Russell_Street wrote:

Beyond the Ballinger Brogue these have an agreeable degree of heft to them:

http://www.pediwear.co.uk/detail.php?stock_ID=2257

Brilliantly understated, purist ivy style footwear.Split toe bluchers are very boom years ivy style. The style is actually quite a nicely obscure  choice nowadays as far as i can see.They are smart but also still casual in their styling.I can see these with peacoats, fisherman rib sweaters (Peter Storm 705), and wider wale cords.I definately find this style and these Paraboots seductive and alluring but i think they may just be a tad too SMART for my own down at heel lifestyle(!)


Still great shoes though...

Purist Ivy Style!

Fred wrote:

Nice shoes indeed.  I personally prefer the Paraboot Chambord - a chunkier, less refined style.  Very nice indeed.

I just checked those Paraboot Chambord`s out, Fred.Very NICE....

I personally wouldn't be seen dead in any of the above, for fear of been mistook for an old upper class twit! but hey, whatever rocks your boat and each to their own.

Like your adventure Russ, but just don't see it to myself. More public school, landed gentry, double barrelled surname toff than Ivy.

To me Ivy style is about the OVERALL look.

Of themselves some of these pieces could definately be seen as perhaps old-manish, toffee nosed, square, boring ,dated, or whatever.Alot of the items are very, very simple and classic designs and the colours are very muted.To me the the overall Ivy style look is about a very simple look but there`s also a clever and subtle sophistication behind it.

To me it`s definately NOT about flashy or clearly obviously `trendy` or `fashion -forward` individual items.


Individual items that are obviously very attractive and funky will invariably draw resultant positive comments `what a LOVELY pair of shoes!`, `what a GORGEOUUSSSSSS pair of corduroy`s!` or whatever...

For me though, i think that although this can feel very flattering at the time it can necessarily detract from all those other less obviously stand- out elements of the OVERALL look.These other items i think can thus actually get OVERLOOKED.

How much better for the look to be appraised as a whole, eh...?


The great thing about all this is that it`s all down to the beholder as to what is viable and what isn`t and what`s attractive and what isn`t.It would be a dull old world if we all liked exactly the same things, eh!!!


By and large i`ve grown to like really classically, pared and stripped down designed items that are often very unobtrusive but which can have a far greater sartorial resonance and impact when worn as part of a carefully thought about and considered whole, rather than as individual respective `pieces`.

Using very, very carefully considered chosen contrasting colours as `punctuation` to an outfit rather than just going for `ROUTE 1` with a nice, snazzy pair of hip trousers or fashionable looking shoes.Items in attractive, bright colours will unfailingly draw effusive compliments if that is what is required but the rest of the outfit will perhaps be quickly overlooked.I like the idea of something else going on when someone`s overall look is appraised.A conscious, semi-conscious or unconscious appreciation of just how cool this ostensibly un-trying look is...


To me it`s all about one word..UNDERPLAY,UNDERPLAY,UNDERPLAY...


How much cooler is it if it appears from your look that you aint even signed up for  the race and you aint even trying?

THAT`S Cool!


I think the `amplification` and frisson of this style comes from all those respective, carefully selected and very subtle pieces working off each other in the ostensible background, to a greater end...


I like those Paraboots.I think they would fit in very well with an Ivy style wardrobe.I could perhaps see them with a slouchy, very sackish, dark navy wool peacoat, Peter Storm 705 and slim, tapered chinos or cord type trousers.Great , cool, aswell as practical kit for when it`s raining or really cold, perhaps...


I can totally see that these shoes are definately not obviously attractive and that they do look un-hip and square (!)

They are probably not going to get you positive comments of themselves when worn as part of an overall look.But the overall look will be appraised and within the context of an overall look, the look itself will i think be more positively powerful than if someone had selected an extraordinarily attractive pair of shoes.

To me the exciting challenge with this Ivy style is in trying making ostensibly dull, plain, toffee nosed stuff vibrant, edgy, alive, valid, relevant, of the moment and cool.That IS the great challenge...

Sometimes it really isn`t going to come off, but that`s no bad thing and it`s great fun trying, eh..!

The good thing about this forum is the quality of it, but I still wouldn't be seen dead in any of them :-)

If Paraboot didn't exist then Alden would have to invent several of their product range. Fine materials and very well constructed. IMO. Best for Autum, Winter and Spring.

RH