Brown Men's Dress Boots
December 2, 2009 12:09 PM Subscribe
Metafilter Personal Shopper: Men's Dress Boots
I'm looking for a very specific type of dress boot and, having scoured both the Internet and various NYC area stores for several weeks to no avail, have now turned to the awesome power of Metafilter for help.
What I want are a pair of brown, ankle-ish high men's zip dress boots. Seems easy enough, but there are a large amount of things that I don't want on the boots, which is making the search much more difficult.
I don't want laces, buckles or Chelsea-boot style flexible panels; only zip will do. I don't want much of a heel (like this), nor do I want them to be as oddly flat as these.
I emphatically don't want a square or pointed toe, or much overhang of the sole... this is sort of the ideal toe profile I'm looking for, both in terms of shape and in terms of how much the sole protrudes out the sides of the boot (virtually none).
I don't really want any stitching or detail on the boot as a whole, but especially on the toe; what I want is a smooth, trim, continuous expanse of leather. I also don't want any texture (no pebbly, no faux-alligator, etc.).
I don't want any slouchy leather in the ankle area. I don't want any significant tread (ideally they will be leather-soled).
I don't want burgundy or tan boots, nor grayish brown. The ideal color I'm looking for falls somewhere between cognac and chocolate on the brown spectrum; the Prada boots linked above are pretty close to perfect.
Essentially, these boots would be perfect if they were zip instead of Chelsea-style.
And finally, I'd prefer to pay south of $500 for these non-existent, totally perfect dress boots.
Do these boots exist? And if so, where the heck can I buy them?
I'm looking for a very specific type of dress boot and, having scoured both the Internet and various NYC area stores for several weeks to no avail, have now turned to the awesome power of Metafilter for help.
What I want are a pair of brown, ankle-ish high men's zip dress boots. Seems easy enough, but there are a large amount of things that I don't want on the boots, which is making the search much more difficult.
I don't want laces, buckles or Chelsea-boot style flexible panels; only zip will do. I don't want much of a heel (like this), nor do I want them to be as oddly flat as these.
I emphatically don't want a square or pointed toe, or much overhang of the sole... this is sort of the ideal toe profile I'm looking for, both in terms of shape and in terms of how much the sole protrudes out the sides of the boot (virtually none).
I don't really want any stitching or detail on the boot as a whole, but especially on the toe; what I want is a smooth, trim, continuous expanse of leather. I also don't want any texture (no pebbly, no faux-alligator, etc.).
I don't want any slouchy leather in the ankle area. I don't want any significant tread (ideally they will be leather-soled).
I don't want burgundy or tan boots, nor grayish brown. The ideal color I'm looking for falls somewhere between cognac and chocolate on the brown spectrum; the Prada boots linked above are pretty close to perfect.
Essentially, these boots would be perfect if they were zip instead of Chelsea-style.
And finally, I'd prefer to pay south of $500 for these non-existent, totally perfect dress boots.
Do these boots exist? And if so, where the heck can I buy them?
I have purchased shoes in the past from Charles Tyrwhitt in London and have been very pleased with them. Their shirts and ties are great. Try these boots . The description calls them "distressed" but the English characterization for "distressed" is apparently far more refined that what some of our stateside designers would refer to as the same.
posted by tdalton at 1:07 PM on December 2, 2009
posted by tdalton at 1:07 PM on December 2, 2009
From endless.com, which has free overnight shipping and a great return policy and who should be paying me for all the recommendations I make:
Florsheim Joaquin (The toe is square, but not too square)
Brass Boot Torrance
Giorgio Brutini 66014
Giorgio Brutini 17221 (These have panels and maybe too much texture for you, but I really like them, so they made the list)
To Boot Hawthorne
Kenneth Cole Custom Last Boot
Maayyyybe the Stacy Adams Spat Boot
Bruno Magli Raspino
Kenneth Cole NY Town Ship Boot
Kenneth Cole NY Clean Cut Boot (May have too much sole around the edges)
posted by runningwithscissors at 1:54 PM on December 2, 2009
Florsheim Joaquin (The toe is square, but not too square)
Brass Boot Torrance
Giorgio Brutini 66014
Giorgio Brutini 17221 (These have panels and maybe too much texture for you, but I really like them, so they made the list)
To Boot Hawthorne
Kenneth Cole Custom Last Boot
Maayyyybe the Stacy Adams Spat Boot
Bruno Magli Raspino
Kenneth Cole NY Town Ship Boot
Kenneth Cole NY Clean Cut Boot (May have too much sole around the edges)
posted by runningwithscissors at 1:54 PM on December 2, 2009
Cydwoq ! make some of my favorite boots for all humans. They may be a bit "edgier" than you were looking for but they are oh so beautiful and made in the usa.
posted by memi at 3:14 PM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by memi at 3:14 PM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
OP, you burned through all the shoes that popped into my head as I read the various requirements in your post--but let me just say that, as a chronic internet shopper willing to devote hours to finding the perfect article of clothing online, That Way Lies Madness. Let's say tomorrow you do finally find the perfect shoe; the style clearly won't be particularly common, leaving you in the uncomfortable position of owning exactly one pair of the perfect shoe. Every day you will be wondering whether to "spend" wearing the shoe, and contributing to its wear, or save it for a more special occasion. And one day down the road, when you are ready to buy another pair, you will find that the particular model is no longer manufactured and you must start the search all over again...at which point, you may or may not find a suitable replacement.
Investing so much time and energy into locating the perfect (ultimately disposable) product makes wearing inferior products instead feel like a relief. Unless, of course, you are possessed of sufficient disposable income to brute-force three pair up front and cycle them regularly/have backups in case one pair gets ruined in the rain or mud or what have you.
posted by Phyltre at 5:00 PM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
Investing so much time and energy into locating the perfect (ultimately disposable) product makes wearing inferior products instead feel like a relief. Unless, of course, you are possessed of sufficient disposable income to brute-force three pair up front and cycle them regularly/have backups in case one pair gets ruined in the rain or mud or what have you.
posted by Phyltre at 5:00 PM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Have you checked out Modista yet? It lets you shop visually, and pulls up shoes similar to what you like.
posted by runningwithscissors at 6:57 AM on December 3, 2009
posted by runningwithscissors at 6:57 AM on December 3, 2009
Response by poster: Modista led me to these, which I hadn't seen at the actual Ted Baker store when I went a few weeks ago, and whose combination of near-perfection and price (and availability in size 13) compelled me to buy them. Thanks so much to everyone for all of your help, I really appreciate it.
posted by saladin at 12:23 PM on December 3, 2009
posted by saladin at 12:23 PM on December 3, 2009
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posted by haveanicesummer at 12:59 PM on December 2, 2009