Style Battle: Two REALLY cheap Wingtip Boots

Hawkings McGill Suede Wingtip – $49.99* ($78) | Dr. Scholl’s Oren – $76.49** ($90)

Like a great Summer Suit, there’s something about a pair of sturdy and versatile wingtip boots in the fall.  Most have character to burn, and they can be dressed up with many of the rough textures we’ll see once the weather turns cooler. Our search for the best affordable wingtip boots is on, and feel free to send in suggestions via styleip.

*Free shipping kicks in at $50, so you might want to pick up an extra set of laces to make that happen.
**Use code 150ff to take 15% off and get free shipping.  Credit to reader Wes for the style tip.

If you’re a firm believer that paying less than $150 for shoes is a waste of money, you can stop reading right now.  Investing in a pair of $200, $300, or even $400 boots is a fantastic idea… but only if you have that money to spend.

Cue detractor #1: “But the cheap shoes will fall apart in a year or two!”
Maybe.  Or maybe not with a little luck and some reasonable care.

Cue detractor #2: “But if you keep having to replace your shoes, you’ll just end up paying more!”
Same goes for having a mortgage.  It’s a great idea if you can pay for a house in cash.  But not all of us can do that.

The Hawkings McGill suede wingtip is like a well worn but decently taken care of house in an awesome location.  It might not have all the bells & whistles, but it looks good and the price is more than right.  The Dr. Scholl’s Oren is like a cookie cutter house in a subdivision with no trees.  It’ll work for some, but lacks immediate character.

Left:  The Hawkings McGill burnished toe.  Right:  The Dr. scholls bulbous toe

The Hawkings McGill from Urban Outfitters has that close to perfect shape just like its non-suede twin,   The toe slims down without being blunt or pointy.  They aren’t nearly as rich in color as on the web, and there’s some unusual burnishing at the toe & heel that has oddly smoothed out the suede.  It’s a little less noticeable in person than in the pictures here, but still.  This shoe is like a two bedroom house without a garage.  A little odd, but something you’d probably get used to.

The Dr. Scholls are built bigger and fatter.  The leather quality is surprisingly nice.  The traction on the sole is barely there compared to the Florsheim Gaffney.  It’s plenty comfortable, but it sprawls a little unnecessarily and has a bit of a blah look.  Kind of like a new subdivision house that was built bigger than it needed to be.

Even if you ignore the price, the Hawkings McGill are the much better buy.  The $25 price difference means that for now, the only Doctor Scholl’s coming off the shelf will be a pair of future insoles for the boots from Urban Outfitters.

Best Wingtip Boot under $100 – Hawkings McGill – $50 – $88.00  Available in black, tan, & a brown suede
Best Dressed Up Wingtip Boot – Italian Made Ciro Lendini Wingtip Boot – $149.00

Probably not the best idea to wear one of each at the same time.