Arterton recently put together a short film featuring me, my thoughts on shoes, and a few classic styles that every well-dressed man should at least understand, even if he does not own them all. I do not often turn these kinds of videos into blog posts, as I never want the blog to feel like a disguised advertisement, but this one felt a little different, as its messaging was about what it means to be a shoe snob.
👉Watch the video here:
At its core, the video is less about showing you a bunch of shoes and more about the reason I started The Shoe Snob in the first place: education. Shoes have always been more than just objects to me. They are details, proportions, materials, choices, and, when done right, quiet and/or loud expressions of one’s personal style. That is where the “snob” part comes in. Not in the sense of looking down on others, but in caring enough to notice the things that many people overlook and taking pride in it.
Fun fact: if you do your history, you will learn that the original definition of a ‘snob’ was British slang for a ‘shoemaker or cobbler’.
In the video, I talk through a few classic styles, from the punch cap oxford to the balmoral, the split toe derby, and the semi-brogue. Each has its own character, its own level of formality, and its own place in a proper wardrobe. And while most of these particular models come from Arterton’s collection, the larger point remains the same: understanding shoes helps you make better decisions, whether buying your first good pair or refining a collection built over years. And the models shown here are only the beginning.
At the same time, this Arteron short film highlights my transition from achieving my dreams of a storefront shop in NYC to the realization that my dreams had changed, and that being in NYC was no longer a goal, nor even a desire of mine. This is something that I think many fear to admit: it is okay to change your dreams. They should adapt, evolve, and sometimes just downright change altogether. There is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it is abnormal if they don’t.
I am now on a quest to return fully to the ideas of being The Shoe Snob and furthering that education to all of you through the blog, videos, products, and more!
Learn more about Arterton here and thanks to them for making this great short film!
Access Arterton’s retail site: https://arterton.co.uk/
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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