Heard many times that a really nice suit with cheap shoes deflates the suits quality. Quality shoes with an average suit will elevate the suit above its price point.
Interesting to hear that you have several pairs of the Oxfords you were issued by the Air Force. One of my regrets is not hanging onto mine. I was in the Canadian Army in the 1980s and was issued a pair of black Oxfords. We hated them; they were always associated with officers or clerical people, not for us combat types. I never wore mine after basic training and gave them up when I departed the Armed Forces. I never paid much attention to the details at the time, but I assume they were probably quite good quality shoes. I had to buy black Oxfords when I began to become more aware of men’s style a couple years ago.
Interesting video as always. All my formal shoes are second hand and actually from much lower priced brands, always goodyear welted but not usually full grain leather. I do not wear them every day and therefore i am confident with regular maintenance and sole gentle looking after they will last many years. In a world of sneakers the John White owner can be king.
OG here, who also served in the military (U.S. Marine Corps); follow all of Chap’s recommendations and tips! Signed, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Retired) and now an extremely humble, good looking, and well dressed marketing executive 😊
Crockett and jones also now have the ‘City Sole’ an even slicker rubber sole that visually from the side is invisible to the eye. Very versatile in the wet but still looks formal. A happy go between.
I have a pair of Sanders officer boots and a pair of pebble leather brogues Both excellent quality. The brogues after a few years developed a fault and I emailed Sanders and they asked me to send them on They returned them re-soled heeled and with new laces free of charge. You can not get better service than that.
Sound advice regarding sole materials, Ash. I have leather, danite, commando, and thin rubber added over leather by my cobbler. Something I've noticed recently from many manufacturers is the option to have commando soles on everything, from sneakers to captoe oxfords. I think this is something that will be thought of as a fashion 'miss' of the 2020s in years to come!
It may be worth remembering, second hand can be a good way in to shoes. I bought my loak 1880 brouge shoes/ boots unused, they cost me a fraction of the price id have paid in the shop. Often people get things as gifts and move them on, or they dont fit ect. There honestly is no shame in buying second hand or as new.
Had a great day in Northampton outlet stores crocket & jones and trickers.i purchased a pair of trickers stow zug grain brown boots retail price £600 I paid £370 once walked in really comfortable and they look real quality.
Im surrounded by men who don’t polish & look after there shoes , I find it very disrespectful to how individuals dress. Polishing shoes is a very nice way to relax, first rule when dressing the shoes are the starting point, excellent video 🎉
My two main relaxing jobs on a Friday afternoon after the working week is cleaning and polishing shoes and boots or the car, daylight and weather permitting, Bliss.
Good video. Agree that Danite is better for all weather. But I have never found that Danite lasts longer than a quality leather sole. They wear out at about the same rate for me. BTW my favorite brand for quality shoes at a fair price is Grant Stone. But they are mail order only, which is more complicated, even though the return policy is good.
I recently sold all my leather shoes (not that many, and they were not quite the right size or an unsuitable last shape) and bought two pairs from C&J, one black Oxford and one loafer in dark brown cordovan. Love the shoes for their fit, style and quality. My advice, in addition to Ash's, would be try many shoes on from different shoemakers and try to get shoes that fit your feet very well. There's quite a lot of variation between last shapes, it's not just shoe size and width fitting. The right fit will really make the shoe feel comfortable and special.
I’ve always purchased leather soled dress shoes. Based on some of the examples in your other videos I picked up a pair of Allen Edmund’s with the danite sole. I’ll likely stick with danite going forward for the reasons you’ve highlighted here. Great video as always!
Thank you for your first answer. I've always used saddle soap to clean soiled leather. Now I watched tutorials about shoe care, and people keep talking about shoe shampoo. Yet another product I'm told to need? Obviously not 👍 I'm not a big fan of mirror shine - the result I get out of regular polish is great, so it seems I'm all set. Don't need wax either.
For cleaning dirt off of shoes, I recommend a boar bristle brush. The hair is much coarser than a horse hair & easier to get dirt off with. Horse hair is only good for buffing a shine. I'm still debating on whether I need shoe polish if I already have shoe polish cream when I'm going to do the toe & heal with parade gloss polish anyway 🤔
Be good to hear your thoughts on dealing with all the grit and salt on the pavements this time of year and how to protect and clean your shoes from this.
