Ralph Lauren Quinton Oxford

by Sara Carpeaux

As a lover of distinctly feminine clothing and accessories, I am just as much an admirer of preppy unisex staples. I’ve yet to meet an oxford cloth button down I didn’t wear threadbare. The same holds true for accessories; I adore a curvaceous heel or a bow-laden ballet flat, but I have a sweet disposition for traditional men’s shoes: brogues, bucks, Weejuns—a preference most certainly nurtured during my four years at Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, VA).

With the resurgence of menswear for women over the past several seasons, designers have tailored men's classics for us in smaller, narrower versions. I’ve stepped into this gorgeous pair of Ralph Lauren Collection wingtip oxfords ($595), made in Italy. A handcrafted, sartorial investment I fully intend on handing down someday. They'll break in nicely and only better with age while anchoring my wardrobe’s most feminine ruffles and florals. My first pair of oxfords since prep school, and paired with them, my first set of cedar shoe trees (monogrammed, of course). Of all the shoes I own—and there are numerous—only a select few cause me to truly swoon. This is one such pair.