Every Dandy Needs One: The Shoe Care Kit

          In most cases, I usually like to drop my shoes off at B. Nelson's or The Leather Spa for a cleaning, polish, and shine. I'll sometimes even head over to the Concourse at Rockefeller Center to sit down for a shine. However, when I have the time, I enjoy sitting at home with my shoe kit and giving my shoes a good cleaning and polish (most of my shoes are some shade of brown and I generally don't like them to have a high shine).

          My wife purchased this little set for me about 10 years ago from Holland & Holland when the company had a Manhattan location at 57th street between Park and Madison Avenue (I believe Turnbull & Asser currently occupies the location). Interestingly enough, I don't believe that I owned any "high-end" English shoes at that time - just a few pairs of American-made J&M Aristocrafts handed down from my father - but thankfully the lovely woman was able to glimpse the uptown dandy lurking somewhere just under the surface.

          Plenty of blogs have described how to properly shine your shoes better than I can, so I won't even try to flog that horse. You'll basically need some brushes, an old rag or cloth, a leather conditioner, and a polishing wax. Lately, I've really only been using a conditioner (Saphir Renovateur). If I use a polishing agent, I keep it basic with a neutral so as not to cover up the developing leather patina on the brown shoes.

          With that said, this little set has everything you'll need to care for your shoes:

          A brush with dark bristles for black shoes and another brush with lighter bristles for shoes of a lighter shade, so you're not mixing black and brown polishes on one brush.

          Smaller brushes that you can use to clean around the sole edges and broguing perforations.

          The leather carrying case also has just enough room for some polish tins and the leather conditioner jar, as well as a spare cloth.

          After 10 years of buffing and brushing, the set is still in great shape and shows no signs of wearing down anytime soon. The gift that keeps on giving, wouldn't you say?







Vintage Edward Green for M. Bardelli: The Cadogan

          While shoe makers have progressed in leaps and bounds from methods used as recently as the 1980s, in everything from quality of leather to the ability to mass produce shoes with details that would only have been seen on a bespoke shoe 30 years ago, I still enjoy seeing examples of the shoes produced in the past by various American, English, and Italian firms. To be honest, this is for a variety of reasons - it could be that I've come across a pair of shoes in a defunct style or model, or the shoes are on a defunct last that is no longer used because it has been "improved upon", or the shoes are of a leather that is no longer used. Sometimes, after 30 years, the patina of a basic brown calf leather leather has simply evolved into a stunning work of art in and of itself. Whatever the reason for catching my eye, I'll try to share some of these vintage examples of classic men's footwear.

          Some of the more prestigious shoe companies of Northampton often re-badge their products for retailers who want quality shoes available to their customers under their own label or brand. For instance, Crockett & Jones currently makes shoes for the Brooks Brothers' Peal & Co. line of footwear. John Lobb currently produces footwear for their parent company, Hermes, under that company's own imprint.

          Edward Green has an established history of producing shoes for some of the finest men's ateliers and clothiers around the world. At one time or another, the company has produced footwear for some of the more famous names in American men's clothing, such as Paul Stuart, Brooks Brothers, Nordstrom, and Cole Haan. The tradition continues to the present, as Edward Green shoes can still be found anywhere from Ralph Lauren to Maus & Hoffman.

          The photo above is of a pair of Cadogan's in antique chestnut, made by Edward Green for M. Bardelli, Cashmere Cotton & Silk. One of the oldest men's clothing establishments in Milan, Bardelli's was founded in 1941 as a hat shop but gradually grew to become the elegant emporium that it is today. Specializing in “cashmere, cotton and silk”, Bardelli's is housed in a nineteenth century palazzo and offers a range of beautiful men and women’s collections including suits, shoes, knitwear, textiles for the home and marvellous accessories.

          This particular pair of shoes was made on the 202 last. This last remains one of Edward Green's more popular offerings, as the round-toed silhouette creates an elegant, but quite conservative, effect. This particular pair has a wider-than-normal width, but the shoe doesn't seem to suffer from any blobbiness or loss of refinement.

          One benefit of re-badging for the retailer is that it will often be allowed to customize some details of the shoe. While this model is a fairly standard semi-brogue, the medallion on this pair is different than what you would normally see on a typical Cadogan branded under Edward Green's own company name.

          As you can see below, this pair was re-badged for M. Bardelli.

           While this pair of shoes may have been produced to certain specifications for Bardelli by Edward Green, the shoes certainly don't suffer from any decline or drop-off in quality. Most likely, Bardelli chose Edward Green as a supplier because each company enjoys a well-earned reputation for holding itself to the highest production and quality standards. Based on what I can see here, it was a fine match.

A Day At The Races: Sporting The Doublebreasted Seersucker

          As summer beckons, racing season in America is in full swing. With several invitations to join various acquaintances for a day at the races over 4th of July weekend (at Belmont), the end of July (The Haskell at Monmouth Park), and Memorial Day weekend (Saratoga Racetrack), now seems like a good time to start figuring out what I'll be sporting at the track.

          I have some linen sportscoats and slacks that should be fine. However, the linen slacks (from Brooks Bros.) are a light cream color and tend to wrinkle and get dirty very easily. As such, I would be reluctant to get down on bended knee to roll dice should I come across a floating crap game under the grandstand at Saratoga Racetrack. Although, truth be told, if someone will fade me then linen slacks be damned.

          Another alternative that I'm leaning towards is my doublebreasted seersucker made by Saint Andrews. Its a lovely suit with mother of pearl buttons, with the handwork and pick-stitching that you would expect to see from one of the tailoring houses that provides suits for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label. The problem, if the question of what to wear to the track can be really be classified as a "problem", is that I've always been befuddled by this paradox: generally, any event that I'm invited to where seersucker would be appropriate is most likely a casual event; however, the doublebreasted cut of the jacket tends to come across as "dressy" to most observers. Not that I blame them but I think that is the general perception of the doublebreasted. Nevertheless, for an afternoon in an owner's box at Belmont Park or a table in the clubhouse at Saratoga Racetrack, the doublebreasted seersucker might be ideal.

          Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of my proposed trackwear, but I'll post some pictures in the coming days and weeks and hopefully you dandies out there will post some "constructive" criticism.

          For now, here's a picture of the doublebreasted seersucker suit. The photo's actually a few years old (and perhaps 15-20 pounds ago), and I believe I was trying it on after having just picked it up from the tailor so the accessories don't necessarily work either - but I have time to work on that. I also reserve the right to break the suit up, and perhaps pair the jacket with a pair of slacks in a solid color, or vice versa.

Doublebreasted seersucker suit, Saint Andrews; Lilac dress shirt, Turnbull & Asser; Striped tie, Luciano Barbera; Ralph Lauren Purple Label Barksdales in Edwardian Antique.