@@gubrathwatches That got me thinking: What happened to galoshes? And how did people store them at an event, back in the day? Hand them to the cloakroom attendants?
If someone looking for shoes to start a collection and they are located in North America, I would suggest checking out Thursday Boot Company (I say North America because I have no idea what their availability is in the rest of the world). I bought a pair of black cap-toe Oxfords and several pairs of boots, and have found them to be very good quality for the price. I’d be interested in seeing Ash do a review of them if possible.
Many thanks for addressing my question Ash I really appreciate it Your advice is greatly appreciated Save the leather soles for cruises then! Rubber for everyday out and about. Always good to listen to you Merry Christmas Can us bachelors expect new videos over the festive season by way of some good company Cheers Ash
As I'm a senior gent , I'd like to hear your thoughts on what to wear with green or maroon coloured chino's . Not just shoes or boots , but the whole ensemble, in a casual situation. Whats your thoughts on small 'turn ups' on chino's too?
i rarely ware my oxfords , well since the time i wear low shoes is , from march to June , and September to October , and on my day to day i don t need dress that formal , more ofthen i will wear a derby or derby broge , and from November to February will wear boots , and all my shoes are around 100euro ,
Following one of your previous videos, I spent £95 on a pair of Dents leather gloves, a lot of money for me. Having bought into this storied British artisan glove-maker, what a disappointment to discover they're made in the Philippines. Looks like £95 is considered too small a budget to be worth making in Britain. Obviously, I don't blame you, but I feel conned.
May I ask what jacket you are wearing in this video? Also I’m always curious what your whole outfit looks like. If others are interested, would you be willing to show your outfits to give us all some ideas/inspiration?
Hey Ash, I missed this Q&A, but maybe on the next one you could answer this question. What is your thought about AskOkey and his rules lol, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable answering that but at least I do want to know one particular rule of his many. He says that brown, burgundy or any other shoe color are not to be worn after 6pm at night, only black shoes? I never knew that but is that true?
Some good advices here! Yet I would say there is no need to spend such money on a pair of a good shoes. Especially if that is to be the first pair of a good quality shoes/boots. Nowadays, in the era of eBay and Vinted, we can grab a really good bargain if we look for second hand products. And no, second hand doesn't mean worn, sweaty, stinky pair of falling apart boots. Lots of people overspend on quality shoes and then don't wear them as this goes against their everyday style. Others buy these due to a special occasions like weddings etc. and again... after that one occasion doesn't wear them. Then we have people who found the sizing is not correct, which wasn't so obvious during first days of wearing shoes. Also, we have now people called influencers, who buy or get some beautiful footwear from manufacturers so they can wear it for a recording/photoshoot. And they often re-sell these for a much lower price. So yes, an entry price into good quality footwear can be much lower if instead of money we spend some time for research.
Heard many times that a really nice suit with cheap shoes deflates the suits quality. Quality shoes with an average suit will elevate the suit above its price point.
Interesting to hear that you have several pairs of the Oxfords you were issued by the Air Force. One of my regrets is not hanging onto mine. I was in the Canadian Army in the 1980s and was issued a pair of black Oxfords. We hated them; they were always associated with officers or clerical people, not for us combat types. I never wore mine after basic training and gave them up when I departed the Armed Forces. I never paid much attention to the details at the time, but I assume they were probably quite good quality shoes. I had to buy black Oxfords when I began to become more aware of men’s style a couple years ago.
Interesting video as always. All my formal shoes are second hand and actually from much lower priced brands, always goodyear welted but not usually full grain leather. I do not wear them every day and therefore i am confident with regular maintenance and sole gentle looking after they will last many years.
In a world of sneakers the John White owner can be king.
OG here, who also served in the military (U.S. Marine Corps); follow all of Chap’s recommendations and tips! Signed, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Retired) and now an extremely humble, good looking, and well dressed marketing executive 😊
I think a vid on shoe colors would be very valuable.
Crockett and jones also now have the ‘City Sole’ an even slicker rubber sole that visually from the side is invisible to the eye. Very versatile in the wet but still looks formal. A happy go between.
Always wait for these shoes and boots videos Ash ……. Would love to see more of em
Thanks
For shoes that fit into a budget, keep an eye out for clearances. I recently picked up a pair of boots for only $60 that normally sold for over $300.
