The cellar is legendary!

Fred wrote:

First post here but have been lurking for a long time.  Anyway, I live in the US but order stuff from J. Simons a few times per year, specifically shoes.  I pretty much live in Paraboot Michael and Chambord, both of which I order from John.  I just received the suede playboy style shoes on the website and they are superb.  Fantastic shop - I may have been in the shop years ago when I lived in London in the eighties but I am not sure.  It just so happens that our tastes appear to be very similar; I called them up to order the suede shoes and before I said what I wanted John said "you are after those suede Chukkas, aren't you?"..........

There is obvious irony in living in the US and ordering from an Ivy shop in London but they appear to have a hipness absent from the American equivalent, presumably as a result of the jazz/mod roots.

Just fyi, CitiShoes in NYC stocks the suede playboy shoe and Tom Austin, also in NYC, sells Paraboot.

David wrote:

... I love John's shop - The perfect antidote to all the misinformation on the internet about the reality of the Ivy League style.

No kidding those guys are scary and have a certain attitude, I pity the Internet Gentleman who tries to browbeat them about their suppliers and jacket canvassing. They are very friendly and helpful but you definitely feel they know what they are talking about and know their stock inside out.

I'd really like to go to London some day and go to J Simons.  Their website is cool, man, real cool.  I esp like their pictures of famous people who wore Ivy like Paul Newman.

David wrote:

That Newman shot is very cool - The knit tie, OCBD, Tan Cord Sack jacket...

Is it internet "Trad" though?

I'm guessing not.

It's OK if it's not.  I'm just a Paul Newman wannabe looking for my Joanne Woodward.

Hi Fred

Happy New Year to you!

I don`t currently own a pair of the Sanders `Playboy` style suede chukka boots.(I first learned of them through FNB -Thank you FNB...).
They really look a fine boot and when i first saw them on the J.Simons  website i thought that they WERE the George Cox chukka suede plantation crepe chukka boots. I think the aesthetic differences between the Sanders and the GC chukkas appear to be quite subtle.

I first bought  thick plantation crepe`Original Playboy` label chukka shoes from John at J.Simons.I love those shoes and still wear them today.

More recently i discovered the George Cox label plantation crepe playboy style suede chukka footwear.I bought one pair of the boots in black, and i bought two more pairs in the brown colour.I love the brown colour of my GC suede chukka boots (a rich, redddish brown `rust` colour).In fact, i purchased my second pair of GC chukka suede boots, not so very long ago ...I read an erroneous report that GC (est. 1906) in Northampton was closing business.(I was also planning on snapping up yet more pairs whilst i was still able to...).

It eventually transpired that GC was still very much in business, although they had seemingly down-sized their operations, and had actually closed an old factory.

George Cox is extremely popular in Japan.I think they love the Teddy Boy and Punk heritage of the company.The vast majority of George Cox shoe and boot styles leave me cold.Much GC footwear is far too outlandish for my own tastes.The shoes are often brightly coloured, and adorned with sundry buckles, and straps.Think Bono, or the Sex Pistols... Alot of the styles seem cliche Punk, and Herman Munsterish.
I don`t like any of their other crepe soled footwear apart from the very classic and very plain `Playboy` style boots and  shoes (Gibson -3 eyelet).I do have a pair of their black leather Gibson ( 4 -eyelet)13517 style shoes.To my mind these shoes seem  un-commonly classic and plain(!), manly, and jazzy/moddy in a very purist pared down sense.I actually think they also cut quite a subversive and  edgy dash!.

The Sanders, and the GC`s are both made in Northampton , England.It`s my own personal belief that  both makes are very well constructed boots.I am certainly extremely happy with my GC`s.The quality of the suede seems superlative for the relative cost.Furthermore i think that for the relative cost (80 English Pounds), they are a veritable `steal` when you compare them to the current Clarks Desert Boots- `Made in Slovenia`- (70 English Pounds).


The Sanders chukka suede boots seem a more (elegantly) beautiful boot.I think it is the elegant tapering of the toe...They seem more polished, and elegant  than the George Cox offering.I also think they seem more subtly dressy than the GC chukkas.I love my GC chukka boots because they are so versatile.These chukka boots are perhaps just a little less elegant, but i find them subtly edgy, and very, very versatile.I think they are perfect for day, or evening wear.Personally, i think they are perhaps more of a `street-style` look than the more elegant (and probably better constructed...) Sanders .

Well, that`s my own personal opinion.

  -George Cox Chukka


-Sanders Chukka


- Clarks Desert Boot



I aslo think either of the above is infinitely preferable to these `rubber-sole` travesties....

http://www.villageshoes.com/gbxmechbopl.html

I have the Clark desert boot, but only in the lighter colour (not sure what you call it) which I very much like with linen pants for summer wear. That darker suede is interesting, though -- maybe for fall with jeans?

Having just been back last week I was struck again by their depth of knowledge of their stock and also the way it was taken for granted that you would be interested in the provenance of the article. I was looking at a leather coat and they had the whole history of the maker (they started life in the last century making leather waistcoats for farmers) and the materials it was made from. Maybe it's because they have put some real effort into their stock and want people to appreciate it, or maybe it's because their customers have a real interest. Probably both.

Hi Chris!

Yeah, it`s a classic, classic look.

I`m really looking forward to giving my George Cox`s a run out again myself, in the autumn.Ivy style for me personally is really all about the autumn and the winter.At least it`s the ivy style clothing of this time of year that really excites me.Tweed sportcoats, quality classic knitwear, thick crepe soled chukka shoes and boots, polonecks, peacoats, shawl collar cardigans, classic plaid scarves etc...

I`ll be wearing my Clarks desert boots aswell during the autumn and the winter.(I don`t currently own any Sanders chukka`s but i think they are the best of the bunch construction -wise since i believe they are Goodyear welted).The Lands End 100 % cotton turtlenecks are really good for this kind of vibe aswell in my opinion.


Cheers,


John

Chris_H wrote:

jesmond wrote:

Ivy style for me personally is really all about the autumn and the winter.At least it`s the ivy style clothing of this time of year that really excites me.Tweed sportcoats, quality classic knitwear, thick crepe soled chukka shoes and boots, polonecks, peacoats, shawl collar cardigans, classic plaid scarves etc...

Me Too!

Here's a link for the Sanders Hi-Top. I think it is a slightly better quality boot than the George Cox. The crepe sole appears harder wearing, also it has a narrower toe so you might need to size up. I do like the chunkiness of the Cox Playboys though.


http://www.sandersshoes.com/shopping/pr … uctid=1810

Thanks alot, Chris.


Cheers,



John

Fred there is a version available in the US called the GBX Playboy. I have no experience of it personally, but I'm told the quality is not as good as either the Sanders of George Cox.

http://www.contemposuits.com/gbx-new-me … boots.html

PS: my feet are quite broad across the toes hence I needed to size up.

Last edited by Chris_H (2008-07-25 08:11:59)

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