Would you wear it? Woven leather shoes

Hot Weather Footwear: Woven Leather Shoes?

“…acts as an air conditioner for your foot”
“…allows the foot to breathe”

That’s what the Allen Edmonds website says about their woven leather shoes.

Somewhere between a sandal and a dress shoe lies these things. Traditional shapes and silhouettes, with part of the uppers skipping standard leather, and instead opting for woven strips.

The end result is sorta like Seersucker. Weird, and even flat-out ugly to many… but does the functionality (or, the potential functionality?) make up for the oddity to the eye?

Would the styling have to be perfect for you to wear them? Or do you already own a pair? And if you have a pair… does the woven leather really add any noticeable cooling effects? It seems to be a trend (hey, even DSW is making a pair) that has trickled down from the archives of menswear-adapts-to-the-elements. But in our Air Conditioned world, would you hop on board? Or skip it all together?

From top left, going clockwise: Allen Edmonds Carlsbad, Mercanti Fiorentini, Allen Edmonds New Orleans, Massimo Matteo, Magnanni.