Vintage Spectator Shoes

[herringbonekid]

anyone ?

(not mine)

 

[Isshinryu101]

anyone ?

(not mine)

wish i had a pair in my size! Ultra cool shoes. I HAVE seen a modern reproduction pair made by an excellent French maker... so nice.

 

[herringbonekid]

I HAVE seen a modern reproduction pair made by an excellent French maker... so nice.

Marc Guyot ?
i have some modern versions too by Jeffery West. not sure if they're allowed in this thread since modern though.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Marc Guyot ?
i have some modern versions too by Jeffery West. not sure if they're allowed in this thread since modern though.

Yes, exactly! Please DO post. Modern reproductions of Classic Vintage styles are well within the spirit of this site, I'd say.

Thanks

 

[herringbonekid]

these are the Jeffery West's from a few years ago:

 

[gamez32]

Thanks, Isshinryu101 + Cookie. I wish they fit me!

 

[flyfishark]

tell me they're a 9-9.5. I'd walk to Berkley for those. (Alright, that's a lie--I'd make my son walk to Berkley for them!)

 

[gamez32]

tell me they're a 9-9.5. I'd walk to Berkley for those. (Alright, that's a lie--I'd make my son walk to Berkley for them!)

Thank goodness for your son they are a size 11.

 

[flyfishark]

Thank goodness for your son they are a size 11.

That sounds like an Antipodean size to me.

 

[sproily]

Haha. I'm sure it is...

I have a pair of vintage specs from one of our resident antipodeans here, just shined them today. Now after handling them: I want more.

Can't help it when you get shoo fever.

 

[cookie]

I sold a pair of AE Winhalls which are a modern version of the tarsal strip.

 

[Dinerman]

How about the soles and perforations on these? 1939.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

WOW!!! Me Gusta!

 

[Isshinryu101]

How about the soles and perforations on these? 1939.

think modern Trickers...

or

 

[Dinerman]

1939 Florsheim

 

[Dinerman]

British Walkers

 

[Isshinryu101]

British Walkers

By the 70's, the square toe had ruined the traditional Spectator aesthetic.

 

[herringbonekid]

...but they were referencing the square toe of the 20s, which in itself was ugly.

 

[Isshinryu101]

...but they were referencing the square toe of the 20s, which in itself was ugly.

The 20's square toe was actually just a small part of that era's footwear shaping and styling. "The Point" was very big, and the Spade Sole was the King. The 20's square toe is actually a bit better than the 70's incarnation. The 20's was big with the "sausage shape", where the shoe shape was more tubular. The squarish toe models were built mostly on that model. The 70's version incorporated the ultra wide forefoot of the 50's and early 60's. uggghhh.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I do not see too many square toed anything I would feel good about wearing, but, every once in a while you will see a pair that are just a bit different...a smaller tighter tip on the toe...(from side to side that is), and a bit chiseled in a spectator, and then you look at how the are from "head to toe" so to speak and yep, they are nice. I think you do see this more with a custom bespoke shoe than one that is of factory made....just my opinion.

I happen to like wingtips and other not so pointed shoes...for obvious reasons.....I think several issues are raised when it comes to wanting a pair of shoes as it is!

Here is what I always look for in a shoe:
Will I wear it and will it look good with my attire?
Color and material, is it cheaply made or not?
Weight of the shoe. You can argue all you want about it, but really, if a shoe is fairly light weight and feels like a feather when you pick it up, you are more than not...holding junk. Good and well made shoes no matter what the brand name is, will have some weight to them if they are made with any level of quality. (EXAMPLE) Some...well...really most Gucci brand shoes are junk. Bounce on me for saying it but it is true. Hype and a name tag won't make them a good shoe to own. Sorry. Stacy Adams, (modern made after the mid 1970's) also junky. You get some leather with plastic fake leather a bit of glue and injection molded sole/heel all one piece that is horrible for your foot. A foot doctor would tell you, BURN them shoes and save your feet, please!

Loafers versus shoe laces. Lord knows there really are some nice looking loafers. I have a few, perhaps 12 or 20 of them. Before I was able to realize what a good shoe was, I spent too much money on loafers that were all look and no real shoe. I normally now will stick to a lace up shoe. You can lace them and keep them tight so they are working with your foot when you walk...instead of all the extra movement you may get with a loafer....I have one pair of loafers that are very well made, they don't move around too much and they do not "cook" my foot after wearing them a few hours at a time.

Modern versus Vintage: I will always prefer a Vintage shoe. Go buy a new pair of Florsheims and compare them with any vintage shoe of it's kind (wingtip or plain toe shoe). First thing you are going to notice is they don't have as much weight as the Vintage shoe. Why? How can this be? And...the Vintage shoe can have half the frigging heel and sole worn off them...they still out weigh the new ones....why? Material. More quality in the Vintage and that quality is what you should be looking for when it comes to foot ware. You use your feet. Love them. Give them a nice comfortable shoe to protect and baby them with.

Style: What can you really say about style and having a classic shoe that was "in" 50 years ago that is still "in" today? Bingo! Yes indeed Sir, that is what you should be wearing and walking in...dancing....shopping...shoot even swooning with that special person in your life....what you wear will painfully and sadly reflect to whom ever you come in contact with....from head to toe. Sharp shoes...shirt, tie, coat or suit jacket, cuff links....tie clasp or pin, fedora or cap....even the choice of your socks, watch, rings...it all makes a person see a picture of you as a person. It all reflects who you are.

Example: I can go to the Casino that is near where I live...and well dressed up, I get a "welcome" from every single employee and get looks from everyone smiling and being so friendly, you'd think even the MEN was a gonna hit up on me! I go wearing ripped jeans, old sloshy canvas tennis shoes, a ball cap, nylon windbreaker that says, UAW local 122 on the back of it, the drink gal runs past me to avoid any contact at all.....( the times I am well dressed I got to fight to keep her from sitting on my lap)!

Nuff said about that. LOL weeee hawwww!

Be comfy when you dress but make your choices when it comes to Vintage with care. You won't get away with sloppy shoes in a well dressed outfit....it won't work for you...well if it does work for you, maybe you need to cut back on the Harvey Wallbangers ! Dunno?!?