How To Wear It – The $99 Italian Suede Shoe

In Person – The Mike Konos Suede Oxford – $99.94 (compare at $250.00)

These’ll do nicely.  And not just now, but deep into the fall too.  The shape of this shoe is oddly rare.  They’re not too elongated but also far from stubby.  The toe has a nice tapered shape and they don’t flare out at the sides.  If you’ve got a wide foot, you’re better off looking elsewhere, but otherwise… why is it so hard for designers to make shoes that look like this?

The closed lacing is dressed up, but the crepe sole is casual.  The suede is a deep chocolate brown and the stitching around the outer edge is noticeable but not distracting.  They’re comfortable, have some structure to them, cheap, and Italian made.  They’ll also go with almost anything.  Here’s just a few options for starters:

 

1. With Jeans:  Levi’s 514, Blazer by L.L. Bean Signature, Shirt by GAP

You can wear jeans in the summer.  Just wait till it cools off at night.  A light colored blazer like the top half of the L.L. Bean Signature summer suit shows you still know what season it is, and a pair of well fitting jeans adds the contrast.  Feel free to go sockless with the suede shoes too.

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2. With the Cheap INC Blazer:  Shirt by Merona, Chinos by BR, Wool Tie from Thrift Store

Between the $30 INC blazer and the $99 Italian shoes your getup is going to look much more expensive than it actually is.  Go with a deeper honey-colored chino, a bright white button up, and a wool tie for texture.  Plenty comfortable for hopping on a slick bike and going for a ride.

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3. With light pants:  Blazer by GAP, Pants by BR, Shirt by JACS, Pocket square by LEC

Wool blazers get stuffy in Spring and Summer, but a well tailored cotton version like this one works year round.  The suede does real well with the tie-less look and the color will stand out against the super-light grey pants.  That chambray pocket square is still sold out, which is too bad… it does the job perfectly.

For the first impressions of the Mike Konos Suede Oxford, click here.  Know that they’ve been added to the Long Term Test pile, so we’ll get to see how they hold up over time.