I have a pair of Sanders officer boots and a pair of pebble leather brogues Both excellent quality. The brogues after a few years developed a fault and I emailed Sanders and they asked me to send them on They returned them re-soled heeled and with new laces free of charge.
You can not get better service than that.
Sound advice regarding sole materials, Ash. I have leather, danite, commando, and thin rubber added over leather by my cobbler.
Something I've noticed recently from many manufacturers is the option to have commando soles on everything, from sneakers to captoe oxfords. I think this is something that will be thought of as a fashion 'miss' of the 2020s in years to come!
It may be worth remembering, second hand can be a good way in to shoes. I bought my loak 1880 brouge shoes/ boots unused, they cost me a fraction of the price id have paid in the shop. Often people get things as gifts and move them on, or they dont fit ect. There honestly is no shame in buying second hand or as new.
Had a great day in Northampton outlet stores crocket & jones and trickers.i purchased a pair of trickers stow zug grain brown boots retail price £600 I paid £370 once walked in really comfortable and they look real quality.
That is awesome!
Love the jacket, Ash!! Great content as always; very well articulated.
Great advice Ash. Ron
Thanks for the response in the video!
Im surrounded by men who don’t polish & look after there shoes , I find it very disrespectful to how individuals dress. Polishing shoes is a very nice way to relax, first rule when dressing the shoes are the starting point, excellent video 🎉
My two main relaxing jobs on a Friday afternoon after the working week is cleaning and polishing shoes and boots or the car, daylight and weather permitting, Bliss.
Sanders shoes are great. i have a pair of their arche suede derby/desert shoe and they are fantastic for the spring and summer.
Good video. Agree that Danite is better for all weather. But I have never found that Danite lasts longer than a quality leather sole. They wear out at about the same rate for me. BTW my favorite brand for quality shoes at a fair price is Grant Stone. But they are mail order only, which is more complicated, even though the return policy is good.
I recently sold all my leather shoes (not that many, and they were not quite the right size or an unsuitable last shape) and bought two pairs from C&J, one black Oxford and one loafer in dark brown cordovan. Love the shoes for their fit, style and quality. My advice, in addition to Ash's, would be try many shoes on from different shoemakers and try to get shoes that fit your feet very well. There's quite a lot of variation between last shapes, it's not just shoe size and width fitting. The right fit will really make the shoe feel comfortable and special.
Huge fan of Sanders. Their Diplomats are perfect chelsea boots
I’ve always purchased leather soled dress shoes. Based on some of the examples in your other videos I picked up a pair of Allen Edmund’s with the danite sole. I’ll likely stick with danite going forward for the reasons you’ve highlighted here. Great video as always!
I have a pair of full WTB boots by Clark's. They're very versatile.
Thank you for your first answer. I've always used saddle soap to clean soiled leather. Now I watched tutorials about shoe care, and people keep talking about shoe shampoo. Yet another product I'm told to need? Obviously not 👍
I'm not a big fan of mirror shine - the result I get out of regular polish is great, so it seems I'm all set. Don't need wax either.
For cleaning dirt off of shoes, I recommend a boar bristle brush. The hair is much coarser than a horse hair & easier to get dirt off with. Horse hair is only good for buffing a shine. I'm still debating on whether I need shoe polish if I already have shoe polish cream when I'm going to do the toe & heal with parade gloss polish anyway 🤔
Excellent. Thank you.
I would recommend black cap toe Oxford and mid brown/burgundy penny loafers
Be good to hear your thoughts on dealing with all the grit and salt on the pavements this time of year and how to protect and clean your shoes from this.
@@gubrathwatches That got me thinking: What happened to galoshes? And how did people store them at an event, back in the day? Hand them to the cloakroom attendants?
If someone looking for shoes to start a collection and they are located in North America, I would suggest checking out Thursday Boot Company (I say North America because I have no idea what their availability is in the rest of the world). I bought a pair of black cap-toe Oxfords and several pairs of boots, and have found them to be very good quality for the price. I’d be interested in seeing Ash do a review of them if possible.
Every UA-camr receives money to review their boots..Ash should get some too then 😂
I use sugar soap to wash old shoes it works very well on old crusty shoes😊
Makes sense! Removes all soiling, but sugar won't do too much damage to skin :) that is a great idea for when things get serious.
