In Person: Banana Republic Leather Wingtips

Banana Republic Digby Brogue – $140.00 ($98 at 30% off)

The suedes are worth it if you catch a sale.  Not so sure about these leather wingtip shoes BR has right now.

Our little corner of the internet will get behind less expensive leathers more often than most, but something doesn’t feel quite right about these.  Up close, the leather has that familiar too-smooth look… but plenty fine sub-$150 shoes do as well.  In addition, the uppers on these have a bit of a rubber-like feel to them.  The soles, which are different than the soles on the suedes, most definitely smell like foam rubber right out of the box.  It goes away pretty quickly, but it’s a little weird.

The toes are well rounded, but the toe box is pretty full. It’s a width that looks much better on the blue suede cousin than these.  The medallion is a nice touch, but there’s something a little awkward about a medallion, some wingtip lines, but no perforations or pinked edges along that stitching.

Bottom line:  They are, as the kids would say, “aiight”… but you’d be better off snagging a pair of Sebago Brattles if you want a pair of dressed-up-looking shoes that do most of their work when you’re dressed down.

No longer available in the lighter peanut color, and the burnishing shouldn’t be an issue (or exist?) on the black and suede options.  The vast majority of codes lately have excluded shoes, so, these have been full price for awhile.  The code BRREADY is good for 30% off purchases of $125 or more, BUT… it doesn’t work on shoes.  Or monogram suiting, the Gavin, Dawson, & Emerson Pants, Men’s Bags, and a few other things.  Code expires 6/13.