footwear Archives - From Squalor to Baller

Product Review – Novesta “Star Master” Sneakers

October 26, 2021 No Comments

Although I am fortunate to have a robust stable of nice welted footwear, the shoes that I reach for most often tend to be cheap canvas sneakers. They’re comfortable, inexpensive, and rarely require any maintenance – great for everyday activities that don’t really need to get shoe trees involved. For years I have been making an annual purchase of a pair of white Superga 2750s – this year I decided to branch out and try something just a little bit different. […]

Reviews

One Year Later: Paraboot ‘Avoriaz’ Hiking Boots

May 5, 2021 No Comments

Like many of you, I haven’t made many menswear purchases over the past year. And though many pieces of my wardrobe have collected a literal layer of dust, some have become even dearer to me over these strange months. One such piece is my pair of boots from the aptly named Paraboot, which have become go-tos for anything that requires more performance than a simple sneaker can provide. Anyway, I figured it was high time to revisit my “One Year Later” series and show how these have fared over the past 18 months. […]

Reviews

Product Review: Sweyd 055 Sneaker

October 21, 2020 No Comments

The market for “miNiMaLisT LuXUrY” sneakers is totally saturated, to say the least. There are probably over a hundred options these days, and many of them are perfectly good at doing what they set out to do. Given the somewhat sterile aesthetics that this style tends to lend itself to, I was on the lookout for something that was in this vein but had a bit of character. That search is what led me to Sweyd. […]

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It’s On Sale: Wholesale Pricing at Rancourt

June 26, 2020 1 Comment

Retailers and manufacturers have reacted to the COVID pandemic in a variety of ways – everything from switching to PPE production, to heavily discounting their products, to throwing in the towel and filing for bankruptcy. Rancourt, one of America’s few footwear manufacturers, is responding in a unique way – pivoting to a wholesale model. In […]

Reviews

Meermin Wholecut Chelsea Boot Review

February 19, 2020 No Comments

It’s been about eight years since Meermin entered the menswear scene and was almost immediately hailed as the best value footwear out there. The market for high quality shoes has evolved since then and there are many more places to buy entry-level footwear, but Meermin is still a popular choice for many menswear noobs and pros alike. […]

Editorials

Buying Guide: Alpine Boots

January 23, 2020 No Comments

Boots are one of those few pieces of menswear that we can all appreciate – whether ivy prep or goth ninja, everyone can get behind a good pair of boots. And truly, there seems to be a boot for every occasion. Chelsea boots for sleek contemporary clothing, service boots for workwear, balmoral boots for the […]

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Fourth Of July Weekend Sales

July 7, 2019 No Comments

The summer sale season is upon us – here are a few quick picks from brands that I’m looking to purchase from to fill out my summer wardrobe. These sales are ending soon, so act fast if there’s something you like. If the thing you’re looking at sells out, it might be because I bought […]

Editorials

Buying Guide: Tassel Loafers

April 23, 2019 No Comments

Last spring I put together a buying guide for penny loafers. Since then my tastes in loafers have only gotten more wild, and I’ve started to spend a lot of time thinking about tassel loafers. While the penny loafer is a bit of an understated classic, the tassel boasts a similar pedigree but with a bit more of an attitude. […]

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It’s (Still) On Sale: Alden Spring Footwear at Brooks Brothers

March 12, 2019 No Comments

Just a heads up – this sale code still works and stock is still pretty good (especially on the Alden styles). I don’t know when the code will expire but now is still a great time to get into some excellent spring footwear! – The biggest disadvantage of playing the sales game is that usually […]

Reviews

Beckett Simonon “Morgen” GAT Sneaker Review

March 6, 2019 No Comments

beckett simonon morgan trainers review german army gat

I thought about starting this article by saying that spring is on the horizon, which means that we can finally put our boots away and start reaching for sneakers. But the weather in San Francisco has been so strange lately that I honestly have no idea what season is coming up. My own wardrobe has tilted a bit toward the casual in recent years so I’ve found myself thinking about sneakers more, regardless of what the weather chooses to do. The newest pair in my stable is the “Morgen” by Beckett Simonon, a young brand that some of you are likely familiar with. […]