Listen up, guys. And I mean “guys” literally. As in males. (Females can read this too, it'll be a fun read.)
Remember how I said a few days ago that I was going to post about a trend for men? Here ya go.
*BREAKING NEWS*
Wanna be a kool kat? Wear red shoes. Be they sneakers, Keds, Toms, brogues, dress shoes, Clarks, Chuck Taylors, Doc Martens or anything else you can think of to put on your manly feet, if you're buying any new shoes this fall, make sure they're red.
You know why? Well, I have some street stylin' photographs from France, as well as some worthy evidence from my trusty friends over at Urban Outfitters and other stories.
Also, red is a big trend for fall, and I'm all for including small pops of color in my wardrobe like that (just like with my leopard print Converse, which actually do fit. Maybe my feet grew overnight?). If you're not ready to go all Alberta Ferretti on us, then go for a pair of bright red kicks to spice up your fall and winter wardrobe.
Some of you (let's face it, I bet all of you) are worried about looking like clowns, especially those of you who have big feet (like me). But have no fear, my fashion forward brethren! If you style them well, then you're sure to turn some heads, if only because they'll be thinking, “Garsh, I wish I were as kool as him!”
Here are the guys who made my head turn and my lens point at their snazzily adorned feet.
It was a shame that I didn't get this photo from the front, because he was wearing a matching red tie, and you can see that he has on a sharp suit and has a messenger bag. The epitome of Parisian cool. So jealous.
This little cutie demonstrates the first way to wear red shoes: Use them to add a pop of color to an otherwise boring outfit. Instead of being just another guy wearing a suit, or jeans and a T-shirt, be that one guy who's wearing a suit with red shoes. (And maybe throw in a red bow tie for good measure. If I were a man, I know I would.)
Here's a guy who knows how to accessorize well. He's got on a simple pair of straight leg blue jeans and a white button up. I mean, how much duller can you get? Wearing something like that by itself is a very easy and straightforward way of telling the world that you have zero imagination, and are probably a boring person. This kid is no dummy, nor is he lame, because he threw on a pair of vibrant red shoes with matching red laces and a matching belt to tie it all together.
The belt is very important to avoid looking Fourth-of-July. If there's just one article of clothing in each color of the flag, that's where it becomes patriotic, but if you reference other parts of your oufit with another red accessory, that's where you score big points. (Also, extra points for having a white handkerchief with red embroidery chilling in your back pocket.)
The second way to wear red is basically the same as the first: use it to spice up an unimaginitive ensemble. Have fun with it. But if you're going to wear them with blue jeans and a white shirt, be prepared with a red tie, bow tie, belt, scarf, hat or other accessory to steer clear of coming across as an overenthusiastic patriot.
This one is different from the others (OH REALLY? DIDN'T NOTICE. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL THE SAME). He's not only wearing a nice, blinding pair of red kix (lookin' to me like some Toms, perhapsadoodle?), but a matching and equally dizzyingly bright shirt to go with it. This is a perfect fall outfit: neutrals with a fun color to counterbalance it, so you can avoid looking like a monotonous blob walking down the street. Wearing all neutrals may be a big trend for fall as well”link to harper's bazaar fall trends”, but I'd get bored with it very quickly. I'm the sort of person that needs that to wear the red shirt with the khaki shorts in order to feel presentable, and if you're anything like me, so do you.
The third, but really just the second, way to wear red shoes: Pair them with an article of clothing in the same color, such as a shirt, jacket/blazer, sweatshirt, sweater or coat. I'd try and stay away from wearing red pants or shorts with red shoes, because you my end up looking a little ridiculous. Monochrome works in more muted colors, like black, white, grey, etcetera. A full on red outfit might be too much for you. If you feel like you want to try it, I suggest wearing different shades of red, or you'll look like Sue Sylvester”link to picture of Sue Sylvester wearing a red tracksuit”. But for those of you who think this guy's outfit is the perfect balance between neutrals and color, then I would stick to red tops only. Jeans are an acceptable option as well, and feel free to wear them in any color you choose, just so long as you don't turn into a Jo Bro.
Neither of these guys are wearing red shoes, but they are wearing a shizton of red. For those of you who like to have fun when you get dressed in the morning, think of this photograph as inspiration.
* A small plus * It's very Thakoon Fall/Winter 2011 womenswear as well as Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2011 menswear.
* A small plus * It's very Thakoon Fall/Winter 2011 womenswear as well as Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2011 menswear.
If all of this red shoe stuff is news to you, and you have no idea if you'll actually be able to find red shoes that easily and within a reasonable price range, then that is where I come in. And you should know by now that after shopping in thrift and consignment stores for as long as I have, $16 is expensive, so don't worry about my finds being outrageously expensive. But do realize that I'm willing to spend more money on shoes because 1) I can't make them myself and 2) they're supposed to last a long time.
I've found a few options for you to check out:
These are tad out of my price range, but they look nice, right? I'm also not a guy, so I wouldn't buy them anyway.
And for those of you who are willing to spend a bit more money for a really nice pair of shoes, we have these, but they're also a tad less red. More burgundy. If you're down, then go for it.
If all of this red is blowing your mind, and you're not ready for full on ruby red pieces, let's turn to one of my favorite Parisian-based brands is The Kooples. The name is quite clever, because they're very focused on couples who wear The Kooples. The thing that I love about the brand is their attention to details that really make the pieces original, like a skull design in a lace trim, or leather piping on a pocket, things like that. I love that sort of stuff. I also love their attention to tailoring, which means they do a lot of cool suits with clean lines, for both men and women. The reason I brought them up is because they did a lot of stuff in shades of burgundy, which is the perfect alternative to red for this fall. I have a pair of burgundy brogues, which are actually men's shoes. That explains why they fit so weirdly.
The Kooples is, however, way out of my price range. I use them more as an inspiration for things I want to buy or make. If you have the same budget as me, then you probably can't afford The Kooples, but I'll show you some stuff anyway.
I thought they had a pair of men's shoes in the right color, but they don't, so to go with these nonexistent shoes, you can try to pull off a monochrome look like this model with a matching burgundy suit:
The Kooples. $Very Expensive. (The pants alone are 135 euros, which is like $200. No thx.)
*A quick note*: You know who wears The Kooples? The Man Repeller.
If you decide to try out ANY of these trends, take a picture and send it on over to youreatulle@gmail.com, and let me know where you got your shoes/clothes and if you want to be featured on this here blog.
Happy shopping, my sartorially savvy siblings!
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