April 14, 2011

Timberland – Not Just Boots!

American outerwear and iconic boot brand is fast becoming a brand for all seasons, with the classic boot, euro sprint ankle boots and premium 6″ boots available in the winter for the wet weather and the snow and the other flip side of Timberland is available for the summer. With the supposed warm weather this year there will be plenty of chance to flaunt your ankles underneath a pair of shorts, and Timberland has created the perfect footwear to fit with your favourite summer look and keep right on trend for 2011. The superb range of chukka boots, flip flops, deck shoes and sandals are all available for the summer season in a variety of styles, designs and materials with a super range of prices. Chukka boots are for your jeans and chino wearing days when its a little bit chillier or you need something that little bit smarter and Timberland have provided some amazing styles, including a couple of shades of leather boot but also an amazing canvas boot that is set to rival Sperry Topsider this season. If you’re wanting to stay casual or you’re lucky enough to be on holiday or just want to chill down the pub then Timberland have covered this base for you. Longer 3/4 shorts or jeans, chino shorts or cargo shorts can be worn with the range of flip flops, sandals and deck shoes that currently adorn the spring summer collection. The sandals are from the hugely successful earthkeeper range and are made from recycled products including a large quantity of rubber, providing the company with a very ‘green’ look as these amazing flip flops and sandals sit alongside some of their best selling boots. The deck shoes have been reviewed before by Designer Shoes and Trainers to an extent and are by far the most versatile piece of footwear in the collection, being able to be worn with pretty much anything (except jogging bottoms!!). Wear them with or without socks, with or without jeans or simply play around with your own personal style and do a bit of everything.

Timberland was once just a winter boot brand, now they’re attacking all seasons and really do ensure that a good quality piece of Timberland footwear can be worn 365 days a year, for most occasions and events. Any good fashion or footwear retailer will stock the Timberland footwear range, just make sure that its the fashion range not the outdoor range that you’re looking at otherwise you may end up rambling rather than on a sunny beach!

March 17, 2011

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.