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Affordable Men's Style

In Person: The $70 DSW Double Monk Strap

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Bronx Dekimo Double Monk Strap – $69.95

Written by Dappered Roving Style Reporter Alan S.  Note that these are almost sold out online, but Alan found this pair at his local DSW brick and mortar.  They’re not in every store, but it might be worth checking out if you have one nearby.  Ships free with code SHIPR when you sign up for their email list.

When most people around here see the words “DSW” and “double monk strap” in the same sentence, they instantly think of the Mercanti Fiorentini (now available in three colors by the way).  Yeah… Well this ain’t them.  No, we’re talking about the Bronx Dekimo.  They’ve got looks that can kill, and the kicker (pun totally intended) is that they’re only $70 (or less if you’re in DSW’s rewards program).  But are they worth it?

Looking much more expensive than $70 shipped.

On the surface, it’s a fantastic looking shoe.  It doesn’t have the odd color uniformity or plastic look that other “affordable” shoes can have.  It also avoids other budget missteps like thick grandpaish soles.  Instead, you get classic double monk style in a versatile medium brown.  The toe is only barely squared, but it suits the style well.  The whole silhouette goes toe to toe (again, pun totally intended) with shoes costing hundreds of dollars more.

They fit true to size and while they look slim, they also accommodate my borderline wide feet.  Those diagonal lines you see on the interior sides are actually elastic goring.  Not really a fan of that, but you don’t notice it once they’re on. The soles are a hard synthetic, but there’s a layer of foam sandwiched in there making them surprisingly comfortable. They’re made in India, and time was definitely spent to make sure this shoe fights above its weight class.

The toes have a slight chisel, but the corners round off nicely.

While it’s great looking, it’s not a perfect.  First, the sole is glued and synthetic – an expectable trade-off at this price, but a trade-off nonetheless.  Second, while the leather has great color and feel to it, it does appear to be a little on the thin side.  After a day of test driving, creases have already formed.  Time will tell if they get any worse, but it’s a potential problem.

These aren’t Allen Edmonds Neumoras or even Mercanti Fiorentinis, but that’s not the point.  They have rock solid looks and a price that’s hard to ignore.  These may not stand up to the wear and tear of the long haul, but if you’re looking for a “starter” pair to test the waters or for something different to shake things up, the Bronx Dekimo means serious business.

Comments

  1. I never thought I’d see double monks at this price point. Any idea if they fit true to size?

  4. +1 for rocking the sockless look. I think sockless looks great with double monks, perfect blend of dressed up/dressed down.

  6. i grabbed these last week with $10 off in rewards + free shipping making it a deal that was hard to pass up. wore them to work once and got compliments from my boss. we’ll see how well they hold up. They fit true to size and the leather is nice and soft. For me the toe shape isnt perfect but hardly worth losing sleep over at this price point.

  10. FWIW, they aren’t as square as they may seem. Click the link. The sole is square-ish, but the leather portion of the toe is actually rounder. I won’t lie and say they’re completely rounded, but we’re not talking Kenneth Coles here.

  11. I was searching for a pair to get my feet in at a below $100 price point so perfect timing for me. Just have to see how they hold up in the long term.

  13. Hi Guys,

    I’ve seen these shoes in person and the toe box isn’t as extremely square as they appear. My only grip is the vamp of the shoe because it’s a little wide. At $70 this would be a great entry level Dub Monk for someone.

    Best,

    Sabir M. Peele

  14. I might have to give these a go. Sharp looking…and I’ve been avoiding the double-monk for a while.

  16. Saw these in person and I threw up in my mouth a little…the Steve Madden ones looked a lot better IMO. Also didn’t help that they had a pair of Maurizis on clearance for $90.

    Wife thought they were ugly too and she’s a huge fan of dbl monks.

  17. My questions is how much nicer is the Mercanti Fiorentin than the Bronx? Is the leather thicker on the more expensive model? It also seems as if the toe portion of the Bronx shoe is arcs upward significantly off the ground as opposed to the more flat Mercanti. Would this go away with wear, as I really like the silhouette of the flatter shoe. If anyone could offer some insight it would be much appreciated as I am looking to make the purchase in the next few days.

  20. they still had a ton of these at the local store last weekend. Problem was they were mostly 10+ (I need a 8 or 8.5). I ended up ordering one off the website through the store but it looks like I may have still missed it as it hasn’t shipped as of yet.

  21. New to the site. I had been on the fence about double monks for a while and was going to bite the bullet and get the other double monks at DSW (mercantis). But then I saw these and said hell for half the price why not? I had a few coupons saved up and got them for $50. LOVE THEM! I wear them all the time now. The toe is definitely not as square as they appear, but i do wish it was more rounded off. That’s essentially my only gripe about them. The color is great and they are comfortable. Now my biggest problem is getting the money to buy another pair cause i’m sold. I’ve worn them with jeans, slim cargos, dress pants. They go with everything. Oh and they must have been pretty popular because they sold out almost as fast as they posted on their website.