Casual shoes that can handle Canadian weather

Ask A Woman:  Women approved, bad-weather casual lace ups.

If you’ve got a question that needs the female treatment, chances are you’re not the only one who wants to ask it.  Beth is our source for the answers.  From opinions on men’s style to decoding the sometimes mysterious ways of women, she’ll take on a different question every Thursday.  And don’t worry, your identity will be protected too.  Click here to get to know Beth, then get in touch with her by sending your question to: askawoman@dappered.com

Hello Beth,

I’m a college student, and though my style isn’t necessarily impeccable, I would say that I am a decent dresser.

I am in the market for a new pair of shoes, as my old ones have been worn out by the rigors of my summer job.  So, I’m looking for a pair of stylish, but also casual, lace up shoes (that would look good with jeans).  I also go to school in British Columbia, so they would have to be able to take rain to snow.  I’m not as much interested in boots (I don’t want to always be wearing boots, and these would be my go to shoes), since I already own a pair, but they aren’t very nice, so it’s still an option.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

 

Hi Andrew,

You had me at hello.  And then you dropped a bomb on me.  O Canada.

Before I continue on, I want to know where else you’re going to find a column that quotes Jerry Maguire, an electrofunk song from the 80s, and the Canadian national anthem, one right after the other.  Hmm?  Hmm?  Yeah…that’s what I thought.

As I was saying before my ego interjected, I had lots of ideas for you about great casual lace-ups, but the tricky part is your weatherproofing requirement.  With the exception of some vegan shoes (which I’m sorry to report are not very interesting or attractive), almost all Oxfords are made of leather.  Here’s the rub: leather is far and away the loveliest of the shoe materials.  Let me use an analogy that will speak to your Canadianess.  Leather is…a figure skater.  Beautiful and supple.  Strong in the right conditions (gliding on top of the ice), easily worn out in the wrong ones (weighted down by precipitation).  Okay, that last bit doesn’t work so well for figure skating, but stay with me.  Other materials, like rubber, Gore-Tex, nylon, foam interior–not so lovely.  These materials are…Wayne Gretsky’s mullet.  Durable and protective.  It may keep Wayne warm in the cold, but we have to face the fact that it’s ugly as sin.

Left:  The “waterproof” Afton.  Right: The rubber sole Haviland.  Apply sno seal to the Haviland and we might have a winner?  Warning: Sno Seal always darkens leather.  Also, use code LINK20 for 20% off these shoes.

You can pre-treat leather shoes with sprays, polish, and waxes (see above.)  You can wipe them down if they occasionally get wet (and then wait until they are completely dry before wearing again).  But exposing leather shoes to rain and snow on a daily basis will seriously decrease the life and look of the shoe.  So, if you want to take good care of your Oxfords, you’ll probably still need to rotate them out with those old boots of yours.  Wear the boots in the rain and slush and the day of a big snowstorm.  Wear the Oxfords when it’s dry and after people have had a chance to shovel the walks.  On to the actual shoes…

To keep the shoe casual, opt for a rounder toe over a super pointy one.  So something in this shape would look great with jeans. Plus, I love leather tooling.  These have a pointier toe, if you prefer it to the round look, but what I really love is the combination of leather and wool (another material that does not do well with water). This is a basic lace-up, but with a rich color.

Well Andrew, that’s all I got.  Hope it’s enough.  Let’s face it…I am a valuable commodity.  I go across the middle.  I see a dude coming at me, trying to kill me, I tell myself, “Get killed, catch the ball.”  Booya!  Touchdown!  I make miracles happen!

-Beth

Got a question for Beth? Send them to: askawoman@dappered.com