Suede. It’s cool. It’s sophisticated and it’s starting to fill up my closet.
Suede has always had a certain mystique surrounding it. Suede makes the wearer feel a certain kind of way. It’s style has that certain something.
I think the first time I took notice of suede was the Beatles’ donning their suede jackets on the 1965 album cover for Rubber Soul.
And not only did “The King” sing about keeping off his Blue Suede Shoes (Elvis obviously knew all too well the difficulty with cleaning suede) but he also knew that if you wanna land a sex kitten, you do it wearing black suede Chelsea boots.
Now I’m never going to start a cultural (you say you wanna) revolution like the Beatles did. Nor am I ever gonna land Ann-Margret like Elvis did (and if Mrs. Gold is reading this, you’re the only fiery red-head this ‘ol guy is ever gonna need or want). She’s still adorable.
But what I can have is that unmistakable feeling when you put on a pair of suede shoes. That cool, sophisticated and, at times, decadent, feeling of….suede.
Over the last few months, after delving into desert/chukka boots and Wallabee/Tyrolean-type shoes, my closet has seen a recent influx of suede.
Prior to obtaining these recent acquisitions, I only had two pair of suede shoes and they are both from Allen-Edmonds (and still the only A-E shoes I’ve ever owned). The lasts of their dressier, business-type shoes just never felt right on my feet.
The first pair is the now discontinued “Orlean” which was their version of the dirty buck.
Now you may think that the dirty (or white) buck is more Pat Boone than Elvis Presley but they both wore them.
The second pair is the also-discontinued “Cole” Loafer from Allen-Edmonds which is done in a decadent chocolate suede. I like to wear them with a pair of white (or cream) colored tube sock and a pair of chinos.
That look, for me, was inspired by Dino, although I think he was more inclined to wear leather penny loafers and preferred suede Chelsea boots or velvet slippers.
Nevertheless, a great, Ivy-inspired look from the “King of Cool”.
Next we move to the suede desert boot. Although there are many options that must begin with Clark’s Desert Boot (CDB) as the most recognizable desert boot, I opted for the “Greenflex” by Astorflex.
There’s just something about suede desert boots that gives me an easy, carefree feeling. It’s an intangible that I think is just tied to the lore that surrounds this classic chukka.
And McQueen looks pretty carefree and easy wearing his desert boots cruising around on his Triumph Bonneville.
This ends Part I.
Feel free to enter your own suede faves and tell us perhaps what inspired you to acquire them.
Suede has always had a certain mystique surrounding it. Suede makes the wearer feel a certain kind of way. It’s style has that certain something.
I think the first time I took notice of suede was the Beatles’ donning their suede jackets on the 1965 album cover for Rubber Soul.
And not only did “The King” sing about keeping off his Blue Suede Shoes (Elvis obviously knew all too well the difficulty with cleaning suede) but he also knew that if you wanna land a sex kitten, you do it wearing black suede Chelsea boots.
Now I’m never going to start a cultural (you say you wanna) revolution like the Beatles did. Nor am I ever gonna land Ann-Margret like Elvis did (and if Mrs. Gold is reading this, you’re the only fiery red-head this ‘ol guy is ever gonna need or want). She’s still adorable.
But what I can have is that unmistakable feeling when you put on a pair of suede shoes. That cool, sophisticated and, at times, decadent, feeling of….suede.
Over the last few months, after delving into desert/chukka boots and Wallabee/Tyrolean-type shoes, my closet has seen a recent influx of suede.
Prior to obtaining these recent acquisitions, I only had two pair of suede shoes and they are both from Allen-Edmonds (and still the only A-E shoes I’ve ever owned). The lasts of their dressier, business-type shoes just never felt right on my feet.
The first pair is the now discontinued “Orlean” which was their version of the dirty buck.
Now you may think that the dirty (or white) buck is more Pat Boone than Elvis Presley but they both wore them.
The second pair is the also-discontinued “Cole” Loafer from Allen-Edmonds which is done in a decadent chocolate suede. I like to wear them with a pair of white (or cream) colored tube sock and a pair of chinos.
That look, for me, was inspired by Dino, although I think he was more inclined to wear leather penny loafers and preferred suede Chelsea boots or velvet slippers.
Nevertheless, a great, Ivy-inspired look from the “King of Cool”.
Next we move to the suede desert boot. Although there are many options that must begin with Clark’s Desert Boot (CDB) as the most recognizable desert boot, I opted for the “Greenflex” by Astorflex.
There’s just something about suede desert boots that gives me an easy, carefree feeling. It’s an intangible that I think is just tied to the lore that surrounds this classic chukka.
And McQueen looks pretty carefree and easy wearing his desert boots cruising around on his Triumph Bonneville.
This ends Part I.
Feel free to enter your own suede faves and tell us perhaps what inspired you to acquire them.
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