Today's Shoes

Borgioli split-toe bluchers with twin-needle-stitched apron and toe seams in dark tan calfskin with Norwegian construction and double leather soles. The shoes pictured above are made by Sutor Mantellassi, but they're a pretty accurate representation of why my Borgioli shoes look like. The only significant difference is where Mantellassi uses a single row of stitching for the Norwegian stitch around the base of the upper, Borgioli uses two rows of stitching braided together. More attractive and flashier, I think. I wear these less than I would like because the last they are made on, like so many lasts made for the European market instead of the American one, is too wide in the heel for my feet. My heels slip when walking, causing discomfort after wearing them for a while. Today, though, because it was cold and rainy, I wore these with thick wool boot socks, and that made the slippage go away completely. Hooray for thick wool boot socks!