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What I Am Wearing

I am really beginning to feel that when they advertise how many mega pixels are on a camera (when you buy it), I don't think that the number is accurate. These pictures (obviously taken through a mirror) seem to come out so bad, yet I have seen other bloggers do the same thing, with their iphone and the pictures come out tremendously better. Maybe I am the culprit, dysfunctional when it comes to taking photographs. Looks like I might have to take a crash course, and painfully upgrade what I thought was a decent 14 mega pixel camera?? Whatever the case, let me explain my outfit. The weather is beginning to chill down, here in London, as the summer comes to a sad end and yesterday it was feeling a bit chilly. That being, I decided to wear my flannel DB suit paired with my suede chukka boots. For me, it turned out to be a very nice match, as there is a light pinstripe in the suit, which complimented the shoes. Even though my work does not call for really dressing up, I always appreciate wearing a nice suit as it makes me feel better and more professional!

Shoes: Stefano Bemer
DB Suit: Gieves & Hawkes
Shirt: Primark
Tie: Faconnable

What I Am Wearing

Sorry for all of the mean looking faces, but like a reader commented before, it's quite challenging to make a smile when you are taking a photo of yourself. I don't really why, but I find myself unable to smile when I am taking these photos. Even when I try, it just comes out like a forced smirk, but never a genuine smile. Anyway, I am wrapping up the rest of my waistcoat outfits, as the weather is quickly turning quite cold and windy. Now you will start to notice that my v-neck sweaters (jumpers) will be my staple piece, as I love layering. The tie that I am wearing in this picture is definitely one of my favorites, as it is just so bold and intricate. It's not one for everyone so I understand if some of you may not agree, but it is definitely one of those ties that commands attention. And while the paisley era is over, I still like to bring it out every now and then!

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo -- Tramezza line
Tie: Robert Talbott -- Best of Class series
Trousers: H&M
Waistcoat: J.Crew
Shirt: Primark

It's All In The Detail

Picture Courtesy Of: Moda Image

One of my dear blog readers, who frequents London as business calls, just happen to pop in today for an updated chat on life, shoes and the future of my career. Because he happened to visit me in the flesh, I showed him the pictures (via my camera phone) that I have of my upcoming collection. The pictures show what is current with my prototype production, but we still have a month or so before they are complete. Nevertheless, he was able to get an idea of my collection to come and a feeling of how it differs from others while at the same time provides a feeling of familiarity: 'classics with a twist.'

We discussed that in a saturated market, where everything under the sun has already been done, the one thing that differentiates one another, is the minute detailing. That being, when I saw these loafers (above), by Aubercy, they immediately stood out to me. Granted, some people would not appreciate this. But for someone like me who has seen 10 million different pairs of shoes is his life and purposefully looks at them, this would have just been another loafer (of a trillion) in calf and suede, had it not that the red stitching. But because it does have this contrasted stitching, it no longer is one of a trillion, it becomes one of one (or maybe 2 or 3 etc). It stands out and makes me stop and say, "now there is something different, something worth pausing to give a double-take."

And this is what I hope to do for all of you. To give you something that stands out, not in an loud or ostentatious way, but in a way that is discreet yet noticeable. A way that says that you, the wearer, appreciate your shoes and the small details in life, the little ones that make us stand out from the crowd....

Socks or No Socks: That's The Question.....

DO - This guy, has mastered wearing no socks with a dress-casual outfit

It has been awhile since I have done a controversial piece, yet as my moniker is 'The Shoe Snob,' and I do have quite strong feelings about many things within the shoe world, I felt that it was about time that I spoke my mind about something which needs speaking about. As is evident from the title, the date today (being Spring now) and the weather (depending on where you live), the subject at hand refers to whether or not socks are appropriate for certain outfits. Now, this will be very very subjective (for some) and will have some gray areas too, but I do feel that there are definitely certain outfits that men will wear --going sockless-- that without a doubt, should have been accompanied by covered ankles! But ever since Thom Browne, and a bunch mega-fashion trends, started sprouting about, you see more and more guys wearing suits (dress ones), with leather soled dress shoes and no socks....and sometimes, even those awfully short trousers, which bare more than just ankle.....and to me, this is simply just wrong....and not in the least elegant!

DON'T - Even though this guy looks incredibly cool to me, his outfit requires socks, as it is a bit dressy to be without them

Now this is not to say, that socks should always be worn, as there are times when the weather gets so blistering hot and one must let his feet feel comfortable without having to resort to flip-flops in the city, but there is a decency that should at least be kept, especially when wearing a suit (and shoes) that are intended for work-wear. That being, allow me to list some of my 'do's' and 'don'ts' for going sockless. Bare in mind, I am not saying that I like each outfit for my 'do' section or that I hate each outfit for my 'don't' only that I believe that the person in the picture, did either the right ('do') or wrong ('don't') thing in not wearing socks....