I can see that for new comers into the world of dressier footwear loafers could be a much more versatile proposition.
Many thanks for addressing my question Ash
I really appreciate it
Your advice is greatly appreciated
Save the leather soles for cruises then!
Rubber for everyday out and about.
Always good to listen to you
Merry Christmas
Can us bachelors expect new videos over the festive season by way of some good company
Cheers Ash
Extra content coming over the festive period as usual
Sanders do have one shop - behind John Lewis in Oxford Street. On Wimpole Street. Officially called Sanders x John Rushton.
In USA Meermin, Acemarks. Good price/value ratio.
As I'm a senior gent , I'd like to hear your thoughts on what to wear with green or maroon coloured chino's . Not just shoes or boots , but the whole ensemble, in a casual situation. Whats your thoughts on small 'turn ups' on chino's too?
Ash, can you do a London trip/vlog to Crockett & Jones? Thanks.
Also would be lovely to see your shoe rack/ storage and your most beloved 👞 from your collection.
Please think into it .
Great idea!
Indeed…..Thank you 😊
i rarely ware my oxfords , well since the time i wear low shoes is , from march to June , and September to October , and on my day to day i don t need dress that formal , more ofthen i will wear a derby or derby broge , and from November to February will wear boots , and all my shoes are around 100euro ,
I looked and Sanders does have a store in London
you should spend as much as you can on things that separate you from the ground! Shoes, tyres and mattress ;)
Following one of your previous videos, I spent £95 on a pair of Dents leather gloves, a lot of money for me. Having bought into this storied British artisan glove-maker, what a disappointment to discover they're made in the Philippines. Looks like £95 is considered too small a budget to be worth making in Britain. Obviously, I don't blame you, but I feel conned.
May I ask what jacket you are wearing in this video? Also I’m always curious what your whole outfit looks like. If others are interested, would you be willing to show your outfits to give us all some ideas/inspiration?
Black Gold jacket by AndSons. Awesome jacket!
Great advice for shoes.. I’m interested what the coat is your wearing … (we have communicated about waxed jacket’s in the past) ?
It’s the Black Gold jacket by AndSons
@ Thanks Ash, I was just wondering, I’m A Belstaff user, it reminds me of the Belstaff vibe…
Hey Ash, I missed this Q&A, but maybe on the next one you could answer this question. What is your thought about AskOkey and his rules lol, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable answering that but at least I do want to know one particular rule of his many. He says that brown, burgundy or any other shoe color are not to be worn after 6pm at night, only black shoes? I never knew that but is that true?
Quality remains long after the price is forgotten .
What are the brown shoes at the start of the video?
Crockett & Jones
Sir, can you recommend brands where we can buy good quality in chukka, boots, dress shoes, oxford shoes?
You heard them mentioned in this video sir. Sanders, Cheaney, Trickers and even Loake on the more affordable end.
Solivar boots are good, they took over the old Doc Martin factory and their quality is much better than the Doc M, sadly mostly made in China.
Could you have a word with President Zelensky, please?
SECOND
FIRST
red and green should never be seen unless you going for a xmas tree vibe
Some good advices here! Yet I would say there is no need to spend such money on a pair of a good shoes.
Especially if that is to be the first pair of a good quality shoes/boots.
Nowadays, in the era of eBay and Vinted, we can grab a really good bargain if we look for second hand products. And no, second hand doesn't mean worn, sweaty, stinky pair of falling apart boots.
Lots of people overspend on quality shoes and then don't wear them as this goes against their everyday style. Others buy these due to a special occasions like weddings etc. and again... after that one occasion doesn't wear them. Then we have people who found the sizing is not correct, which wasn't so obvious during first days of wearing shoes. Also, we have now people called influencers, who buy or get some beautiful footwear from manufacturers so they can wear it for a recording/photoshoot.
And they often re-sell these for a much lower price. So yes, an entry price into good quality footwear can be much lower if instead of money we spend some time for research.
I belong to ‘SPIT’ Society for the Prevention of Inadvertent Transatlanticisms, please do not use the term You Guys!
I am a card-carrying member of the F.O. Society. Guess what that one means!
Sanders London shop = Sanders x John Rushton Shoes
93 Wimpole Street
Marylebone
London
W1G 0EQ