Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati cap-toe bals in medium brown grained calfskin (Lama, color Larice) with single leather soles (16592, 500 last).

Evening

Gravati wingtip bals in walnut brown waterproof suede with thick combination leather/rubber soles (15902, 640 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

John Lobb Paris three-eyelet plain-toe V-front bluchers in tobacco suede with single leather soles (Perrier model, 8896 last). The first really expensive shoes that I ever lusted after were from John Lobb Paris -- three-eyelet plain-toe ankle boots in tobacco suede with low-profile rubber soles. I saw them at Neiman Marcus in 1997 or 1998, and I thought that they were about as perfect as a pair of shoes could be. The model name was Giono, and it turned out that it had been developed as an ankle boot variant of Perrier. Well, I saw pictures of Perrier, and I thought that it was pretty perfect, too, although Lobb had this inexplicable habit of making it up in black. These shoes were a special order inspired by those Giono boots. It's a pity that the 8896 last doesn't fit me better (like most Lobb Paris lasts, it's too wide in the heel for me), but Perrier is one beautiful shoe. The picture above doesn't really do it justice, both because it's crappy and the color of leather selected doesn't really do much for the pattern; but I have to work with what I can find on the interweb.

Evening

Gravati ghillie tie split-toe bluchers with twin-needle stitching on the apron and toe (13555, 500 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati cap-toe bals in red-brown grained calfskin (Lama Larice) with single leather soles (16592, 500 last).

Evening

Gravati high-vamp penny loafer with twin-needle-stitched apron in red-brown grained calfskin (Color 39 Tibet) with single leather soles (15477, 701 last). The shoe in the middle of the picture above is mine. As I have previously mentioned, I'm quite taken with Tibet calf -- the veining pattern is beautiful, it's soft, and it takes a good shine -- and I'm going to use it on other special orders in the future. My current project is a split-toe blucher boot with twin-needle stitching on the apron and toe seam in Color 39 Tibet. What I really want is the 15950 with the apron and toe stitching. It remains to be seen whether Gravati will make it or whether they will force me into an existing model.

Johnny Comes Through

Johnny Mykoff, the manager of the shoe department at Harold's in the Heights, was kind enough to send me a few of the pictures he took on Saturday of the same model of Gravati shoe (15477 -- a long-vamp penny loafer with twin-needle stitching on the apron) on three different lasts (640, 701, and 500). You will recall that I picked up this model as a special order on the new 701 last in a dark red-brown grained calf, that Harold's has this same model on two other lasts (640 and 500), and that Johnny, who is an excellent photographer, took advantage of the opportunity to get a comparison shot of the three shoes. In the picture above, the shoe on the left is on 640 last in a tan soft, grained calf that Gravati calls Rodeo; my shoe is the one in the middle; and the shoe on the right is on 500 last in smooth black calf. As you can see, the toe on the 701 is elongated and narrower in comparison to the other two. 640 is a standard square-toe last that has been a Gravati mainstay for several years. 500 is a traditional round-toe last that has been in the repertoire for even longer. The contrast between the three is not quite as dramatic in the picture as it is in real life, probably in part due to the angle and in part due to the fact that Johnny didn't have the time to set up a light box; but I hope that it can still be seen.

Incidentally, Johnny took the picture with a professional-quality SLR digital camera on the 10 megapixel setting, and he has the equipment necessary to print the picture on a 7 foot by 3 foot canvas. I don't know about you, but I think that that would make perfect wall art. Thanks, Johnny.

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati plain-toe double monkstrap in cognac Radica 033 calf with thick single leather soles (13618, 500 last). The shoes pictured above are made by Grenson for New & Lingwood, but the style is very similar to my Gravati shoes -- the two straps are parallel and close to each other, rather than far apart and skewed as is typical on a double monkstrap shoe.

Evening

Gravati cap-toe bals with reversed seams and a leather-stitched faux-brogueing on the toe cap and throat in tobacco suede with single leather soles (16492, 655 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Alden high-lace wing-tip blucher boots in cigar (dark brown) shell cordovan with double leather soles (Plaza last). These are more special editions from Tom Park at LeatherSoul Hawaii, and there are two particularly interesting things about these boots. First, they have a faux counter, where the counter is traced out by brogueing but does not really exist. In other words, they're kind of like partial blind brogues. Second, the tongue is unlined shell cordovan, and it's surprising how soft, thin, and pliable it is when it is just there by itself. They're beautiful boots; and if you like them, Tom has a new shipment of the same boot in Color #8 shell cordovan in now.

Evening

Gravati split-toe ghillie-tie bluchers in tan suede with combination leather/rubber soles (13555, 500 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati reversed-seam cap-toe bal in Radica 033 calf (a beautiful red-brown variegated calfskin) with a close-cut waist and single leather soles (16496, 500 last).

Evening

Gravati plain-toe saddle bals in medium brown peccary (Gravati calls it Nicotina) on both the main body of the shoe and the saddle with combination leather/rubber soles (15578, 640 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati side-zip plain-toe ankle boots in dark brown kangaroo with single leather soles (16821, 683 last). People tend to think that kangaroos are cuddly cartoon-like animals. They're not. They can be downright nasty, as is suggested by the fact that it can be hard to find kangaroo hides that are free from scars and imperfections, even skins used by top-quality makers.

