In recent blogs I’ve discussed the impact that component details such as lace colour and edge treatments can have on footwear design. A prime example of this is March’s shoe of the month.
 
I have taken our country brogue, this time in black grain calf, and injected styling elements that lighten and freshen the shoe’s aesthetic. Despite it being a black shoe, the styling has transformed it into an eye-catching and surprisingly successful Spring/Summer piece. The forthcoming Lodger Spring/Summer 2011 Collection explores the idea of melding traditions from different seasons. Pairing darker textured leathers, traditionally selected for a wintry aesthetic, with light ’summery’ sole edges, skeleton linings and natural welt stitching is a look I have explored at length and feel works beautifully.
 
The storm welt on March’s shoe is unstained and simply sealed with a light waxing. This pale leather colour is reflected in the flat cotton lace. The sole edge has also been left ‘nude’ and clear-waxed. The final touch is leaving the welt stitch a natural linen colour. The grained pebble texture contrasts with the smooth flat edges of the light sole edge, and leads the eye from the light lace, down through the brogued pattern pieces to the rolled storm welt.

It was a perfectly pleasant evening in a New York bar. And then we got talking about men’s shoes and, in particular, the pair I am considering getting. “You can’t wear them,” she said. “Look at all the other blokes here. Look at the shoes they are wearing. You’ll look like a knob.”

My female colleague and I don’t hold back with each other. I call her a moaning brat and she (self evidently) loves telling me that I look like a knob, I will look like a knob and that I am a knob. More often than not she is right. But not this time.

So why was she so offended by my choice? I had explained that I had enough shoes to more than adequately cover my feet for business occasions. I had explained that I had shoes that bridged the gap between office and casual. I had even explained that I wanted to dip into purchasing shoes that can only be worn out of the office.

Yet she was still incredulous of my description of Lodger’s milkshake suede brogue. “No one wears shoes like that over here,” she continued disapprovingly. “You are going to stick out like a sore thumb.”

You see, I am moving to New York next month. And while I am aware that the shoe is predominantly meant for autumn, I think it will be a great thing to wear in spring. I doubt the circles that I move in will question the seasonality of my decision.

So I disagreed with my friend and drew a comparison that she couldn’t argue with. Only the night before she had accompanied her friend in the purchase of her first pair of Christian Louboutins, a shoemaker renowned for his red leather soles. Soles that attract attention to the quality of the shoe.

“If you think the milkshake brogues stand out too much, then what is the difference between them and the Louboutins?” I asked her. “They are both desirable, well made and people are drawn to look at them.”

Silence.

“Well, that’s different,” she replied meekly. Knowing my friend, I was aware that this was as close to an admission that she was wrong as I was going to get.

More importantly, it highlighted to me the underlying idea that wearing quality shoes is a female pursuit. Men should be content with what the High Street has to offer. Well, I am not content. And I will make a stand. Even if 95% of people think I am a “knob” or a “ponce” (another lovely description of my footwear from someone else), because it is worth it when you get a compliment.

I’d rather be in the self-congratulatory 5%. Who’s with me?

A great example of how to work with the fundamentals.  Grey raincoat, grey tie, blue trousers, and a vivid pair of old brown Full Brogues.  Don’t be afraid to play with the basics.  The close fit of the trouser leg and the high break of the hem give it a modern feel without while still keeping the look timeless.

At Lodger, we recently released a new brogue in a light tan suede called Milkshake.  It’s a great shoe for the early autumn; just before the weather gets too angry and whilst thoughts of summer still linger.  The shoe works beautifully with dark corduroy, compliments a tweed jacket and blends with most casual combinations.  The only challenge is what to do for a belt.

For those that feel the need to match their shoes and belts perfectly, this will mean a hunt for a belt in a similar biscuit suede.  A challenge for sure.  However, I’ve taken to wearing mine with a simple woven belt I picked up in the states at J. Crew.  The advantage of going with a belt in a completely different material is that it doesn’t have to match perfectly.  For a woven belt trimmed in leather it also gives you a chance to play with a couple complimentary colours.  Albam does a great belt in a woven canvas that would be a great foil.

Notice the gimping on the seams of these brogues

Being new to the world of gentlemen’s shoes, the terminology is often surprising. Alarming even. If I told my friends that my shoes had been skived, singed, gimped, edge ironed and hand bunked with a fancy wheel it would conjure up images of Bruce Willis in the cellar scene of Pulp Fiction.

But the terms are not as daunting as they sound. They are merely techniques used by closers and finishers (my friends are now thinking of Mortal Kombat) to perfect the shape and design of shoes.

Let’s start with the closer. This is the person who prepares the uppers and stitches them together. When two pieces of leather need to be stitched without a ridged seam, the closer skives the edges. This means that they use a sharp blade to cut an angle into the edge of the leather. The adjoining edge is cut to the same angle, but in the opposite direction. That way, when they are joined they smoothly dovetail.

Singeing is more obvious. Closers use a naked flame to harden the cut edges of the leather. This process also burns off any rough parts from when the leather was originally cut.

Here there’s hand bunking on the front section of the sole

Now for gimping – no mask jokes, I promise. The easiest way to describe gimping is to get you to imagine a pair of brogues. You know the zigzagged, pinked edge to some of the uppers? That has been gimped. The closer will run the upper through a machine similar to a sewing machine that is fitted with sharp tools to cut the shape.

Gimping in a way is the opposite of skiving. It serves to emphasise the seam. But gimping is not only for decoration, it is also said to strengthen cut edges and prevent fraying.

I won’t patronise you by defining the role of finishers. But they skive too by using a sharp plane to soften the angle on the edge of the sole and heel. After filing the edge of the sole, the finisher then edge irons it. This involves dampening the sole edge and using a cold iron to push onto it. This compresses and smoothes the edge of the sole.

Finally, the purely decorative art of hand bunking. This is done with a fancy wheel which is a small tool with a circular, patterned disc on the bottom. (Imagine the measuring wheels that clicked every metre when you were on geography field trips and you are on the right lines.) The fancy wheel is heated over a naked flame and used to pattern the heel, the edge of the welt and the outer edges of the bottom of the sole.

So there you go. Your homework is to drop these terms into conversation without inducing a giggle from your friends.

 This classic Lodger Gentleman's Brogue is fast becoming a wardrobe staple. Demand for our Almond, Black and Oxblood versions continues to grow (new delivery of Almond expected week commencing 16th March) and our Inky Navy Suede limited edition colourway is proving equally as popular.

 This Grey version is the latest sample from our Northampton workshop; and are due to hit the shelves later this Spring as a stock colour option. Soft Grey Suede with a black slip bead trim and lace.  Form an orderly queue!

   -Annejkh