Timberland Steps It Up

As an attempt to not miss the party, which is stylish and fashionable clothes, Timberland has decided to make some shoes that widen their appeal. Timberland under the brand name Timberland Boot Company has decided to make some shoes that not only standup to what any brand offers but actually surpass many.

Timberland has released an Oxford shoe and a Chukka Boot. While the Oxford has appeal, it is the chukka offering that stands out. Presented in a brown and black leather with a slightly distressed look the shoe looks like it has been worn for years. It delivers a refined look without being stuffy or pretentious. Exactly what we look for in a boot.

While his boot would be perfect for jeans, it could really set off a nice flannel or corduroy suit in the fall months.

Florsheim by Duckie Brown

There a lot of classic brands doing collaborations with top designers recently.  LL Bean has teamed up with Alex Carleton of Rogues Gallery, J Crew has teamed with Mister Freedom, Sperry has teamed up with Band of Outsiders and Florsheim has teamed with Duckie Brown.

The new grouping of shoes labeled the obvious, Florsheim by Duckie Brown, are an alternative and hipster version of the classic dress shoe.  Some versions of the Duckie Brown shoes are quite exclusively designed, like the bright yellow wingtips and bright aqua blue suede shoes.  Really where are you going to wear those shoes?  While other versions of the shoes are stylish and quite wearable.

Duckie Brown takes a classic looking wingtip shoe, removes the laces and turns them into slip-ons.  It is a unique and different way to wear a classic shoe.  Due to the lack of laces and attractive design this is a shoe that we at Modern Dignified feel like would work well with jeans.  Especially since they come in colors ranging from gray to light brown.

Another quite wearable version of the collaboration is the canvas and leather wingtip combination shoes.  This design accents the wingtip design while keeping the shoe interesting and modern.

To help survive the summer heat, Duckie Brown created a classic looking shoe made out of perforated leather to keep the shoe breathable.  This provides a unique texture to the shoes.

Another interesting version is the metal studded oxfords.  These studded shoes walk the line between classic oxfords and punk rock boots.  These shoes have such beautiful and classic lines that these would look good with a suit or jeans, assuming it is not worn at a conservative event.

The Florsheim by Duckie Brown wingtips in oxfords and bluchers are quite attractive.  Classically designed with modern accents.  We at Modern Dignified would recommend staying away from the dark green and light blue versions of the shoes.  We also feel that the wingtip boots are stylish and practical.

All and all Duckie Brown and Florsheim's collaboration has some great shoes, just stay away from the odd colors and aggressive designs.  Let someone else be the one wearing the star spangled banner boot.

Spring Essentials - Alden & J Crew Shoe

The best shoe of the spring is the Alden wingtip in tobacco coloring.  It is the best color to encapsulate spring, since it is light, colorful and classic.  It will go with any color in the closet and help make an outfit sing.  Naturally it goes well with blues, tans, light colors and jeans, but I personally think the best look for this shoe might be with a gray suit.  The unexpected pop of color on the feet with a gray suit would be unmistakably stylish. 

Alden is renowned for being one of the best shoe manufacturers in the world.  To see them teaming up with J Crew is a nice combination, especially when they come out with a classic hit such as these.  The tobacco colored Alden wingtip is only sold at J Crew for $440.

If this Spring's fashions are as cool as this shoe, we are in for a treat.

J. Crew 2010 Spring Collection

J. Crew in my opinion is the one of the best brands for presenting Sprezzatura style.  Thanks to Frank Muytjens, J. Crew has created a very uniform style over the last few years.  Especially in the last year or so.  I feel that the brand represents the modern male fashion, preppy, tailored, sprezzatura, elegant, classic, cool while not being try hard.  They seem to be blazing the trail, while the other brands are trying to keep up with their brand representation.  I personally love the look and find quite a bit of inspiration in it.

Here is how J. Crew sees the 2010 Spring/Summer.

Navy Suit - The most classic suit in the classic American wardrobe, a navy suit.  This is a lighter navy, which makes it stand-out from the crowd.  It also prevents it from being misdiagnosed as a black suit.  It has a modern slim fit without looking ridiculous.  It also has the appropriate level of Sprezzatura: no socks, chambray shirt, slightly rolled cuff.  It also has the appropriate level of classic elements: rounded toe wingtips, pocket square and navy suit.  A great outfit.

This outfit looks like something worn by a Kennedy on Holiday in Cape Cod.  Classic sunglasses, Sperry Topsiders, chinos and a button-down.  A very casual cool weekend uniform.