Evening

Gravati split-toe ghillie-tie bluchers in tan suede with combination leather/rubber soles (13555, 500 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati plain-toe double monkstraps in Radica 033 calf with double leather soles (13618, 500 last). The two straps are parallel to one another, which is a bit unusual -- on a double monkstrap, they're typically a bit skewed.

Evening

Gravati half brogue bluchers with a U-like throat in antique tan calf with combination leather/rubber soles (16407, 640 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati cap-toe bals in red-brown Lama calf (16592, 500 last).

Evening

Gravati plain-toe bluchers in dark brown Lama calf with a combination leather/rubber sole (16493, 640 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Cleverley three-eyelet plain-toe blucher in medium brown Russian reindeer calf.

Evening

Gravati split-toe ghillie-tie bluchers in tan suede with a combination leather/rubber sole (13555, 500 last).

Today's Shoes

Gravati cap-toe bals with reversed seams and leather soles in Radica 033 (chestnut) calf (16496, 500 last). I ought to have this shoe made up in Radica 03 (caramel), Radica 01 (dark brown), and Radica 055 (burgundy). It's one of the great shoe designs that I have seen.

Today's Shoes

Gravati wing-tip spectators in antiqued tan and antiqued birch calf with a rubber/leather combination sole (14843, 500 last). An appropriate choice given that yesterday was just about the hottest day of the year up until now.

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati cap-toe bals in dark brown deerskin (15441, 500 last). These shoes are unusual in that the seams are both reversed and stitched. Why, I couldn't say. Deerskin is extremely soft, which is reason why it's popular. Unfortunately, it's also prone to scuffs and tearing and stretching, which is why Gravati prefers peccary: peccary has the softness and the look of deer, but it's not fragile. These are probably the best shoe bargain I've ever gotten: $100 new off of eBay. Yes, Brumfield, I realize that every clothing item you've ever purchased put together cost less than $100. In the real world, $100 for these shoes was outstanding.

Evening

Wheeler custom cowboy boots with a square toe and walking heel in dark brown elephant. Since I saw a picture of elephant boots made by Dave Little in San Antonio in The Cowboy Boot Book, I have wanted a pair, and these are them. When I picked them up, Dave Wheeler told me that some of his clients thought that elephant was too durable: they wanted new boots, but they couldn't justify the expense until their old boots wore out; and elephant boots don't wear out.

Today's Shoes

Day

Edward Green double monkstrap shoes with a handsewn apron and toe seam in dark tan calfskin (Fulham model, 82 last). I love these shoes.

Evening

Gravati ghillie-tie bluchers with twin-needle stitching on the apron and toe in tan suede (13555, 500 last). I notice that I wore these shoes last Monday. I apologize profusely for my lack of variety in footwear. I have let you down, and I promise to do better in the future.

Today's Shoes

Day

Edward Green plain-toe side-buckle monkstraps in Edwardian Antique (Stowe model, 808 last). Stowe is Edward Green's answer to John Lobb Paris's sublime Jermyn II, the difference being that Jermyn II is a wholecut where Stowe has separate pieces of leather for the vamp and quarters. In recent years, Edward Green has retired this model in favor of the Oundle, which has less sweep in the strap, because the configuration of the strap and the vamp/quarter seam in the Stowe is not particularly comfortable or particularly durable. My Stowes were a special order from Edward Green's Burlington Arcade store (before they shut down that store and moved to the current one on Jermyn St.).

Evening

Gravati split-toe ghillie-tie bluchers in tan suede with a rubber sole (13555, 500 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati cap-toe bal in mid-brown Lama calf (16592 , 500 last). I really need to get this shoe in dark brown Lama, too. The informality of the grained calfskin contrasts nicely with the formality of the shoe style.

Evening

Gravati plain-toe monkstrap in dark brown peccary (16371 , 640 last).

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati plain-toe double monkstraps in Radica 033 calf (13618, last 500). These were yet another special order; and, while I like the result, it would have been better if I had opted for a slimmer waist and a close-cut heel. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. I imagine that I'll live.

Evening

Crockett & Jones plain-toe single monkstraps in tan calf (Mortimer model, 330 last). These shoes are from C&J's Handgrade line, which is designed to compete with the likes of Edward Green and John Lobb Paris. They're nice shoes, but not quite on that level. The degree of attention paid to the sole and heel edge finishing is not as great, and the lasts aren't as stylish. They're cheaper than the other two, but I don't wear my pairs as frequently as I do my Edward Greens. What does it matter if one pair of shoes is cheaper than another if you don't wear them.

Today's Shoes

Day

Gravati split-toe monkstraps in Radica 03 calf (17194, last 697). Radica 03 is the approximately the same hue as Radica 033, but it has less red to it. A beautiful color, and a very nice shoe.

Evening

Gravati split-toe ghillie-tie split-toe bluchers in tan suede (13555, last 500). The shoe pictured above (the Glyndibourne from Edward Green) has ghillie lacing as it is traditionally configured, with eyelets in tabs for the laces and with no tongue. The Italians picked the idea up and, as they are wont to do, took the idea and put their own distinctive twist on it. Their version of ghillie lacing has tunnels for the laces instead of simply tabs with eyelets, and they don't dispense with the tongue. These were the first Gravati shoes that I ever bought, and they remain some of my favorites.

Today's Shoes

Gravati cap-toe blucher spectators in light tan and bone tumbled calf (14990, last 500). The second of my two pairs of spectators, bought two summers ago on sale. A good day for them, too: it was hot and humid here.