August 12, 2011

Diesel Shoes – Fashion Footwear From Italy

Whenever anyone mentions the fashion brand Diesel I automatically think of their jeans, their jackets and the t shirts that carry whichever branding they’re using at the time and in general just being a fashionable brand for young men especially in Europe, UK and USA. But Diesel do much more than that, in fact, there is very little that Diesel don’t do. Watches, Sunglasses and Aftershaves all carry the Diesel branding while stand alone stores in fashionable areas around the UK have some of the best limited stock and exclusive clothing available. But the section that I am most interested in is the Diesel footwear, a range that has been available for years, yet isn’t very well known as it isn’t massively advertised.

The Diesel footwear range appears to be popular season by season, yet it isn’t in the same league for popularity of accessibility as Lacoste or Paul Smith, so with the Diesel it must simply be that those in the know are happy with the styles and the designs, and those that don’t are happy with their other top footwear brands. So I thought that i’d bring the Diesel range to the mass public by showing the autumn winter 11 range on my blog. So lets start looking at the designs!

Diesel shoes are possibly the most colourful fashion led shoes that I have seen in a long time, the only brand that comes close is the Hugo Boss green collection. The design time is taken finding the perfect materials such as canvas, suede and leather and the perfect colours for the shoes, with fairly basic styles used and minimal Diesel branding. The price varies between £50 and £100 for the shoes and it is easily money well spent, as these will be possibly some of the hardest wearing, comfortable shoes you own, however they’re not going to be for everyone as they’re not white or black and have the latest brand name splashed down the site, they are the subtle mans shoe who are looking for that little bit more from their footwear, a smart trainer if that makes sense? So if you want that something a little different from everyone else then this is the brand for you!

August 5, 2011

Shoes and Trainers by Ralph Lauren

I’m starting to see a lot of Ralph Lauren footwear about on my various travels and trips. Businessmen are adopting the ‘Ralph Lauren’ range, while the older gents are picking up the slightly more casual ‘Polo Ralph Lauren’ collection and enjoying the loafers, deck shoes and smart canvas shoes or plimsolls that come with the signature Ralph Lauren polo player on horse logo. Ralph footwear wasn’t really something that I had seen in any great numbers, with the occasional American or brand loving guy sporting the shoes, but in recent times there has definitely been an uplift in the amount of men around the UK wearing the brand usually well known for its cotton mesh polo shirts. If you’re looking to get into the footwear for the brand then I would wholeheartedly recommend starting with the Polo range, as the standard Ralph starts at £265 and ranges up to a whopping £620 for brogues and loafers. The price bracket may be high, but the quality of the leather, craftmanship and the global appeal of the brand really covers this.

The Polo Ralph Lauren shoes range has some beautiful shoes and colours with leather loafers, deck shoes, military style boots, high tops and a variety of styles of canvas sneakers have really caught the imagination of the public in the UK, and when priced between £55 and £165 you can see why. You compare these to other gents brand such as Paul Smith or Ted Baker and you can see that the price is much more competitive for a superb pair of shoes from a top designer name. There is plenty of styles available to see out the rest of the summer, but equally the Ralph Lauren boots are a must have for the winter rain and snow. Perfect for poor weather conditions these boots can be matched with multiple outfits, but the best fit are dark jeans or chinos rolled up and tucked into thick knitted socks with the tan leather boots. The rest of the range is pretty self explanatory and perfect for a blustery autumn, so if you’re looking for a new fashion footwear brand to follow then Ralph Lauren should be your choice this year.

July 29, 2011

New Cruyff Classics for a New Football Season

Ok, maybe that is a little misleading, as the last thing you want to do with a £100 pair of Cruyff Classics trainers is go and play football, or use them as footwear for sports but Cruyff does have a massive football heritage, all thanks to it’s founder and original designer Johan Cruyff. Three times world footballer of the year or Ballon D’or Winner Johan is famous for perfecting the ‘Cruyff Turn’ and just generally being a world class footballer in the strips of Holland, Ajax and Barcelona. The world renowned number 14 has been heralded as one of the most technically gifted footballers of all time, and to aid his talent he set about designing his own football boots and training shoes. These original vintage footwear designs inspired the designs and styles of today, with the thin rubber sole, streamlined quality leather upper and the now signature c-flash logo on the sides and tongue.

