Winter Weather Shoe Solutions

So here's the problem: Winter is approaching fast, and is sure to bring with it gnarly sidewalk and street conditions. Icy, possibly snowy, and plenty of slushy wet streets are in our future. This can be particularly dangerous for folks who appreciate the aesthetics of proper dress shoes, which when equipped with leather soles are not the best at providing traction on slick walkways. Ugly, thick rubber soles detract from the appearance of quality in a dress shoe, and are usually found on more casual shoes or cheaper dress shoes.

Today, readers, I offer a solution.

There are high-quality shoe makers who make shoes with lug-soled rubber that sits atop a leather sole, still maintaining a slim silhouette when your shoes are viewed from the top or side. Two examples are shown here; a chocolate brown wingtip by Ralph Lauren, and a black oxford by Allen Edmonds. Each of these maintains a classy, high-end appearance while giving the wearer a weapon against the hazards of adverse weather conditions. Each of these shoes is still constructed with a Goodyear Welt, rather than having a gaudy and clunky rubber sole glued to the bottom of an inferior shoe. The Allen Edmonds are shown at the top of the post and the Ralph Laurens are shown below, both from the top, and then the bottom allowing a view of the silhouette and then the secret weapon. Go out and snag yourself a pair!

Until next time,

Cheers!

-Paul