Product Review: Sons of Henrey Wholecut Chelsea Boot

sons of henrey chelsea boot review

The menswear resurgence of the past 10 years has been wonderful for the discerning customer, but tough for mid-market brands. It seems like every week there is a new story about a brand or retailer in trouble, stuck between customers that want fast fashion prices and those that want luxury products. Personally, I love the middle of the market – I find that it’s where the products of highest value often exist, and that’s usually my first priority when deciding where to purchase. A new member to the club of “not expensive, not cheap, but definitely good” is footwear brand Sons of Henrey, founded earlier this year. […]

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Buying Guide: the Contemporary Chelsea

chelsea boot buying guide

When it comes to footwear, I have a pretty good understanding of what I like. My shoe collection is centered around classic styles that bridge the gap between casual and formal, in safe and conservative colors and materials. I love the shoes I have, but there are times that I wish I had something with a bit more of a punch to them – something a bit more interesting, a tad more ‘cool guy’ than my normal ‘grandpa’ vibe. Whenever I get that feeling, my mind turns to Chelsea boots. […]

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Fall Favorites – 10 Essential Autumn Items

fall menswear essentials

Five years ago I wrote a series on my favorite pieces from each season. A lot of those items are still near and dear to me, but I thought it would be worth updating things to reflect my current lifestyle and wardrobe. My fall favorites have changed a bit, but many of the concepts are still the same – textured materials, earthy colors, and a bit of protection from inclement weather. Here are my go-to pieces for the cool weather ahead: […]

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For the Love of Longwings – a Comparison

If you read my recent shoe collection post you know that I like longwings quite a bit. They’re an incredibly versatile shoe style, and over the years I’ve collected four pairs from four prominent brands. Since I know I’m not the only one interested in this style of footwear I thought I’d dive in to the details and compare the various aspects of each one – each have their little nuances that make them unique in their own way. […]

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Taking Stock: the State of my Shoe Collection

I was recently doing a bit of deep cleaning and reorganizing in my apartment, which led me to take all of my shoes out of their little hutch and move them onto the floor. It had been a long time since I’d seen them all laid out like that in one place, so I decided to take stock of everything and see how my collection looked as a whole. […]

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Product Review: Grant Stone Suede Longwings

I was recently talking with some menswear friends who feel that it’s a tough time to enter the market because everything’s been done already. Products of every style are available at every pricepoint, so what’s left to do? While I agree with this sentiment to a point, I also think that there will always be space at the table for new products, if that new product is offering something truly unique for their pricepoint. […]

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Product Review: Crockett & Jones Skye in Shell Cordovan

When I was in London early last year, I spent a good deal of time at the Crockett & Jones store(s) on Jermyn street, as I discussed earlier. While I wasn’t really planning on purchasing anything initially, the very favorable 1.25:1 exchange rate at the time (along with my ability to try things on – such a rare treat for the online shopper) got the best of me and I ended up leaving with something very special. […]

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Meermin’s Expanding Empire

Earlier this month I was able to catch up with the Meermin team when they conveniently hosted a trunk show in Amsterdam, just a few blocks from where I was staying. The brand has perhaps not received as much chatter as they did a few years ago when they were new to the market, but they’re still doing what they do best – making attractive, well-made shoes and selling them at a pricepoint that nobody can touch. […]

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