Get Band-Aid's Friction Block Stick. Your Feet Will Thank You.

If, like me, you are a shoe fiend, you've probably endured the agony of friction-induced blisters for a favorite pair more than a few times in your life. While going through some boxes recently, I rejoiced upon discovering a forgotten Band-Aid Friction Block Stick. I'd long been suffering the burn for a pair of Dieppa Restrepo oxfords I can't stop wearing, even though I know they'll start to rub me the wrong way by day's end. After gliding the invisible blister stick on each heel where the shoe tends to offend, I completely forgot they'd ever caused me any pain. I've even recommended it to guy friends who have used it for the back of sneakers with similar results. If you're not equipped with one of these already, stock up -- they're currently on sale at CVS.

Band-Aid Friction Block Stick, now $5.52 at CVS.com

via CVS.com

Meet Your New Spring Sneaks: PF Flyers 1949 Freemans Sporting Club Editions

I often lament the fact that it's difficult to find mens stuff that's not festooned with too much doodadery, and tend to gravitate towards pared down simplicity, which is why I love the new PF Flyers 1949 editions designed for Freemans Sporting Club. The collection features two clean, canvas styles -- a boot and saddle, resuscitated from the archives, whose names hearken back to favored recreation spots of yore). In slightly sunbleached hues, they couldn't feel more right.

Fellas, I think we've found your go-to shoe for Spring/Summer. You can thank Selectism for the tip.

The Taghkanic (bottom row) and the Mohonk (top row) are available now at Freemans and other select retailers.

Photos:
1) www.selectism.com
2 & 3) www.pfflyers.com/freemans

Menswear Obsession: Clae's Spring 2011 First Delivery

Clae just released some new snaps of their first Spring delivery, arriving in stores now. A few faves:

You can check out the rest on their Facebook page.


Photos: www.facebook.com/pages/CLAE-Footwear/216550520609

Menswear Obsession: Surface to Air Sailor Sneakers

Part boat shoe, part sneaker-boot, Surface to Air's Sailor Sneaker is the perfect shoe for making the summer-into-fall transition in style. The sandy hue and nautical lace-through detail is appropriate for the still warm days but the boot styling gives it a more substantial feel than your summer Sperrys. $220 @ Frances May.

Photo: www.francesmay.com

Hit the Deck: Sperry's Spring Sneaks

The dense cloud stratum currently blanketing NYC is supposedly going to give way to sunny skies and 70-degree temps. It might be a little too early to bust out the flip flops and rejoice, but boys should seize the opportunity to break in the deck shoes. Sperry continues to make good use of its resurgence in popularity by churning out perfect classics. My latest favorite is this minty green canvas pair, trimmed in navy.

Sperry Canvas Deck Sneaker, $78 @ Need Supply.

The unobtrusive, vintage topsider logo, still workin' . . .

Also available in birch.

Photos: www.needsupply.com

Uncommon Taste: Common Projects Revamps the Desert Boot

I love Common Projects' take on the desert boot.  Part boot, part sneaker, they make for a great casual look. The price is a bit tough to swallow, but consider that they might just be the pair you reach for most this Spring.

Common Projects Desert Boot in grey nubuck, $363@ Gargyle.

Photo credit: www.gargyle.com

Sneaker Obsession: Nike Toki ND in Obsidian/Vivid Pink

Nike's Toki ND is getting plenty of play right now, so I was hesitant to post it, but after spotting a pair in the Obsidian/Vivid Pink combo on a subway rider this evening, I couldn't tear my eyes away and felt compelled to share them with you. Though the style is available in a few different colorways (rendered in canvas or leather), the shot of vivid pink that wrapping around this one adds the perfect accent. They looked so great on Subway Rider that I briefly contemplated writing an ode to them in the form of a Craigslist Missed Connection post.


Nike Toki ND in Obsidian, $82 @ Need Supply.

Photos: www.needsupply.com

Men's Spring Essentials: Tretorn Sneaks, Gitman Bros. Ties, and Wings + Horns Hoodies

As winter draws to a close (here's hoping), all thoughts turn to Spring things. One such thought provokes excitement like no other: the prospect of pulling the warm weather gear out from hiding. While it feels so wonderful to welcome old tried-and-true favorites back into one's life, there's always a need for at least a few updates. I'm of the opinion that each spring, every guy should have a new pair of sneaks, a warm weather tie, and a light hoodie or windbreaker to freshen up the wardrobe. Blackbird currently has some great options.

