One of my all-time favorite things in the world is the wingtip shoe. I can (and often do) wear wingtips in every situations imaginable: going to the store, a job interview, mock trial, riding a bike, going to a movie, and sometimes just sitting around. The wingtip is the perfect shoe in both feel and look, and I just love watching the detailed leather age with use. With that said, here are a few pairs of fall wingtips worth looking at:
Banana Republic’s San Marcos Wingtip: $99.99
Starting with the conservative and classic style, Banana Republic offers up a strong competitor. These shoes are on sale for $99.99 at the moment, and normally go for $140, making them particularly intriguing. The color is great on these, and The Republic really didn’t go too far outside the consumer’s comfort zone, which is great if that consumer is looking for a shoe that will match pretty much any suit or denim for a decade or more. Overall, just a classic, well balanced shoe.
Urban Outfitters Hawkings McGill: $78
This is a lighter version of the previous shoe, but with a bit more detailing on the leather. The heel has some extra eyes, and the toe of this pair has detailing as well. Personally I prefer the detailed toe, but it’s not something that would prevent me from buying the previous pair. I also tend to prefer the color of this shoe, as it would really look great with grey suits which I happen to enjoy wearing. These might not match denim as well as the previous shoes, but they are still worth checking out.
Urban Outfitters O’Hanlon Mills: $68
These are definitely more informal. I’m sure these will bring great joy to any wingtip buff as they will easily match most colors of denim. Additionally, they are getting close to boot-status, so they might be acceptable with shorts as well. The neutral color means endless matching possibilities, and the suede (instead of leather) is definitely an interesting touch. Another selling point is the stitching around the side of the shoe. This is an extra detail that gives it a hand-made look (although I doubt it was made like this).
Urban Outfitters Asics Emperor: $210
Oh yes. I’ll bet you didn’t see these coming. Oh the glory, oh the splendor, oh the magnificence. Where do I begin? First: the two-toned wingtip is not for the faint of heart. I have a pair very similar to these except the grey is white, and people ask me every time I wear them if I stole some bowling shoes. You really have to love wingtips and fun shoes if you are going to successfully go throughout your day wearing these.
Second: the red interior is amazing. It’s like walking on a secret red carpet every time you put them on. I love secrets in clothing (secret suit lining colors) and having bright red inside of your blue and grey shoes is completely fun.
Third: The fringe under the laces is going to add to the ridiculousness factor by a huge amount. Wear these shoes a lot and I bet after half a year the fringe is going every possible direction. This is not something you’d want to show up to in an interview, but the potential for lots of fun with shoes is very great here.
My only complaint is the sole: what is up with that? I realize these shoes are made by Asics, which is primarily a tennis shoe company, but come on. Back away from the foam soles. Oh yeah, and the price. Who would pay $210 for these? Not me. As much as I love these shoes, if I were to drop $210 on some wingtips they would look more like the Banana Republic shoe in the beginning.