Do's - You really have to judge your outfit, from the trousers, to the shoes that you intend to wear to the upper part of it, such as a blazer vs. a sportcoat vs. a button-up shirt. To me, the culmination of all of these will determine whether or not wearing socks will be necessary. For instance, the guy a the top (and below, right) of the post is wearing everything that allows him to go sockless: tan shoes, loafers, khaki jeans, casual leather belt, casual button-up shirt and sportcoat in non-dressy color. And here are some others that pulled it off too.

Don'ts - The problem with a lot of the pictures that I am going to put below, is not that the people look all that bad (regarding their outfit coordination), it's just that the outfit are such that they require socks. For me, the lighter your clothes (in color and it cloth weight) the easier it is to go sockless, as the contrast between skin and clothing is not so strong (hence why it is considered sartorial blasphemy to wear white socks with dress clothes). This is where many of these people got it wrong. Wearing a sharp navy suit, with black shoes and not having any socks is just like a blinding light coming from your ankles, that to me just throws off the whole outfit and makes it so inelegant......

Side Note: You may look at the guy directly above (with the DB suit) and the guy directly below (right) and think that they are wearing pretty much the same thing, but the key difference is that one is wearing black shoes. For me, black shoes should never go sockless, as they are the most formal shoe there is, and going sockless is the most casual thing that you can do. It's a total contradiction, even if they are loafers or suede. It just doesn't go. Plus the guy below has his trousers just a bit too high for my taste.

The Border-liners - There are times when at first glance you may think, 'that person should be wearing socks.' But after re-assessing their outfit, you may come to understand that going sockless, albeit a bold decision, was in fact, okay. But each case will be different, and not everyone would be able to pull it off. You will notice below that one guy has a suit on and no socks. But his suit is casual. It has no crease in the trousers whatsoever, a very bold (and casual) check, no tie, and suede shoes. And because there are all of these things, him wearing no socks seems to work.

As a whole, I am not really a fan of going sockless (unless I am wearing shorts), but that does not mean that it is not okay. It is just one of those things that you will have to assess case by case. Certain people will be able to pull it off and still look cool (like the guy above) and certain people won't. But when trying too hard and doing so when dressed formally, looks just outright silly to me. Everything has it's place, and ankle showing while wearing a nice dress suit is just flat-out unacceptable, but everything else is up for interpretation....

Pictures Courtesy Of: The Sartorialist & The Fashionist

What I Am Wearing

The thing about me, is that I love blue, as you might know from previous posts, or as you might be able to tell by looking at this outfit. I mean, with the exception of the shoes, there is some form of blue in every other piece of my outfit. Some might find this excessive, but as I love it, it doesn't matter. Now what I am getting at, is that I think that a dark brown suede loafer, is just about one of the nicest pairings that you can conjure up with blue attire (just outside of burgundy shoes!). And while I don't wear these loafers as often as I should (maybe due to not wanting to ruin them), I do find myself always drawn to suede loafers when looking into shoe stores. We actually have a pair at G&H, in the Cleverley butterly loafer design, that I absolutely love, but thankfully (as I don't need more shoes or to spend any money) they don't stock my size. Nevertheless, if you are like me and love the color blue in your wardrobe, then a dark brown suede loafer is something that you should also look to own, because it will take you a long way.

Shoes: Ferragamo Tremezza line
Jacket: Burberry
Scarf: Vintage
Waistcoat: Vintage
Shirt: Some Neapolitan brand
Tie: Robert Talbott Best of Class line

The eBay Experience

I have never been someone who has had a whole lot of patience, unfortunate as that may be. This downfall has prohibited me from taking part in many things...like learning how to actually hit the ball in golf, reading a book past the first 10 pages (it better grab me), and last but not least, taking advantage of the wonderful creation called eBay. Some things are obviously more important than others, in terms of helping my intelligence (like the reading bit, that would help me write and speak better) but none could have probably saved me more money than, being a smart eBay shopper could have. I mean, I have wasted tons of money in my life from things that I bought, and then never wore or wore just once or twice and then gave away. It hurts to think of that sunk cost that I cannot regain.....But let's now dwell and move back on to the subject.....I can't even begin to imagine how many amazing products have been sold on eBay for next to nothing: millions. And to think that I have missed out on all of them! But, apparently I have reader that has done the opposite of myself and has completely taken advantage of this brilliant creation and by doing so, has acquired around 75 of his 150 pairs of shoes. (Makes me look like a chump!) And by doing this, not only has he been able to purchase very nice, high-end shoes, but has also probably been able to save tens of thousands of dollars, which I am sure has helped him buy more clothing! :-)

What's most amazing about this, is the eclectic array of shoes that my reader now owns. I mean, it ranges from those Florsheim looking cream slip-ons (which for me don't match the vibe of the others) to the most amazing suede Lobbs. But that's what happens when you have the ability to get a shoe for $20-$30. At that price, you just might buy anything. It's like when I used to work in retail, made loads of money for a 22 year-old, and had a discount. I frickin' bought everything, even things that I hated after one wear. It was stupid....but that's what happens when things are too cheap to pass up, which is why eBay is brilliant. Someone literally came up with the idea to have people pretty much swap crap that they don't want and then the company makes loads of money from fee's. Simply amazing! And while it sounds like the owners of eBay are having all of the fun, its actually people like my reader who (if they are diligent enough) are able to profit off of this concept and build a wardrobe (or whatever product they are after) on basement bargains!