I reviewed the summer styles in a previous post Dutch Mastery Forms Cruyff Classics and the new styles are now available in the UK, with a huge array of colours and styles on sale for the autumn and winter season. Due to the quality of the leathers and suedes used i’d personally be saving these for a dry day, as snow will surely damage them beyond saving. The Cruyff trainers have been huge in recent years, and having done a bit of digging on a variety of forums and blogs, they seem to be MASSIVE in Scotland and the north of England, while the south and London are still struggling to get into their signature and classic designs. Cruyff could also be on the verge of doing what Nicholas Deakins did a few years ago, and being a favourite among the young Asian lads in the UK, as it appears that Eid last year did a roaring trade for Cruyff trainers in particular. This season they have brought in more of the quilted effect that has been doing so well for them in the last year or so. The quilted side panels fit perfectly with the winter quilted jacket styling, and adds a casual angle on the look that took off so well last year. Alongside this there is the usual Vanenburg and Recopa Classic styles in black, white and grey with a little bit of colour creeping in this winter on the tongues and branding down the sides of the shoes. Prices now range between £90 and £125, which may seem a little more than the other sports inspired footwear brands, however the quality of Cruyff Classics is far higher than that of the other sports fashion footwear brands currently available in the fashion world.

July 22, 2011

New Shoes For The Office? H by Hudson for Me!

I don’t know about anyone else but my smart designer shoes for the office have taken a hammering this summer, and I think its about time that I got myself some new ones for the autumn. I’ve always been a great believer that women look at a mans shoes first so have always made sure that my work shoes look as good as they can and over the years i’ve sported a wide range of shoe brands including Clarks, Grenson, Paulo Vandini, Frank Wright and even a really expensive pair of Trickers however I was recently pointed in the direction of H by Hudson and found that their comfort and price were perfect for a pair of shoes for the office. Easy to match with a suit for the meetings and jeans for the casual days my shoes for the first half of the year have done me proud, so for the second half of the year, other than pulling out my Red Wing and Timberland for the snow, i’ve got my eye on a pair of brogues for the office and maybe a pair of chukka boots for out and about and the casual days at work. Call me a bit crazy, as there is nothing really wrong with my shoes now, but I love getting new shoes and enjoy pulling out my old Grensons and Trickers for an airing now and again.

H by Hudson is a London based designer shoe brand that has a couple of collections for men. You want to be in the H by Hudson for an everyday pair of shoes and if you want something a little different or special then its got to be the Hudson purified, especially the exclusive shoes on their own site with the vibram sole unit – very winter 2011. I can’t speak highly enough of the brogues that come in all shades of brown, black and grey and are available in a variety of styles including boots, pointed toe and rounded toe ensuring that unlike some brands people with wide feet (like myself) can be much more comfortable in a pair of their shoes. So now, for the time being I am a H by Hudson convert unless I come into money and can have a wardrobe full of Trickers and Grenson brogues!

Prices vary between £75 and £150 for the H by Hudson and between £120 and £175 for the purified range so they’re not bargain bin, but at the same time won’t break the bank. If you’re looking to try a pair why not visit ASOS (0nline), Office, Schuh and Kurt Geiger (all online and high street) and pick yourself out your new pair of smart shoes to have and to hold, until you get bored! As always, let me know if you have any good or bad experiences with the shoes, and if Hudson wish to send me a pair i’m a size 10! info@designershoesandtrainers.co.uk

July 14, 2011

Extra 15% Off All Footwear – www.MainlineMenswear.co.uk

I’ve mentioned the summer sale being on at a variety of places at the moment, with some winding down now to showcase their new collections and others hammering the sale further. Mainline Menswear are doing both, and while in one hand have given footwear lovers an extra 15% off all sale footwear this weekend have also begun to launch their new brands and new footwear collections including some massive ranges of Lacoste, Cruyff Classics and Diesel alongside their ‘up to 50% off’ sale offerings of every other brand.

I’ve never come across a Mainline Menswear offer code before, and they seem pretty short, but if you’re wanting some new shoes this weekend you have until midnight on Sunday 17th July 2011 to use the offer code and claim your extra 15% discount on all sale footwear. This includes some real bargains like all G Star footwear is currently around 65% off, selected Lyle and Scott shoes are reduced to half price, Superga up to 50% off and other top brands including Nike, Adidas Originals, Puma Archive, Fred Perry, Timberland and many more. There are more than enough casual footwear fans to get their teeth into, but other than possibly Nicholas Deakins there is a lack of smart shoes or brogues, so don’t expect to find your latest shoes for the office but do expect trainers, flip flops, canvas shoes, espadrilles, mid tops and other casual styles ranging from sports to smart casual, from teenage to old age there is a bit for everyone.

So, to take advantage of this offer code click the banner below, select your favourite footwear in the sale, and at the end of the checkout enter SHOETASTIC15 (lower or uppercase, all one word) and watch the discounts fall off the asking price!

Seen any other amazing offers that need shouting about? Contact me – info@designershoesandtrainers.co.uk

July 7, 2011

Lyle and Scott – Footwear Brand or Trainer Sellers?

