I've been lamenting the loss of a pair of Ralph Lauren double monk shoes (seen above) on Gilt since Wednesday and if you follow me on Twitter you've heard me soliciting recommendations for an affordable pair. The RL's were there for the taking and I dropped the ball. Double monk shoes are possible the most elegant, wonderful shoes a guy can own, but they are usually price out of what I'm willing to spend. Not to mention they are a rare style so it's not everyday I can get my hands on a pair. Since I'm currently still in mourning, I figured I'd throw up some examples of double monks done right (both the shoes themselves and guys wearing them). Shed a tear with me as we bring in the weekend.
As with most things, Sid Mashburn does it better than anyone else. At the moment I don't happen to have 59,500 pennies laying around to spend on shoes so I guess these will have to wait. Apparently this shoe requires 200 seperate "operations" to make, which is about 199 more than any other shoe I currently own.
The British brand Loake makes a pretty good double monk model known as the Blackfriar. It's available for around $240, and is looking like my most viable option. My man David, who is Astor & Black's rep. down in Charlotte (and "the south" for that matter), apparently has these in stock so I have to swing by the showroom soon and get up close and personal with these.
As far as wearing a double monk is concerned, a confidence with one's self is pretty necessary. These are not your everyday shoes and people will probably have some questions (most likely of the "where the hell did you get those shoes" variety). Even though the double monk is a pretty dressy shoe, it can be worn with chinos or jeans to add a real punch to your everyday garb. I mean, in my eyes, if you're going to spend at least 300 bucks you want to wear these as much as possible. European men know what's up when it comes to double monks and should be your go to inspiration when it comes to making them work on a day to day basis. Check out these pics from The Sartorialist...
-L.A.S
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I've been lusting after those Sid Mashburn double monks for a while. Totally perfect shoes. Luckily for my bank account, the weather is taking a turn up here in Canada, so I can't even consider buying a pair of shoes like that until the salt is off the streets.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that man. I know I was in the same boat until I found mine. Most people don't even know what they are, so they remain quite ostentacious. I hope you're able to snag a pair for a decent price. Charles Tyrwhitt has a pair on sale for about $200. Type MC044BRN into their search bar to have them pop up.
ReplyDeletethose sids are looking right
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy the double monk look. Having seen quite a few decent pairs at discount over the last year I definitely plan on adding a pair to my wardrobe. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHow did you drop the ball??? Did they even have your size to begin with? I was on the moment the sale went live and saw the double monk and size 10 was already gone. I'm convinced they didn't even have the size to begin with...sad day. I would have dropped $285 on them in a heart beat. I will tell you this though...I am selling a bunch of gently used clothes on eBay so that I can just walk right into Sid's and slap down six Benjamins for those beauties.
ReplyDeleteRegarding someone else who also crafts a great double monk strap shoe is Church's.
David- The price on the Tyrwhitt is real nice, but the color is a little too lite for what I envision myself getting.
ReplyDeleteFred- By dropped the ball, I meant I didn't get to the sale in time. I would have grabbed them in a 10.5 or 11 and figured out if I liked the fit once they arrived. I can't speak on Gilt exaggerating what sizes they had initially, but that is an interesting theory. Sid/Church's are def. worth the money it's just throwing that money down that makes me hesitant because I don't think I've ever spent that much on a clothing item before. Anyway...one day...one day soon...
The Allen Edmonds Moras are great ones and not too expensive...I picked up the chocolate brown suede ones for under $100 on ebay. Keep your eyes open and you'll find some.
ReplyDeleteI've worn a pair of Mora's for about 4 years now. They're developing a great patina and I get compliments on them all the time. Highly recommended.
ReplyDeletesleepsleep.tumblr.com
Crockett and Jones Lowndes are a great, absolutely great double monk (did I mention that they were great?). Not cheap, but very well made and the leather quality is excellent. They are on the 348 last which is reasonably slim fitting and has a nice, chiselled toe shape.
ReplyDeleteThanks for great article.
ReplyDeleteThink that monks are the best of footwear