Tretorn T56 Mid Canvas in Eggnog, $78.

Gitman Vintage Ties, $68 each.

 

  

  

  

Obey Gussto Windbreaker, $110.

 

 

Wings + Horns Striped Tiger Terry Zip Hoodie, $190.

Photos: www.blackbirdballard.com

Guest Blog: Rogues Gallery x L.L. Bean Duck Boots

I've been swamped at work and was busy moving all weekend, so this menswear post is brought to you by my friend Ali. He has great taste, so rest assured, you're in good hands (would I ever leave you in the company of anyone less than dapper?). Besides being stylish, he's also a talented photographer (he's the one who shot the barbie shoes for my new blog banner) and has a passion for sharing music he loves. In fact, he's the voice (and ears) behind music blog Broken Silence (check out his latest post, in which he predicts that the Song of the Summer will be Foster the People's Pumped up Kicks -- I dare you to try not to like it).  For this guest post, however, he's got kicks of another sort on the brain:


This month, L.L. Bean is coming out with their new Signature Collection, designed by Alex Carleton of Rogues Gallery [Ed. note: the first such collab in the brand's history]. One of the items he's re-envisioned is their original 1912 Duck Boot. He replaced the leather with waxed cotton for a more, well, rogueish look. With more snow planned on the way, these will be a nice change from the ubiquitous, brown leather ones you see all over the city. Girls could easily wear these as well. In any case, I'll be buying a pair.

The Signature Collection launches March 15th and the boots will retail for $129. GQ has photos of a few more items from new line.

 Photo: gq.com

Mens Footwear Obsession: Alfred Sargent x Seize sur Vingt's Walnut Grain Gibson

Yesterday my friend Pierre and I hit Soho for some shoe shopping. He had his eye on some Alfred Sargent shoes at Seize sur Vingt and I was prospecting potential bday presents to myself at Miu Miu. I decided to hold off until after purchasing a new laptop, but he went ahead and said "I do" to a gorgeous pair of benchmade pebbled leather beauties in the perfect walnut brown hue.

Part of an exclusive co-branded collab between the legendary British shoemaker and SsV, the shoes are absolutely beautiful right down to the soles. P tried on the a couple of styles, but the Gibson in walnut grain won us over. The minute he put them on, I insisted that he buy them or risk my throwing a full-on kiddie style tantrum in the store. Though there certainly were other beauties among the AS offerings, the pebbled texture made the light reflect off of them differently than the shiny, smooth-all-over variety, for a look that was less flashy but still rich. The texture even changes a bit, gradually becoming smoother towards the toe. It looked perfect with P's dark jeans and would probably go with most any other pants. The photos on the website really don't do them justice, so they should be examined in-store if possible.

Alfred Sargent Gibson in Walnut Grain, $440. They're a bit darker in person.

 

  

 

They cost a small fortune, but this is one of those purchases where the cost-per-wear rule comes into play, and quality is a major decision-making factor. These will probably be one of the best pairs of shoes you will ever own in your life, and should last forever. According to a fellow shopper who was coming back for his second pair, they wear in perfectly and start to feel amazing. Upon examining the sole, I noticed a separate piece of leather at the inside of the back of the heel, where shoes tend to suffer the most wear and tear (see below). P and I guessed that this was was so that the piece could be replaced without sacrificing the superbly crafted heel. Every conceivable consideration was made in their making, so despite the price, the purchase was kind of a no-brainer.

A pic of P wearing his new shoes.

 

UPDATE: P just sent me a link to a Flickr set of the Spring/Summer 2010 collection.

Photos:

1-4) www.shop.16sur20.com

5-6) moi

Found: Perfect Black Sneaks

Clae sneaks have been a Shoptometrist fave for a while, but somehow these black Russell high tops escaped my notice until my little brother started coveting them. The tongue is lined in red, giving them a subtle pop. The photo really doesn't do them justice, so if you happen to stop by a Barneys CO-OP, do give them a look-see.

Clae - Russell (Black Ballistic/Root/Black Ballistic), $130 @ Zappos.

Photo: www.zappos.com

Shopping the A.P.C. Sale: Top Picks for the Men

As promised, here's my roundup of menswear finds from the A.P.C. sale currently in progress. Hit the brick-and-mortars for the best selection, but there are deals to be had online as well. I decided to limit this post to items under $200. While you ogle the discounted goods, I'm going to dump The Wizard of Oz (I've already watched it one and a half times today) for Inglourious Basterds. Bf gave it to me as a nondenominational holiday present (for an unofficial holiday which shall henceforth be known as "Khanmas") and yes, I gifted him with a copy of the very same for one of his Hanukkah presents -- funny story.