The best part of this outfit is the tan shoes.  I prefer the shoes to be oxfords and not bluchers, but I do like the bulk of the blucher, especially for a casual outfit.  I also like the tie for this outfit is light colored and almost gets lost in the outfit.  It is very Sprezzatura to wear the tie lose with a tie bar, very cool.

Tan suede desert boots, slim straight destructed jeans and a red chambray shirt.  It doesn't get much more casual than this outfit, yet due to the color and textures it is still stylish.  This outfit is appropriate for errands on a Sunday, but can still be worn on a casual date.

This is my favorite outfit of the J. Crew collection.  This outfit would be cool in 50s or 60s or today.  The outfit is a great representation of the American style while not looking cliche or overplayed.  The green jacket with red plaid lining is a standout piece, without being over whelming.  The blue shirt, gray sweater and chinos is classic and stylish and cool.  The washed chinos make it sprezzatura and the slim lines make it modern.  Also, the outfit is much more casual with the shoes, a more formal.

Chino suits are great for the summer, so are topsiders.  The combination is classic and contradictory, a good thing for any outfit.  I would lose the bow tie though.

Nice weekender bag, it looks like his father owned it, exactly the right look.  A denim shirt and denim jeans can look horrible and the epitome of style, but due to the shoes, the Sprezzatura way the shirt is haphazardly worn and tucked in and the slim fit jeans, the outfit looks modern.

Who doesn't like a sweater with shorts?  I always love a gray undershirt, that look never gets old.  Throw on topsiders and the outfit is complete.  I would lose the ugly ass big bag though.  For the love of all that is manly, leave the purse carrying to the women.

Shawl collar cardigan fantastically classic and modern.  It is a look that never leaves the closet of the stylish but is now being added to the closet of the fashionable.  I still think you should wear it, I know Steve McQueen did.  The chambray shirt adds depth to the outfit.  Also, shorts with desert boots is the sartorial contradiction that is both modern and Sprezzatura, it is completely unexpected and appropriate.

In this photo I really dig the white blazer.  It is a look that is perfect for the Spring/Summer.  Make the blazer a shawl collar, slim fit and washed, and no one will think you just walked out of Saturday Night Fever.  I also appreciate the chino suit jacket paired with the navy suit pants, it is a nice color combination.

The blue chino slim fit pants in this picture (on the left) are great.  The color and the fit make them enormously useful.  They go with almost any color in a closet and make an outfit standout.  All that while still being classic and not standing out and making you look like a jackass.

Here is a close-up of the chambray shirt.  It is an interesting shirt a good color and has depth since it has multiple levels of blue in the fabric.  The tab color also makes it more interesting than the standard shirt.  The military green belt is also a great touch.  It is rugged and aggressive but also very stylish, especially when worn with a nice pair of chinos.

Could you add any more colors or patterns?  Probably not, but the outfit still works.  This is the ultimate Sprezzatura, it looks like he dressed himself in the dark, yet still "luckily" got it right.  This is modern fashion at its best, unexpected, daring, classic and incredibly interesting.

J. Crew inpires me.  Good job Frank Muytjens.  By the way, Frank Muytjens personal style is also quite interesting.  The shoes and purple socks are fantastic.  I love that the socks match nothing on the outfit.

Wear Round Toed Shoes

With Men's shoes there are three types available: Round Toe, Square Toe & Pointed Toe.  Stick with buying only Round Toe Shoes, they are real the only type of shoe that is acceptable. 

Round Toe Shoes -

Round Toe Shoes are really the only type of shoes a man should wear.  They are classic and attractive, accentuating the shape and size of the foot.  Whether the shoe is a casual shoe, a boot or a dress shoe, it is always safest to stick with the round toe shoes.

Square Toe Shoes -

Men can wear square toe shoes, but it is not recommended.  Square toe shoes shot to popularity in the early '90s and have since gone out of style, yet they still seem to be made by shoe makers everywhere.  The square toe shoes are chunky and ineffective at minimizing the shape and size of the foot.  Shoes should accentuate the foot, yet the square toe actually adds unnecessary size to the foot.

Pointed Toe Shoe -

Pointed shoe toes should never be considered as an option for any man.  I could speak on all of the disadvantages of wearing pointed toe shoes, including making the wearer look like a douchebag and a try-hard, but I prefer to let another writers assessment of pointed toe shoes stand as the only critique needed.  Nicholas Antongiavanni author of The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style simply stated the "Pointed toes are for women".