[Pictured: The G.H. Bass & Co. shoe factory in Wilton, ME. Picture courtesy of Wikipedia (which is kinda like a thief thanking a burglar).]
Bass shoes have been on the up and up for quite some time thanks to the modernization of many of their classics. While Bass has always had heritage in spades, their outdated selection had them relegated to a realm of lameness occupied by irrelevant brands such as Hush Puppies. Thankfully the brass over at Bass (clever, no?) listened to the throngs of customers clamoring for archival styles and hit back with some of the best bang for your buck shoes available right now.
Since 1870 Bass has been devoted to "capturing the essence of American casual and weekend footwear" and as a guy who feels comfortable in saddle shoes and bucks after I ditch the tie and punch out, I couldn't agree more. These shoes aren't going to last you a lifetime, but they are cheap enough that it doesn't really matter all that much. Good looking and American spirited is good enough for me. I'd buy multiple pairs of the following. All of which are available here.
Brockton...$64
Is it too early to start dreaming about white bucks? My love for bucks has been well documented in past posts and when you break it all down these are the best available for those on a budget and who isn't these days? Get a white pair and keep them pristine for spring or just get them dirty as hell because that's way cooler.
Burlington...$89
You may have seen these on Valet or Unabashedly Prep. Saddle shoes appear to be "having a moment", one of which I can fully get behind. The Burlington has a streamlined vamp and toe so you look more Gatsby than grandpa. I'm particularly endorsing the above color since its off white and brown colors toe the line between warm weather and cool weather wear. KJ, if you're reading this, thanks for sending these to me at 7:48 am.
Dover...$125
GQ's mancrush on these sleek, modern Weejuns has gotten out of control in recent months. Nearly every one of their fashion spreads feature at least one pair of these glossy gems. You wont find me pretending like I don't own both a black and burgundy pair which I wear to work most days of the week. Purists will scoff at the leather and sleeker toe, but let 'em. They're just pissed because you get more girls than they do.
Amsterdam...$79
Back when Sart Inc was brand spanking new and just learning to say its first words, the Chelsea boot made a cameo. Leave it to the Americans to take a British shoe and completely undercut them in price. For 79 smakaroos this is highway robbery. You can wear these boots casual or formal, denim or slacks, guitar or guitar hero...it doesn't matter.
-L.A.S
Posts
Not much for saddle shoes (with a few exceptions out of my price rang - OC), but the other three looks quite nice. Not many people in my neck of the wood (or age) would wear white shoes that aren't athletic. I would so so def. I think its funny how the dovers get so much hate. They're nice looking.
ReplyDelete