 |
| Photo by Muffy Aldrich |
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Photo by My Father
Muffy Aldrich's SALT WATER NEW ENGLAND
Muffy Aldrich
Muffy Aldrich, Editor of Salt Water New England: The Thing Before Preppy, since 2010. And a 12th Generation New Englander.
- Original Photographs.
- Timeless, Preppy Clothing.
Most Items Sent By Vendors
Looks like my closet floor...
ReplyDeleteBoat shoes (Sperry or otherwise) are hardly recognizable when brand new. This seems to be the case of many items people have difficultly remembering a time when they did not own and the ones they do bear the signs of years or decades of use.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of shoes, is it worth it to resole a beloved pair of leather brogues that I have worn for 15 years. The leather upper is still in great shape, but the soles are trashed. Are there even people who do this type of work still around? Maybe I should recycle and move on, although it breaks my heart.
DeleteB. Nelson in New York does a very good job of redrafting fine shoes. I've been using and recommending them for at least as long as you've had those brogues.
DeleteIs it possible? It largely depends on how the soles are attached (e.g., goodyear welting, blake, etc).
DeleteIs it worth it? There's a reason the soles were worn out in the first place.
It is absolutely worth resoling shoes. A local shoe repair store ought to be up to the task. If you do not have a local shoe repair, I would think you could find a mail in service online. Some of the old line brands like Alden also offer recrafting. That goes beyond resoling and includes attention to the uppers, linings, etc.
DeleteVisit your local cobbler. Mine re-sole's and re-heel's. He is up front about the cost so no surprises when picked up!
Deletedepends on how the shoes are built but I've had several rebuilt- nothing better. Still get the right fit and broken in feeling with several more years of wear. There are still cobblers around- depends upon where you are.
DeleteI currently favor the Gold Cup two-eye shoes with latex (brown-ish) soles - siped like the traditional white soles but more cushioned underfoot. Both pair, light tan and traditional brown, have held up very well after years of wear.
ReplyDeleteThe Sperry brand has been bought and sold a bit. Payless Shoes owned Sperry years ago. Wolverine Brands bought Sperry, Saucony, Stride Rite and Keds in 2012. Wolverine currently still owns those other three brands, along Merrell (hiking), Chaco (water sandals), Hush Puppies, and Harley Davidson Footwear, but earlier this year, Wolverine sold Sperry to Authentic Brands, the same holding company that now owns Brooks Brothers. I might need to visit Rancourt or Quoddy for the next purchase.
Yes, Sperry has undergone many changes in ownership, quality, provenance, and range of styles. Ages ago I tried the Gold Cup versions of both the Billfish and the original. They were pretty good but fell far short of my last beloved pair of Kudus. For a good while I tried Rancourt and Quoddy. For me the Quoddys are better. In the summer I live in a five year old pair of brown Maliseets and a newer pair of canoe shoes, a butterscotch color with red soles. Both are spectacularly good, but the canoe shoes feel more cushioned. The Maliseets feel very much like old Sperrys. Both were out of the box comfortable for me. As regards cloth Sperrys, I had some decades ago and cannot speak to their current offerings, but a cheap pair of Tretorns from Amazon is extremely comfortable, more comfortable than I recall the Sperrys being, and holding up well despite being probably my only non USA footwear other than Brooks running shoes, Draper slippers, and Footjoy golf shoes.
DeleteQuoddys are fantastic!
DeleteThis photo brings to mind my m-i-l's 'summer closet'. She had about eight pairs of 'Keds whites' one pair for each of her various interests and projects. She was so cute in them. Dainty, but hardworking and vivacious just as she was as a teen. We have her date book from 1936-7. She was so popular and fun she had multiple boys asking her out, sometimes going on multiple dates a day: off to a lakeside swim and picnic, a movie after dark followed by a drive along the beach before being dropped off at home, all in her teens with different boys. On a occasion her notes were written in shorthand and we so wish we knew what they revealed.
ReplyDeleteYour mother-in-law sounds wonderful. Where did she grow up?
DeleteBoothbay Harbor, Maine. The only daughter of the village postmaster. Five protective older brothers. Miss Boothbay Harbor, 1938. I couldn't have asked for a better m-i-l and her daughter is just like her, the spitting image as a matter of fact. We've been married for fifty years.
DeleteI have one pair of leather topsiders that I wear almost every day.
ReplyDeleteLooks like our closet! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteFor someone that requires a wider shoe, Sperry is somewhat limited; I have had better luck with Sebago and their 'Custom made' offerings where one can customize colors in leather, shoe laces and stitching in the Docksides Portland. And the quality is great!
ReplyDeleteOur best fitting, most comfortable moccasin style shoes are Russell and Gokey. They cost a bit more but they last a long, long time and they mold perfectly to your foot.
ReplyDeleteSperry, several decades ago, was a great American company that produced well made shoes. After several corporate takeovers and buyouts and production sent overseas, the company is a shadow of what it was. It is now fast fashion, or throwaway shoes. Next time one is in the market for boat shoes, take a good look at Gokey, Oak Street, Rancourt, or Quoddy. All are made in the US, are more comfortable to wear, and they will last you a very long time, maybe forever.
ReplyDeleteSuperb photography ( by your father ) of riders on the jump . Took a really rather bad fall today ; perhaps time to hang up the spurs , although my son in law seems keen to keep all our horses on which is extremely satisfying and reassuring that our equestrian traditions will live on .
ReplyDeleteI own multiple pairs of AO Sperry's, and a couple of pairs of Sebago's. They all start new, and are worn with khaki's, jeans, and shorts as the occasion requires. As they age they become yard shoes, are relegated to the garage ( which also serves as our "mud" room) for use when the weather or conditions are foul but sturdier footwear is not needed or desired ( good for use in a couple of inches or snow or rain when not planning anything in the way of a long walk).
ReplyDelete