Saddle Shoes

Sportswear is America's fashion child. It’s about living, and that’s where America has made its mark. In the early 1920’s, American golfers, following the Duke of Windsor’s lead, brought two-tone shoes to the greens long before they appeared on the feet of jitterbugging adolescents. Girls of the 1950’s typically paired saddle shoes with skirts, a while blouse and bobby socks. Although the normal coloration is white and black, today, they’re worn by both men and women in a variety of style and colors.

Mark McNairy, Allen Edmonds, J.Crew, and a handful of English cordwainers each have their take on the classic, but Ralph Lauren's are top drawer. Bench-made in Northampton England by Crockett & Jones (a renowned cordwainer in their own right), this particular pair are vintage at over 20 years old. Everything from the chocolate eyelets, to the tan shade of the saddle, to the silhouette of the toe (not too round but not too pointy) is just perfect. And then they're beat to hell. In tan/white, they subtly hint at the gentlemanly demeanor found on the links.

Pair the brown variations with a multi-stripe sock from Smart Turnout. Come summer, lace them up sock-less with your shorts and summer-weight trousers. Whatever you do, just don't try to keep them clean.