More Spring Essentials - Sperry Topsider

Sperry Topsider is an iconic piece of footwear and has been worn by generations of men on sailboat or by men who wanted people to think they had a sailboat. Due to this Sperry Topsider is synonymous with summer, the beach, boats and sailing, excess money, stylish blokes and everything that comes with that lifestyle. At least that is the heritage of this iconic shoe.

Now, new versions of the shoe are available with slight changes to it's historical roots, but it still represents the same ideals and it still has the same classical style.  Ever brand from J Crew to Band of Outsiders is taking a stab at redefining the boat shoe. While some of the new iterations are quite modern and stylish, there is still something romantic about a pair of weather beaten, salt water soaked, wind whipped Topsiders.  J Crew's version of the Topsider is distressed to simulate this stylish look.  At Modern Dignified we opt for the natural wear and tear of Topsiders, since this is more unique and authentic.   (To speed up the process spend a day at the beach in the Topsiders, wearing them in the water and letting them dry out in the sun. Add a couple of similar trips and the shoes will have accelerated wear and tear).

 

Band of Outsiders opt for a more colorful suede version of the Topsiders.  They also are infatuated with making Topsiders into Chukka boots.  They come in a mixture of colors and textures, but still keeping the iconic nature at the heart.

Sperry has also re-designed a few versions of the Topsiders, including a tieless, slip-on version of the shoe. This version comes in various shades  of brown suede, but unfortunately does not come in the color navy. At Modern Dignified we feel that Navy Topsiders are the optimal color choice. Classic, different than any other shoe in the closet, distinguished and slightly arrogant in the same way as a pink shirt and seersucker suit or a pair of bright F*** You pants, the Topsiders have a little bit of everything.

While it is hard to make a bad choice when it comes to a pair of Topsiders, we prefer the classic Navy, which by the end of July will have worn in look that we desire.  Keep it classic and rock the Topsiders.

Kicks with clean lines

Having clean lines in your kicks or trainers if you want the shoe to be versatile.  A trainer with clean lines can be worn with jeans, shorts, a suit, dressed up or dressed down.  The simpler and cleaner the lines the more useful the shoes become.

Vans has learned this with their new chukka boot.  It has devilishly simple lines, no embellishments and comes in a universal light gray, which they call off-white.  The shoes are sold online through Urban Outfitters, for $65 a pair.

With simple, stylish shoes it will support and compliment the remaining outfit.  The same shoes are sold in all black on the vans website for $55.  We at Modern Dignified prefer the more useful off-white, but black is certainly a nice second choice.

Think clean lines.

How to Properly Shine your Shoes

Every pair of shoes needs some tender loving care to stay nice for years.  A good dress shoe can look good and last for decades, if taken care of properly.  It is common for men to have shoes for 30 or more years as long as they are polished and resoled as needed.  Due to such longevity, good dress shoes are the best investment a man can make in his wardrobe.

The more care and time taken at each step the better the shoes will look.  While a polish needs not take longer than 20-30 minutes the care some men desire to give a project can take it considerably longer.  Personally, I feel there is a therapeutic relaxation to polishing shoes.  While there are many debated techniques we at Modern Dignified feel the proper shoe care technique is quite simple, assuming you have the proper equipment.

The proper equipment can be bought in kits online like the one sold at Florsheim.  Or these items can picked up individually at any shoe store of quality.  Needed is shoe polish, the right color for the shoes.  A horse hair brush and a buffer cloth for polishing the shoes.   A liquid shoe polish for the edges.  As well as an old undershirt for applying the shoe polish.  At Modern Dignified we prefer shoe wax, commonly sold.  When working with shoe wax, hot water will be needed for best results.

Step #1: Clean the shoe - The shoe will need to be cleaned of any dirt or dust with the old shirt.  Do not use water on this step.  If the shoes are extremely dirty use saddle soap on the shoes.  If the shoes are receiving regular maintenance then a good rubdown with a cloth will do the trick.


Step #2: Polish the shoe - The best method is to wrap the cloth around two fingers and then dip the fingers into the hot water.  Then use the two fingers wrapped in the damp cloth to load up on shoe wax.  Take the shoe wax (Kiwi Shoe Polish is a wax) and apply it to the shoes in small circular motions.  Start the small circular motions at the heel of the shoe moving forward. 

This is the step that can take the longest time, depending on the desired effect.  The shoes will reach a deeper shine and polish the more time taken to ensure the leather has fully taken the polish.  Continued circles until nearly shiny will do the trick.  With regular use this step needs to only be done once.  But for badly maintained shoes, the process should be repeated twice.


Step #3: Buff the shoe - After letting the shoe dry for about ten minutes, usually the time taken to do the second shoe in the pair, the polish needs to be buffed.  Just like a car, the excess wax will need to be removed from the shoe.  Unlike a car wax job, the initial treatment works most of the wax into the leather leaving only a little residue to be buffed off the shoe.

Take the horse hair brush and vigorously brush the shoe.  This buffing should be done to all areas of the shoe, until it is shiny and all evidence of the original circular polish is removed.  At this time the clean buffer cloth is used to further enrich the shine.  Rub the buffer cloth on the shoe in a back and forth motion.  Continue until the shoes reach desired shine.


Step #4: Edge and Enjoy - Finish off the polish job by edging the shoe.  Let it dry and then enjoy the finished project.  A job that you can be proud of.

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.