Today's Shoes

Day

Torrential rains today (thanks, Tropical Storm Erin!), so I wore one of my pairs of rain shoes: Crockett & Jones Handgrade wing-tip bals in antiqued tan calf (Downing model, 330 last). C&J Handgrade shoes are positioned to try to compete with Edward Green and John Lobb Paris, and there are a lot of people out there who try to convince themselves that they're just as good as these other brands but much less expensive. I think that they're kidding themselves. There's just something missing from the C&J shoes. The lasts aren't as nice. The finishing isn't as good. The design isn't quite there. Yes, they cost less, but I wear my EG shoes a lot more than my C&J shoes. So which are a better value?

Evening

Gravati monkstraps in dark brown peccary with combination leather/rubber soles (16371, 640 last). Another pair of rain-appropriate shoes.

Today's Shoes

Day

Crockett & Jones full brogue bal in antique tan calf (Downing model, 330 last). These are another pair of rain shoes that I don't wear that often because I am not particularly enamored of C&J Handgrade shoes. They aspire to be in the same league as Edward Green, but they don't quite make it. That's not something to be ashamed of, but I would rather spend the extra money to get the Edward Green shoes or spend less and get regular old C&J shoes.

One peculiar thing about all C&J shoes regardless of the level of construction is the way that they do heel counters. A heel counter is a piece of leather around the heel of a shoe. It serves two purposes: to strengthen any heel seams on the shoe and to provide decoration. Only, with C&J, it can't serve to strengthen the heel seams because it is actually two pieces of leather with a seam up the middle. It's purely decorative, and it's very odd. I have no idea why they do counters this way, and I don't really like it.

Evening

Gravati three-eyelet half-brogue bluchers in dark brown waterproof suede with rubber lug soles (16407, 640 last). Another wet, rainy day.