit.  Nothing crazy, nice and sleek, Italian in silhouette and American in detail or lack thereof.  The black pair have a subtle cap toe and the brown pair are as plain as can be.

One note on the black pair, they’ve got a “chisel” toe, meaning it’s not totally rounded, but I certainly wouldn’t consider them squared off.  I’d wear them.  Keep them shined and when women check out your footwear they’ll be impressed.

Steven Madden shoes don’t have a reputation of being the highest quality, but I’ve never had any issue with them.  My pair of brown Steve Madden motorcycle boots have lasted three years without any trouble.  Now, there is a major school of thought that says spending a couple hundred bucks on an extremely well made pair of shoes is a worthy investment.  Spend $250 on one pair of quality black lace ups, and you won’t have to spend $400 on four pairs of black dress shoes you’d otherwise get over the next decade.

But that’s just not possible for a lot of guys.  These are possible for almost anyone.

Finding a stand out pair of shoes for under $100 can be a challenge.  Aside from Steve Madden, there’s not a designer that consistently produces slick looking shoes for under three figures.  And Mr. Madden’s designs can be a little out there, plus the construction quality can leave a bit to be desired for.

It’s all about catching sales at the right time (early), when there’s still plenty of size options left.  Here’s three pairs from three different well known designers, in plenty of sizes,  that should satisfy any of your $100 and under footwear cravings.
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Calvin Klein Zeke Oxford – $87.36

The definition of black lace up. Under $90

Simple shoes are often the best.  A lot of guys don’t want any extra stitching, weirdly shaped toes, or anything that would distract from their overall minimalist look.  The Calvin Klein Zeke Oxford is as plain yet cool as it gets.
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Kenneth Cole Cast-A-Way Loafer – $88.99

Not your average driver. Just different enough. Brown or Black.

Retailing for almost $130, Kenneth Cole gets unique with a different style of driver.  The strap is buckled with a couple of D-rings, making it a detail that stands out but in a good clean way.
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Ben Sherman Premier Boot – $99.99

Weird... but... kinda cool all the same.

Like the unnatural and impossible lovechild of a Liger and a Mule, the Ben Sherman Premier Boot combines styling from combat boots and wingtips, then adds heavy heel and toe burnishing on top of that.  Better proportioned than a similar boot/shoe/thing from ASOS, it’s more than 50% off at just under $100

So if you had to pick a pair, which one would you go with?

Sure they’re not your traditional wingtip.  But that’s a good thing.

The stuffy, busy, usual wingtip perforations are done away with, and instead two lines of double stitching carve out the pattern on the toe.  Would it be on clearance if the designers at Alfani had simply left the toe plain?  Probably not.  But paired with a well tailored navy suit, slim (not skinny) tie, and a crisp white pocket square… you’ll have yourself the perfect blend of modern and traditional all in one outfit.

That and they look like they’ve been “reviewed” by The Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” host, and current Ford Pitchman Mike Rowe:

Well played random reviewer.

Don’t know if they’ll give you an extra discount if you tell em’ “Mike sent you” but, $75.00 is already a pretty good deal on a pair of potentially terrific shoes from a trusted brand like Alfani.

Finding a sleek, modern, yet non-obnoxious pair of black lace-ups for UNDER $100 can be a huge challenge.  The toes are either too square, too pointy, the sides are over stitched, or the leather is totally blank.

Consider printing out the picture of these Cap Toe Oxfords from DKNY.  Save it.  And the next time you go looking for black dress shoes take the picture with you.  If your potential purchase has a strong resemblance to these shoes, buy them.

There isn’t a single thing wrong with this pair of shoes.  Two light stitch lines define the cap toe, which by the way, looks to have the perfect proportion of point to width.

Classic construction, updated look, sleek design.  A 10 out of 10 in either black or brown.