Striped pullover sweater, now $140 (was $200), shown in dark indigo/ecru stripe. Also available in dark indigo/violet stripe.

 

Flecked cardigans are all the rage these days, apparemment. Cardigan, $175 (was $250). Available in beige/multicolored (top) and anthracite (bottom).

 

 

Narrow plaid shirt in chestnut brown/navy, $85 (was $170). Also available in black/grey and navy blue/white.

"Boy" shirt in blue plaid, $119 (was $170), shown in blue plaid. Also available in red plaid and brown plaid.

Wool web belt in grey, $45 (was $90). Also available in black and red.

 

Tennis shoes in grey, $140 (was $200).

 

 

Photo credit: www.apc.fr

Dirty Sneaks

My shoes have storied pasts. They've taken quite a beating from pounding the NYC pavements, scaling the vertiginous hills of San Francisco, and clomping through the cobblestone streets of Georgetown. My shoe guy always shakes his head in bewilderment every time I come in with yet another pair in sorry state, begging him to give them another chance at life. He's done countless heel transplants, painstakingly polished vintage leathers in hard-to-match hues, and performed emergency surgery on many a battered sole that had nearly danced itself to death. His greatest miracle was probably the readjustment of a pair of beloved Missoni wedges, when one shoe became inexplicably shorter than the other by a whole 3/4 of an inch.

Though I'm extremely grateful to him for resuscitating my most treasured footwear and will continue to run to him in a panic, there's also something I love about the look of a well-worn shoe. There's a certain richness and character in an old leather boot that's wrinkled with age and creased with wear at the instep.  A flip flop with the grooves of a foot worn in conjures up a feeling of lived-in comfort. And most interesting of all are the sneakers, their skins faded and discolored with the passing of seasons, shoelaces frayed by the frazzle of life, treads worn down to smoothness.

The process of breaking in a pair may take several years, but if you like the look and are too impatient to do it the natural way, these come pre-dirtied for your convenience.

Diesel Men's Magnete Exposure Low in overdyed grey, $90 @ S|Sense.

 

Photo credit: www.ssense.com

A.P.C. x Nike All Court Now in Black & White (and on Sale)

I only just came to learn of the A.P.C. x Nike collabo via Josh Spear, who has apparently been loving them for quite some time now. I'm digging the pared down result. He recently stumbled upon this pair of black and white All Courts on sale, via Hypebeast.

A.P.C. x All Court, black on white canvas. Available online only through apc.fr for 90 €.

Photo credit: www.apc.fr

Menswear Obsession: Fall Footwear

God bless Refinery29 for their glorious roundup of mens fall shoe picks (and many other glorious roundups we've loved over the years). You can check out all 20 on their site, but here's a teaser with some of my favorites:

I'm not normally a fan of the too-white shoe, but I'd want to keep these babies pristine. Save them for a rain-free day. Vans 106 Vulcanized Shoes, $106 @ Swell.

Rachel Comey's shoes are always divine, and I'm loving the pebbled leather look on these Uncle Dan Oxfords. $322 @ Steven Alan.

The coziest Topsiders I've ever seen. The Band of Outsiders x Sperry collabo seems to be yielding great things.  Crushed Leather Chukkas, $230 @ Opening Ceremony.

For a stylish trek through the snow. Love those laces! F-Troupe Suede Black Hiking Boot, $212 @ Oak.

Photo credit:
1) www.swell.com
2) www.stevenalan.com
3) www.openingceremony.com
4) www.oaknyc.com

Fall Sneaks: Clae Woollies

Despite the fact that temps are plummeting rapidly and the sidewalks are getting wetter, I've witnessed several boys running around NYC still tethered to their Havaiianas, mired in denial re: the oncoming chill. I know it can be so very hard to admit when it's over, but good God, it almost dipped into the 40's last Friday night. It really is time to part with your mandals, bid adieu to lightweight canvas sneaks, and slip your feet into something more substantial. I've got just the thing.

Clae's Russell Sneaker in charcoal wool , $144.

 

Now, let's wave goodbye to a summer gone by.  Do it with me . . .

Photo credit: 
1&2) tobi.com
3) yours truly