Category: Designer Deck Shoes

Sperry x Penfield – New England Collaboration For Fashion

 I’ve been away from the whole blogging scene for a week or two again, and the whole time I’ve been reading about some of the hot topics of the time, and viewing some of the best footwear collections I think I’ve ever seen. Visits to some of the biggest shopping centres around the country has led me to amazing collections of winter boots, and for fear of being ignored, or having you leave I’ve been in search of something else. As a fashionable male, or a blogger that has an enthusiasm in shoes and footwear you can’t help but champion the boots and brogues for the winter months as the shift away from canvas or white trainers is a must due to the weather that we’re set to experience.

This may excite many of you, or bore you in equal measure, so for something a little different I’ve been window shopping, researching and even cheekily picking up the phone on occasion and trying to get through to the buyers of some of the best fashion sites and shops at the moment. Many failed or led to confused people hanging up on me, however a couple didn’t and we’re happy to pass a tip or two across. Possibly to get rid of me, but I’m hoping that it was because they saw the sheer enthusiasm I have for the gear that they buy – unfortunately I’ll never know!

One tip that I received from someone who prefers to remain anonymous is the amazing Sperry x Penfield footwear collaboration. Now I know that you’re scratching your head wondering how Penfield have become involved with this, and when you know its actually quite obvious and simple. Both Sperry Topsider and Penfield are brands from New England in America and are both enjoying something of a boom in the UK at the moment. Penfield are kitting out the fashionable male in a casual yet fashion led range of outdoor clothing and winter warmers while Sperry are fast becoming known for their quality lightweight deck shoes and their variations of this key design and sole unit such as their chukka boots, bahama shoes, loafers and rigger boots.

So for this amazing collaboration Sperry have given the sole unit and general design features while Penfield have delved into their fabric archive and provided an array of materials and fabrics that match key pieces of their outerwear ranges. So for example Penfield have launched a beautiful Stapleton camouflage padded gilet for the winter 11 range, and the collaboration sees a waxed canvas camouflage pair of Sperry soled penny loafers that sit perfectly with a pair of beige chinos. Another is Penfield’s Kasson jacket in tweed and polyester/cotton mix in black and grey. The jacket is matched with a pair of khaki green chinos and some chunky grey knitwear, and the chinos are tucked into a pair of the popular Sperry Topsider Shipyard Rigger boots in black herringbone. This means that across the range you can mix Penfield winter outwear with a limited edition pair of Sperry shoes – what more does the fashionable guy need for winter 2011?

Mainline Menswear
So, as a tip that’s very unique and different to the rest of the footwear world that’s out there at the moment how do you think this fares? All I know is that I’m going to grab a piece of this amazing collaboration history the second that it’s launched, as after all that’s what owning limited edition footwear is all about surely? As of yet there aren’t many stockists that are listed as carrying this amazing collaboration, however after e-mailing Sperry Topsider I can tell you that Mainline Menswear, Triads and End Clothing are among the 8-10 stockists that will be carrying the four men’s designs of shoes that include boots, deck shoes and loafers.

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Sperry Topsider – Deck Shoe Inspired Shoes and Boots for Winter 2011

Sperry Topsider has been a top deck shoe brand for many years now after being first designed by Paul Sperry back in 1935. His major input was to add ‘sipping’ to the bottom of the rubber sole of the shoe which allowed the wearer to stick or grip to the deck that bit better when it was wet. Deck shoes have since become a major part of the fashion world, and Sperry Topsider now has a fashion arm to their brand that provides deck shoes, chukka boots, boots and bahama soles on a seasonal basis for men around the world. For the autumn winter 2011 season there are some amazing styles available for the wet weather that will suit the smart casual style perfectly. Read on if smart casual fashion is your thing!

Sperry Topsider have taken the deck shoe sole for the winter season and built other footwear styles around them. It may sound a little strange but their amazing Shipyard Rigger boot is a Sperry rubber sole, leather upper with deck shoe styling and then upwards into a classic boot with full lace front and canvas panels. Similarly the Chukka Wool boot is exactly that. Rubber sole unit, leather deck shoe upper with a single wool panel that gives the shoe height and shape and moulds it into a chukka boot. What more do you need for winter than Sperry Topsider quality and autumn winter fashion? The boots weight next to nothing given the lightweight materials used and follow in the footsteps of their classic summer deck shoe in feeling like you’re not actually wearing anything like a pair of boots on your feet.

Prices for the shoes and boots vary, and with the weight and style of these boots you could easily wear them pretty much all year round, especially with the British weather the way it is. So why not pick yourself up a pair of the superb wool chukka boots or rigger boots today and enjoy showing off the mix of deck shoe and winter trend among your mates. American footwear brand Sperry is available at some of the best high street and online retailers in the UK and Europe.

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Deck Shoes – The Must Have Summer Trend for 2011

Summer 2010 was all about the flip flop, the canvas plimsoll and for the smarter man among us the deck shoe. Easing itself in last summer the deck shoe or boat shoe was championed by American brand Sperry Topsider, Timberland and Sebago footwear all of which had a strong release of leather, suede and canvas deck shoes all with the original features that made them popular from release in 1935 by Paul Sperry. The current deck shoe trend is simple, its a smarter summer shoe option that can be worn with chinos, jeans or shorts and gives a comfortable, lightweight shoe with a thin rubber sole and then generally a leather upper. Some people may argue that their dad, grandad and great granddad wear or have worn deck shoes but the 2011 offering is very different to the shoes of an older gentleman’s wardrobe with electric blue suede deck shoes, multi coloured panels on leather boat shoes and some eye catching mono leather, suede or canvas uppers meaning that there are going to be some very dazzling shoes available over the next couple of months to team up with your tapered jeans, beige or sand chinos and smarter chino material shorts and then either polo shirt or short sleeved shirt to complete the full summer sun look.

Another question that I have seen asked quite a lot over various blogs, forums and even heard asked down the pub, do you wear some trainer socks, ankle socks or no socks. Now at Designer Shoes and Trainers, I’ve read a couple of conflicting articles so my answer isn’t quite as clean cut. Originally, back in the 30s and 40s this is, the shoes were designed for use on boats hence the rubber sole and ‘sipping’ of the rubber that Paul Sperry designed based on the pads and paws of his dog. With boats obviously being used on water socks weren’t required as they hold water when wet and would lead to all sorts of medical problems so in 2010 socks weren’t worn, unless you could sneak a pair under your jeans. This season I have seen a couple of articles that claim the trend is to wear a pair of ankle socks with your deck shoes or trainers, especially when wearing shorts, however personally I would stick with sockless as a first choice for summer 2011.

 

The main thing to remember for spring summer 2011 footwear is to make sure its comfortable. Wide and thin feet can be accommodated in the world of deck shoes so there really is no excuse to not be a part of this fantastic summer fashion.

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