If the Shoe Fits...

So I picked myself up a new pair of dress shoes to compliment my wardrobe. I had been looking and looking for just the right pair of dress shoes in a nice, walnut-like color and, after trial and error with some pairs, I got lucky.

I was returning a pair of this "error" variety that I had ordered online to a brick and mortar location, and lo and behold, these Bostonians jumped out at me. They are their "Fremont" model in brown (I would call it a "walnut" or "oak" even). I had not seen them in store before (believe me, I would remember). So I tried them on, and jackpot. The right color, the right look, and- most importantly- the right fit. They go great with navy and gray suiting and are a great addition to any wardrobe.

Upon browsing some more of Bostonian's other offerings I also caught site of my next pair of true Oxfords. By "true Oxford" I mean the vamp (tongue and "upper" of the shoe) has only a slit where the laces attach to tie the shoe versus 2 separately stitched pieces of leather attached to the vamp. That type are called "Bluchers"- like the above Fremont model I purchased. A lot of companies today market shoes as Oxfords, but in reality they are Bluchers ("open laced"). Here's the "Canton" model I am considering. See how the vamp (upper) is one piece with the laces going through it? That is a true Oxford and not a Blucher. You may also notice I have a thing for details on my shoes. While neither of these pair are full out "brogues" (think wingtips), I do prefer a little detailing to give the shoe a little oomph. The first pair- the "Fremont"- has a little more to it beyond just the cap toe being perforated. But the sleek look of the black "Canton" Oxford model is not lost with lots of detail- minimal perforations on the cap toe and along the side accent this great looking shoe, but do not overwhelm the beauty.

The best part? Bostonian makes these quality shoes for anywhere from $75 to $130. For a good dress shoe, that's cheap. How long they will last remains to be seen, but they do have a sole that seems ripe for replacing in the future so I just have to keep the upper nice (read: shoe shine periodically). You can find them at Bostonianshoe.com (powered by Zappos) or any of their affiliated partners. You can also find Bostonians at their eponymous brick and mortar stores or department stores like Macy's carrying their line (click on the "Where to Buy" tab at the Bostonian website for a store location near you). Many of these sites and stores I am sure will also have some discount, coupon, or other deal at any given time (I got $10 off at the time), so the price point may be even sweeter.

Remember, if the shoe fits, it doesn't mean you should buy it. Think about the fit absolutely, but also make sure you are getting a style you like and one that wears well both in style and color with whatever clothing with which you are trying to pair them. Lastly, the quality makes a difference. Pick up a decent pair like these Bostonians or even Florsheim, Johnston & Murphy or Banana Republic for fair money. You can also go high end on the likes of Aldi or Ferragamo, but then you are talking an entire other post on price vs. quality and I am out of time.

A Sneaker for Any Occasion

I have this whole bipolar, tug-o-war thing going on when it comes to men's footwear. I love to look good in a sweet pair of shoes, but sometimes looking good means sacrificing comfort. You cannot compare a pair of, say, Aldi brogues to a comfy pair of soft kicks.

But maybe, just maybe, Puma has found a happy medium with their line, "The Black Label."

Of course, anyone who's anyone these days in the world of design is "stepping up" with a high-end line of "Black Label" inspired duds. But give credit to Puma- they are no longer just an out-of-touch, old-school label still clinging to the styles that every kid I know wore in the early 80's (not that those are not back as well). According to the Puma website, the philosophy behind "The Black Label" is "an authentic sport-fashion collection featuring modern interpretations of PUMA iconic sneakers with fashion-forward shapes that fuse form and function".

Puma has built on its decades of athletic footwear experience to create some pretty stylish alternatives to a hard shoe for any occasion. Take a look at the slide show below at my picks from Puma "The Black Label". (Be sure to click the "text" icon to the left for descriptions.)

Pricing ranges from $180 to $280 and the line stays true to this range of pricing across its Black Label choices. Not exactly in the designer collaboration pricing stratosphere, but high end kicks for sure. I picked these out for: a) style factor, b) appropriate occasion and c) I could see one reasonably getting away with these instead of a legitimate dress shoe without raising eyebrows- except the brows of envious onlookers.



And right now, you can catch a 25% Off sale on everything using coupon code CAT25 at the Puma store. Added bonus, these selections also qualify for Puma's free shipping promo (on all orders of $85 or more).

Revenge is Coming- and So Are More GM Cars

I am surprised more outlets have not picked up on the fact that the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen official movie site has a link to lots of exclusive footage of the new Autobots. The link has been out for nearly a week on the official site. It links to a GM site here.

Granted the footage plays more like a GM ad than a teaser trailer, but it has some extended looks at many of the Autobots- both new and old that will be featured in this year's Transformers sequel. The footage is strictly of the Autobots in vehicle mode.

And here's a sneak peak at some pics of what (or who, if you will) we will see this Summer:

"The Twins"- Mudflap and Skids with a modified "performance package" Bumblebee (Chevy Camaro).

"Sideswipe"- the Corvette Stingray Concept.

"Jolt"- Chevy Volt (Followed by Ratchet and Ironhide who reappear in the sequel.)



There is also additional exclusive footage at the GM site of what appears to be the folks at Cheverolet putting together a life size Bumblebee if you access the "Select Clip" link through the "Exclusive Footage" interface. Enjoy.