Everywhere I seem to have looked this summer I have seen at least one pair of Lyle and Scott canvas plimsoll trainers, or a pair of their deck shoes. The majority have been white, with the golden eagle logo on the tongue, and I have seen them matched with a large variety of outfits but the most common has to be the chinos or shorts on a warm day. These canvas plimsolls were a master stroke by the brand that now offers mid tops, desert boots and deck shoes not to mention the array of colours including white, black, grey, navy, brown and other seasonal eye catching colours. A master stroke they may be in the way that the golden eagle is seen on yet another piece of clothing in the UK but the question I had, that I wish i’d had the time to ask the lads i saw wearing the shoes was this – Are you wearing those shoes because a) They’re Lyle and Scott b) They’re on trend or c) because they’re comfortable and a great fit? I can’t say from personal experience much about answer C, but my guess is that they fit as well as any pair of canvas trainers, the one difference with these is the embroidered golden eagle on the tongue. So the question begs, is it because they L&S or because its the trend? Surely if its the trend they’d be looking at a proper pair such as a pair of Superga or another brand as to not max out the Lyle and Scott branding, however more than a couple of these lads were maxed out in the Scottish knitwear brands clothing so my guess is that they would answer A and the rest would swing somewhere between A & B.

There isn’t a problem with this at all, Lyle and Scott is a quality brand, that has done really well in the past few years to get to the top of the tree and stay there, avoiding the rocks thrown by their rivals from lower branches, and the footwear collection is just one of a few reasons that they have managed to sustain their position. This included with the ever growing range, Heritage collection, golf sponsorship and their moving into accessories. This means that more and people in the UK and Europe can access Lyle and Scott products without it just being a classic polo shirt or v neck knitted jumper. Lyle and Scott footwear will be around as long as the brand is performing well, however if the core of the brand begins to slip a branch or two then the footwear will also be the first to go. So when buying yourself a new pair of plimsolls shop around. If you want to wear Lyle and Scott to show your love for the brand then grab a polo shirt and divide your outfit between a range of brands, don’t look like Larry Lyle and Scott!

June 28, 2011

We Are Saints The New Toms?

Forgive me for banging on about the summer trends and what’s hot but if you haven’t already realised the importance of the espadrille to this seasons fashion then you have either not been reading, or don’t like the choice style of summer footwear. Now I have already covered the history of the espadrille and suggested what to wear with the 80s inspired shoes, however this was before I had encountered one of the newer espadrille brands to storm the British world of fashion. The latest brand is of course We Are Saints. Finding some history or origins of the brand on the internet is a bit sketchy but from what I can piece together they have been around for a little while selling some items of clothing such as polo shirts, t shirts and zip tops as well as some smarter trainers that were very reminiscent of the footwear brand Bamboo A if you have ever come across them, if you haven’t it’s probably because they’re not on the top websites or in the top high street stores (and for good reason!). But anyway, they have a small offering of this available on some websites, but now they have changed tactics and are going after the on trend footwear, and what could be more on trend than the Argentinian elpargata. Basically the espadrille however they have a signature ‘wrap’ effect to their canvas upper while offering a cut out elasticated V for comfort and a vulcanised rubber sole. Suede cushioned insoles finish the shoes perfectly and you have an on trend piece of footwear for a much cheaper price than its rivals. Admittedly an amount of every pair of Toms goes towards a pair of shoes for the needy, however not everyone wants to pay the difference and just wants a pair of shoes that look good, and fit in with what everyone else is wearing. I’m not saying that what Toms does isn’t good, but sometimes people need that little bit of difference and a choice in their life, otherwise we’d all still be barefoot and wearing the same clothes!

We Are Saints Kennedy shoes retail for around the £25 mark and are available in a variety of colours including red, navy, black, grey and beige not to mention the colour palettes that are being talked about for next summer when the weather returns to hot, dry and summery! We Are Saints don’t have a fully functioning (or even functioning) site at the moment, but they are available at a whole bunch of independent retailers such as Reem Clothing, Duffer and Mainline Menswear among many many others, so in my opinion – get shopping now!

June 24, 2011

It’s Designer Footwear Sale Time!!!

