I feel like most people are afraid of rocking a full-on spectator shoe. Naturally, it is not the most practical model for your banking job but as the world is becoming more and more casual, I don’t see why it is not something that people are not gravitating more towards. I can see that they are not appealing to people that live in places that have harsh weather for most of the year, but for those that have a good amount of sun, spectators should be a no-brainer.
While most trains of thought would think that they are hard to wear, they are actually really versatile, especially in that classic combination of calfskin with some sort of light colored suede/fabric. The beauty of that light colored part of the shoe is that it pairs very well with chinos and jeans, which is what most people are wearing these days. And you can make them more subtle, like below, or a bit more fun like the gent above adding some flair with his bright blue socks. And both look good.
So don’t be afraid to ride the train and get a pair of two-toned spectators. I promise that after you wear them once, you won’t want to stop as they are always fun, make you feel good and will definitely get you lots of compliments. And for the people that look at you in hate, they are just jealous!
Fancy shoes indeed!
Errr…can (bored) litigation lawyers sport them?
I hope so, because I’m planning on a pair of some sort of J.Fitzpatrick spectators for my next shoe purchase. I wear burgundy shoes on a regular basis and they work great, so I’m thinking some type of burgundy leather and blue suede–I would like to do the MTO option, but not sure I want to spring for the extra $$, so I might go with these:
https://jfitzpatrickfootwear.com/collections/oxford/products/roosevelt-burgundy-calf-dark-blue-suede
For sure you could wear them with a sports coat on casual Fridays.
Hi I know that this article is 4 years old and I don’t know if this blog is still active. In any case I’m interested in purchasing my first pair of spectators and this article helped easy my hesitation in moving forward. My only concern is feeling out of place and not knowing how to sport this style of dress shoe confidently.
I commute to NYC for work which is a combination of bus and subway followed by walking a few blocks. Currently my work environment is casual to smart casual. Your article mentioned that spectators can be worn with jeans or chinos which is what I mostly wear. Any ideas what to wear on top would t-shirts, henleys, and or button down Oxford shirt work and is an odd jacket such as a sports jacket or blazer be required or optional? Just trying to get a better idea on styling this type of shoe before making the purchase. Thanks for tips/suggestions!
The blog is definitely still active. As per your questions, I do not follow any so-called style rules. I would wear all of those tops with spectators and jeans. My idea is more on fit and having clothing that is not baggy and more tapered. I would not wear any shirt untucked though, as a rule of thumb. But the rest is up to you and just being confident in what you choose! Feel free to pass by my shop in Soho one day. 101 Thompson St.