Some of the shoes that he has gotten are simply beautiful. The suede Lobbs (above) are most likely my favorite, just because I love the uniqueness of the design, so French, yet so elegant! Next up, must be the Berluti wholecuts in a pebble grain. It's funny because I have never seen that before, nor have I even thought of it, but to me, it looks brilliant. It's the only way to tone down the dressiness of the whole cut, and make it a bit more casual. Great idea! And last, but certainly not least, are those yellowish/tan Bontoni wholecuts with brogueing. Those are simply beautiful! And for those 3 shoes, that probably retail upwards of about $4000, it would not surprise me if he got them for about 1/4 of that price. How can you beat that? You can't really and that's why the eBay experience is so genius. I tip my hat to the owners and to those (such as this reader who owns all of these amazing shoes) whom have actually been patient enough to take advantage of the sheer brilliance in trading crap for bottom dollar prices!

Some More J. FitzPatrick Prototypes....!

Dear Readers,

I have finally received the rest of my prototypes, adjusted up to this point, and am feeling a whole lot better about the way that my line is taking shape. At this moment, the shoes are finally done with all of the pattern adjustments, which takes up the majority of the prototype work. Now, I just have to finalize the minute details like lining & sole colors, perfecting the medallion (placing on shoe and style), making sure that the shoes (patterns) are consistent with one another (when using the same pattern on two different lasts) and have them wear tested by a trusted expert who can give me constructive feedback on fit and comfort. I assume that I will need to take one more trip to my factory, sort out the rest of the work and have them re-made one more time for the final prototypes to become complete. I am thinking (best case scenario) that this will be sometime in May/June that I will receive them back. At that point, I can't say whether or not my shoes will be ready for A/W 2012 release. I guess that it will depend on who takes them and how fast we can sort the business stuff out. Nevertheless, please know that I am doing everything that I can to make sure that the shoes come out quickly, but that the shoes are also going to look good and hold the integrity of the price that they will be selling at.

(Toe shape more accurate looking to picture on right)

When looking at the pictures, try to bear in mind that I took these very fast (just to show all of you) and right after they came out of the shipping box. So, if they look a little rough around the edges, that's because they are, as I did not do anything to enhance their look, especially as they are all just prototypes that will not be apart of my true finalized samples. At this point, I have shown you just a little over half of the collection, and mostly all of the straight forward stuff. There are still about 6 styles that I am going to leave until the prototypes are completely finalized. I do this first and foremost, because I would like to leave a bit of excitement and anticipation in the air and partly because I do not wish to release all of my ideas to some of the people that read this blog (i.e. other shoe brands, designers etc.) before they are ready to be released to the world. Just so that you know, allow me to go over what I have showed you and what will be left for later.

What I have shown you: Cap toe oxford, saddle oxford brogue, penny loafer, chukka boot (in pointy last), plain toe quarter brogue with medallion (in black leather on pointy last and suede version on round last), Prince Albert wholecut loafer and derby with piping.

What I haven't shown you: Balmoral boot, double monk strap, chukka boot (in round last with heavy sole), derby without piping, oxford saddle shoe, oxford wholecut with brogueing, and jodhpur boot.

What I am hoping from all of you, as I want to involve you in this whole process, is to start thinking about the models that I have showed you and to give me your thoughts on what colors you would love to see them in. When the prototypes are all finalized, I will put them up for a week or so, in order to let all of you give your top picks for color options. But, as a way to get that process going now, in order to speed things up, I would be more than happy to have you list them in the comments section below. Bare in mind that I will have to look at all of the comments and make a decision based on what is most feasible, sellable and popular.

For the derby shoe below, I am still very unsure about the piping that I originally thought would look good. I know that it is not for the common individual, but thought that it would pose as something fun for the shoe lover that wants something a bit different. Obviously, this derby will also come without the piping, but when making prototypes, I believe that you should make the craziest things first to know what they look like. It's easy to imagine it without the piping but would be difficult to understand how it looks with it, without having seen it. So please, tell me what you all think. If I keep it in the collection, it will most likely be a one-off anyway.

I hope that all of you are enjoying watching the progress of my shoe line, as it unfolds and are also enjoying the product that I have created thus far. Do know that there is still more to come, some fun stuff too, the stuff that you would expect to see from me, after all this time of talking about colors, details etc... But I want to save it until later so you will just have to trust that it is there...

Thanks to everyone who has supported me and who eagerly awaits the release of my shoe line...

Best,

Justin, "The Shoe Snob"