Suede is and has long been a top choice for men’s Fall footwear. Suede presents a softer texture than tanned top-grain, and this might be one of the reasons why suede intuitively feels like the right material for the season in which the sun’s rays get blunter and leaves change color. If leather sometimes shouts, suede generally whispers — which is why suede appeals to the gentler man. As for suede boots, they need neither introduction nor justification. They’re light-weight, comfortable, easy to coordinate, and align with changes in temperature and key seasonal adjustments to a man’s wardrobe. When Summer retreats, suede boots step-up and stride into the character of Autumn. Suede boots can be pricey, but here are six simple styles and affordable options for men looking to get some wholesome hide on their hooves without gutting their piggy bank.
Highline by Steve Madden: $100
This classic Chelsea boot in sand was made to carry your blue jeans into Autumn with a touch of European refinement. Sand is a great color for the sunniest of Autumn days, but there is a downside: this very light tan doesn’t work well with khakis. (With casual attire it is rarely a good idea for a man’s lower half to match his shoes too exactly.) Enjoy the Highlines while they’re new, because unless you baby these booties they’re not going to remain bright and blonde for long. But no worries. The grubbier they get, they more forgiving the color-parity with khakis and lighter trousers generally. Weatherproofing will result in a slight darkening, too, and that might not be a bad thing. Wear them often, wear them hard. If you can own one pair of suede boots only, go with a simple Chelsea boot.
Abner by Stacy Adams: $99
The cap-toe Abner has subtle broguing running up the shaft and on the toe. The rusty, nearly pumpkiny shade of tan Stacy Adams chose for their Abner is much warmer than Steve Madden’s sand, so wearing these with khaki chinos wouldn’t be a disaster. Where they’ll really command attention, though, is with mid-range gray or olive Merino wool trousers. If you look closely at the details of both the Highline and the Abner (the construction of the sole; how the vamp meets the side-panel; the height of the heel-tab), you’ll see that the Abner is distinctly and not just incidentally dressier. These details mean that the Abner will raise the profile of denim jeans, corduroy, and moleskin trousers. In blue suede, the Abner is a bit Byronesque — a nod to New Romantics and Mods, and a different animal altogether from the tan. Whether blue suede Chelsea boots are a wild or domesticated animal depends on you.
Wahoo Chelsea by Sperry: $75
Billing the Wahoo as a Chelsea boot is like calling a kayak a canoe or a Vespa a Harley. The Wahoo is Chelsea-ish on account of its structural details (whole-cut vamp, gusset, etc.), but the Sperry Wahoo is more of a high-top deck shoe than a Chelsea boot. Roll-up you chinos, pull-on a meaty sweatshirt, and grab a smart ballcap. If your goal is to hang loose and be active, this is the boot for you. But if the Sperry Wahoo leads you to thoughts of topsides and sea squalls, forget suede. The Gus by Tretorn (below) costs around $100 and wades into wetness where rawhide fears to tread.
NOT SUEDE: 100% waterproof natural rubber.
Learn More About Chelsea Boots.
Galloway Plain Toe Chukka Boot by Nunn Bush: $64
If you don’t already own a Chukka boot, this might be the pair with which to start. The rich chocolate brown goes with trousers of practically any color (except black), and there’s no casual or smart-casual ensemble that’s worse-off for Chukkas.
What’s The Difference Between Chukkas And Desert Boots?
Urban Rambler by Ariat: $119
Whatever you’ve read or been told, there’s nothing wrong with the square-toe as such, and these understated but tough-looking boots show clearly where the square-toe works. If it’s not the toe but the very idea of Western boots that is immediately repellant to you, then think of these as “American Wellingtons.” Whatever you call them, these will best suit men who prefer loose- or wide-fitting trousers and who have strong intuitions about how best to upstyle blue collar duds. If you’ve got the sartorial insight and the confidence, you can certainly bring street-smart style to these raw, rugged shitkickers; but if you’re not ready to take them out into civilization, try them as your go-to weekend workwear shoes. You’ll be the sharpest tool in the shed when raking leaves, doing lawn and garden work, visiting the farmers’ market, and talking property maintenance with the boys. Pair it with a blazer from the Orvis collection.
Wallabee Boot by Clarks: $140
The Wallabee was launched by Clarks in 1967, and the fact that it remains in production fifty years on is your assurance that this oddball boot must have something going for it. Available in a few different colors and in leather, the Wallabee might be the most famous of all the I don’t give a damn shoes. It is surely a contender for the most comfortable. Strictly for casual outfits, the Wallabee goes with everything because it is too bloody ugly to go with anything — except perhaps for faded ratty jeans, a Baja shirt, and pair of glazed-over eyes. (Acrid smell of burning hemp or patchouli oil is optional.) Apart from being a tribute to Haight-Ashbury, the singular charm of Wallabees is their irony: because they are uber-comfy, hard-wearing boots, you know you should have a pair; but because they are so freakishly bland and goofy, it takes guts to wear them in public. Think of them as the straight-edge razor of men’s shoes: ownership is a rite of passage, use takes courage, and you might admire them more than actually use them. But however they look on the screen, in the box, or on your feet, they are great to drive in, super for pedaling a bike, and feel fabulous walking on everything from cobblestones to sand. Surrender. You’ll love them.
Keep Your Tongue Out Of Your Throat: Shoe Anatomy Made Simple
The post Affordable Footwear for Fall: Six Suede Boots For Smallish Money appeared first on The GentleManual | A Handbook for Modern Gentlemen.
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