For the past few weeks I've been road-testing a pair of shoes from Bodileys, a family-owned English shoe company that recently launched its own range of Northampton-made footwear. Beautifully-made with leather Goodyear welted soles, these bench-made and hand-finished Derby shoes come in blue calf suede with a detachable fringe and contrast laces (I wear them without the fringe).
I usually wear the more rounded shapes of English brogues, so it took me a couple of days to get used to the slimmer and slightly more pointed style, but I soon came to love their elegance. They're ideal for an older or younger man looking for a stylish alternative to more traditional brogues as they give a slightly lighter appearance, going well with slimmer-cut trousers or denims.
As with any quality, English, hand-made shoes, they are extremely comfortable. I found them ideal for summer, wearing them with cream and blue chinos, linen jackets and bright socks. The attractive midnight blue suede glows when put with brightly-coloured socks, as can be seen in the photo above.
These are superbly elegant yet comfortable shoes, offering the best of British shoemaking for £300, a price that compares very well with similar craftsmen-made Italian shoes. Taking up to 8 weeks to manufacture, they offer the highest quality. For more information, see links below.
As with any quality, English, hand-made shoes, they are extremely comfortable. I found them ideal for summer, wearing them with cream and blue chinos, linen jackets and bright socks. The attractive midnight blue suede glows when put with brightly-coloured socks, as can be seen in the photo above.
These are superbly elegant yet comfortable shoes, offering the best of British shoemaking for £300, a price that compares very well with similar craftsmen-made Italian shoes. Taking up to 8 weeks to manufacture, they offer the highest quality. For more information, see links below.
To read my previous piece on the blog about Bodileys, click here.
For more information on price and sizing, see the Bodileys website here.
If you have a favourite pair of shoes, or manufacturer, British or not, that you'd like to recommend, please let me know. You can e-mail me at greyfoxblog AT gmail DOT com.
Hi there Grey Fox, it's been a while
ReplyDeleteYou will see that after a while the midnight blue suede shoe will be your go to shoe, a lot of the time. That color, and the shape of the shoe will work with a lot of things both causal and dressy, and blue is a color that is used in a lot of men's fabric patterns. The slightly pointed toe will also suggest a longer leg. I have seen shoes like that worn year round with shorts and long pants, so it's a versatile addition to anyone's wardrobe. Now you need to get a navy belt to work the blue color upwards on your body.
Fabulous on all counts !!
ReplyDeleteI must admit I'm not usually drawn to the longer styles, nice to try something new though.
ReplyDeleteBuckets & Spades
Lovely shoes, but when I've looked at the London Collection on their website, there are only F fittings. I'm a G. So I go to Church, Fosters or Greens. Pity really.
ReplyDelete