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Affordable Men's Style

In Person: J. Crew Kenton Suede Bucks

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J. Crew Kenton Suede Bucks – $198.00

For smart casual wear, it’s tough to beat a quality pair of bucks. They hit that sweet spot that can be hard to find between dressed up and dressed down. A can’t miss part of a wardrobe, wear them with jeans or chinos at a cookout or a lightweight suit at a summer wedding.

Suede of course requires extra care to keep it looking pristine, and even then it will eventually get dirty. Embrace this. I’ve been looking for a pair that can gradually get beat the hell up for the next few years and still hold together. The J. Crew Kenton seems to fit the bill.

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The details are spot-on: soft leather with a fine texture, Goodyear welted sole, and brass eyelets placed under the vamp. They still have the round toe and classic style (including the brick red sole) but J. Crew has made these narrower and sleeker than the usual buck.

Whether sneakers or dress shoes, I usually wear an 11, and I find these a bit on the small side. Perhaps it’s because of the slimmer style and narrower silhouette, but there was definitely some rubbing of the heel and tightness at the ball of my foot while breaking these in. You might want to size up half a size when ordering.

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The shoes here are their “natural” color. They also come in navy, dark pine, boulder, and sahara (blue, green, gray, and tan). At $198 and made in China, these are pricey shoes.  But the quality really does seem to be there. And with the periodic sales at J. Crew you should be able to snag a pair for under $150. If you plan to wear them often – and why wouldn’t you? – these are a worthwhile addition to the shoe rotation.

Shoes seem to be something many of you won’t go cheap on.  Would you drop $200 on a pair of well made bucks, even though they won’t be worn year round?  Or would you go with something cheaper like BR’s Owen/Jarret?  Maybe the just as inexpensive but still welted Archer from Lands’ End?  What about made in the USA Walkovers on LastCall or 6pm (hat tip to Matt for the style tip)? Leave your take, and your bucks of choice, in the comments.

Comments

  1. I love my bucks – I have five pair in different colors. They’re great for business casual – they look smart but are comfortable and not too dressed up. Suede protector will help tremendously with keeping them clean, although it may slightly darken the colors of some shoes.

  3. 1901 makes some bucks that retail for $99, so they aren’t too hard to find for less than eighty. Being resoleable doesn’t do much for me, thanks to the rubber brick sole and suede upper. I suppose if you took really good care of them and wore them a ton, then a decade of use might not be out of the question, but I’d rather just buy the pair at half price and possibly replace them down the line.

    Thanks for the review!

  4. I definitely wouldn’t mind dropping the cash for these (if I had it available). Of course, I’ve found that living in the casual atmosphere of the Sahara desert, I’m able to break out the bucks nearly year round.

  6. Thanks for the tip on those Walk-Overs, I grabbed a pair at $98. I’d been eyeing the J.Crew Kenton Wingtip, and was really happy when they introduced it in the “natural” color. But I was having trouble pulling the trigger – even with the 25% off sale. I’m not sure why the wingtip appeals to me more than a classic buck, but it does. Also, the Walk-Overs appear to be very white, as opposed to the “natural” Kenton, so I guess I’ll see how I like it when they arrive…

  8. These look almost identical to the BR suede owen’s. I have a set of the BR ones and love them. Might even get them in another color when I snag a set of 40% off.

  9. I love the green pair of these but they seem kind of impractical. Recommendations for what to wear with them?

  10. I wouldn’t spend that much unless the color was unique and I really wanted it. Even during the summer bucks are not a daily wearer for me and typically, with care, last a long time anyway, as the BR’s have. This goes double for white bucks, which i love, but are so unique that they do not get used more that 10-20 days a year. Under $100 would be fine.

  11. Any good nubuck bucks out there? Should hold up better over time than the suede.

  13. I’ve always loved the buck style of shoe. I too have several colors from several brands. As for cost, it varies quite a bit; I found a pair of Bass for $18 dollars once at Belk. I usually buy pre-owned shoes, and I have found a lot on ebay. My most recent purchase was at JCP: I bought the Stafford brand in red, gray and navy. They were $30.00 each, and I’ve been very pleased.

    So, if you shop around, you can find good shoes for well under $200.

  14. Those are much whiter than the jcrew website led me to believe. Regretting not buying them now. Do you plan to wear them all season since they’re a little bit more off-white or only in the spring/summer?

  15. Sadly, they haven’t had any buckskin/suede plain-toed bluchers for awhile.

  17. Bass makes some really good nubucks. I have a pair in stone or off white that I have had for years. The sole is the traditional red but it’s a flex sole, really comfortable. Give suede a try. I have the Bass dirty bucks and also a pair of Chaps in a natural (almost light grey color) and they clean up easy. I don’t wear the suede bucks in the rain and have not had any issues.

  20. I haven’t seen them in person but they look pretty grey to me from the pics.