Its that time of the year again when the sales hit the high street and the online retailers and the seasons most on trend items are all available for a fraction of the price that these same places were asking for a month or so ago. With the internet now being full of price comparison websites and review sites it is pretty hard to make a mistake when ordering online, however when it comes to the sale it’s usually that little bit safer, and more beneficial to stay with the big boys. Websites such as ASOS, USC, Republic, My-Wardrobe, Mainline Menswear, Coggles, Schuh and JD Sports are all really good places to start your bargain hunting as these big websites and shops have the ability to reduce the prices further than the small guys, and have a much bigger range, so it’s fairly easy to get carried away and end up with some new flip flops for the rest of the summer, some new plimsolls from a quality brand like Superga or Lacoste for the price of a pair of Lyle and Scott, some general footwear or a new pair of work shoes or brogues for the office, but the best bargains to be had aren’t the summer of 2011 stock, its worth looking back at winter and summer 2010. The footwear trends haven’t changed significantly, with deck shoes and plimsolls still a key trend this summer, and the winter will again be about the classic boot from Timberland, Red Wing or CAT and the chukka or desert boot that appeared from a wide selection of brands. It may sound a little crazy but these pieces will undoubtedly be around the 50, 60 or even 70% off mark and won’t look out of place this winter when you’re trudging about in the snow and rain, similarly the deck shoes will still look on trend down the beach or worn with chinos, jeans or shorts and for these reasons you really can’t go wrong!

When going sale shopping its best to keep an open mind and not go looking for anything too specific. These summer sale footwear collections are what has been left at the end of the season and as such will be possibly missing the popular sizes, colours or brands. Imagine what will suit your wardrobe, and look for the best deals, after all why bother browsing the sale if you don’t find the best deals? So why not get the plastic out, browse a few of the big websites and begin to fill your shopping basket and before long you’ll be looking good, for a small fraction of the real price!

June 13, 2011

Superga – The Peoples Shoes of Italy

Superga is one of the great unknown brands that are currently doing the rounds in the fashion world. Much like Toms a couple of years ago the Superga brand name is on the verge of breaking into the UK and can currently boast Alexa Chung as an official Superga shoe wearer. The brand is HUGE in Italy and they are dubbed the ‘Peoples Shoes of Italy’ as they cater for men and women of all ages and offer some comfortable, hardwearing, quality canvas and leather shoes that are always on trend in one of the most fashion conscious countries in the world. The signature ‘S’ logo will surely soon become a common sight in England with the fashion world enjoying an 80s vintage revivial that has seen canvas shoes rocket to the top of bestselling charts everywhere. A little bit more pricey than some of the competition from Lyle and Scott, Luke 1977, Fred Perry, Original Penguin, Adidas Originals, Nicholas Deakins and Toms but for the little jump in price you are investing in quality and comfort. The large rubber sole is barely even noticeable when wearing the plimolls and they look amazing with shorts, chinos or jeans so the versatile shoe for the summer just fitted with pretty much every outfit that you can muster from your wardrobe.

At some point the Superga footwear range is going to hit the big time outside of Italy, and i’m hoping that the UK will be one of the main places that the trainers are found as they look and feel great. Well worth sniffing a pair or two out now and being the first to say that you owned a pair of Superga trainers for the summer of 2011, as if a new brand doesn’t hit the streets in a big way soon everyone will be wearing Lacoste, Toms, Lyle and Scott and some of the other big footwear names, and we really all want some diversity in the brands on show! So get shopping now!

May 17, 2011

Are Mid Tops the New Hi Tops?

Over the course of the last few weeks I have seen a growing trend in the limited number of high top trainers, but an increase in what the brands are now calling ‘mid tops’ which you can only assume are half way between a normal shoe and an 80s inspired hi top. The most common brand appearing with these newly styled mid tops are American sportswear giants Nike that offer an amazing range of sleeker converse style ankle high shoes, but also a range of quite chunky retro styled colourful and bright trainers. Also getting in on the act are the German footwear giants and rival companies Puma Archive and Adidas Originals. Their styles are again bright and colourful sticking with their retro styling, but also are available at a slightly cheaper price than Nike. The high top or mid top is coming back alongside the 80s fashion revivial that appears to be happening, and can be mixed with a variety of styles or looks. They can be worn with two styles of jeans, either loose or tapered, with the hem of the jeans tucking into the mid tops or the loose jeans sitting over the mid tops and appearing as regular trainers. They can be worn with shorts, but make sure that they’re tonal in colour and not too smart, this is a really casual look so you want something sporty to match with the retro shoes. The other option is another sporty one, and a younger mans sort of style, in jogging bottoms. Now generally elasticated at the bottom of the leg these can sit over or inside the mid top depending on whether you want to show them off or not.

Other than the above mentioned Puma Archive, Adidas Originals and Nike you can also find some amazing mid tops from Lyle and Scott, Fred Perry, Italian brand Superga, Supra and Vans, each with its own price range and signature design. With the fashion dictating that mid tops are becoming a key part of the clothing and footwear collections there is a massive gap in your wardrobe for you to grab yourself some mid top trainers, some tapered jeans and carry off a sporty casual look this summer. Why not give it a go?