SHOES OF PREY X TOME NEW YORK FASHION WEEK COLLECTION

We're excited to introduce our collaboration collection with TOME.

Based in New York since 2011, TOME is the work of Australian creatives Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin. Specialising in womenswear that's at once practical and pulse-racingly unique, TOME was recently nominated for a prestigious CFDA Award (selected by luminaries such as Diane Von Furstenberg and Anna Wintour, no less) and the Shoes of Prey x TOME collaboration underscores why.

Comprising of four new styles, the range features a brand new ankle strap base shape with a four-inch stiletto heel and two new snakeskins (Matte Black and Matte White & Black). As with all Shoes of Prey styles, the shoes can be customised to suit: heel heights can be adjusted from 1.5 to 4.5-inches and the material texture and colour can be changed across our vast range of 170+ materials.

"We're thrilled to work with Ryan and Ramon," says Shoes of Prey's Jodie Fox. "The synergy of TOME elegance and Shoes of Prey innovation is visible not only in the look of the shoes but also in the way shoppers engage with the collection. For example, the four styles are utterly classic, but the fact you can customise the heel heights and colours makes them dazzlingly modern too."

The shoes, priced from AUD$299, are available for purchase in the GALLERY and below.

SHOES OF PREY X TOME BLACK WITH FEATHER




   




SHOES OF PREY X TOME BEIGE WITH FEATHER

Summer Kicks Series: Rist’s Navy Leather Wynwood Low Tops

Early this spring, MSP introduced you to the luxury sneaker brand RIST. After a successful Kickstarter campaign this June, they’re set to release their debut line this September. After some deliberation & some enthusiastic brand outreach, I scooped up a pair of the Wynwood’s in navy blue before the line drops to the public. It’s honest to say, these kicks have been well received by people on the street and might be one of my favorite pair of sneakers that I worn in quite some time. 

Navy Blue Leather Wynwood Low Top Sneakers  – RIST | Custom Essential Navy Blue Pants – Indochino | Navy Blue & White Dotted Shirt – H&M | Green Sea Dragon Timepiece – Zodiac x Hook+albert | Grey Fade 502 Sunglasses – True Vintage Revival

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There’s a laundry list of details that make the Wynwood sneakers one hell of a “must cop” pair of kicks to add to your wardrobe. Here are my top 4 reason they made the MSP Kicks Of Summer list;

• Leather Quality/Fit: these two characteristic go hand-in-hand. High quality calf leather outers & tan leather lining make for a sturdy pair of sneakers. Unlike most leather sneakers, the structured integrity of the shoe’s shape is never compromised. All of this together makes for a shoe that continually hugs the foot and never loses its sleek silhouette
• They’re Essentially A Formal Sneaker: with a style that’s reminiscent of a whole-cut Oxford shoe, but, all the trapping of a traditional sneaker – these sneakers are chameleon-like in their approach to style. Rock them with a suit, jeans or shorts and they’ll be as refined as all your tailored pieces and they’ll dress up your casual gear
• Clean Design: when brands have trended toward the “flashy” low top sneaker with colors that would blow out your retinas, it’s refreshing to find a cleanly tailor sneaker that’s unassuming. With a plain white sole, you’re really able to appreciate the rich and deep navy blue hue of the leather
• The Gold Details: the subtle addition of gold tip laces & gold cutout on the heel gives a subtle nod to modern-style and breaks away from what could have been a monotonous sneaker

Fall Footwear Trend: Tan Leather

No matter what you call it cognac, camel or tan, this warm leather hue will be dominating the fall footwear market. After spending the last year menswear tradeshow hopping, I’ve seen almost every brand create shoes, boots and sneakers in that unmistakable color ofWerther’s Original. This fall, I grabbed three pair of shoes from Johnston & Murphy’s Handcrafted In Italy, Cates collection – all in tan leather to showcase the versatility of the rich color.

The Single Buckle aka Single Monk

Cates Single Buck (Single Monk) Loafers – Jonston & Murphy || Blue Corduroy Shirt – Uniqlo|| Wool Glen Plaid Waist & Trousers – Thomas Pink || Blue Socks – Uniqlo || Umbrella – Totes || Sea Dragon Green Face Watch – Zodiac via hook+Albert || Yellow Leather Cuff  –hook+Albert

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There’s no doubt that tan leather footwear has been a staple for many guys throughout the years, however; the rich colored-hide has be sitting on the back burner lately due to the popularity (and ease of styling) of its darker, chestnut brown counterpart. There are many reasons to add a cognac color shoe into you’re wardrobe, the main being its complementary color pairing ability.

This fall it’s time to expand your idea of what colors pair with what shoes. Blacks, greys, blues and pretty much every color under the sun complement a shoe in this tone for a variety of reasons:

• Tan/cognac is still within the brown family, but, with a lighter hue that is warmer and less harsh that dark brown
• Burnishing/patina: over time, the leather will age and take on darker qualities. The antiqued look gives the tan leather a smartly weathered quality. You can assist this by polish the toe and small areas of the shoes in black
• Textured clothing like tweed pants pick up even better when ground by a shoe is this particular hue
• There’s also a point when you should consider breaking the “rules” of menswear. They’re just clothes, so add some personality to your looks

 

The Shoe Girl Loves Ruby Stella!

I am so fortunate to be surrounded by some pretty talented and amazing friends in my life, and sometimes I think I take that for granted. I think I’d like to do some posts about just how awesome my friends are, starting with these two. So excuse me while I humble brag about my rad girlfriends.

These two babes, my friends Ruby and Stella are also two of my favorite jewelry designers! I love their stuff and I figured you would too.

The girls, like me, are following in their father’s footsteps (a seasoned professional jeweler with over 45 years of experience) but blazing their own trail. They make the coolest designs with the BEST quality- always using 14k solid gold and fully cut diamonds… meaning they’ll shine brighter than some other trendy jewelers that use diamond chips.

I’m a huge fan of their stackable, mix and matchable pieces. Whenever I see Stella she’s got a new combination of rings that look amazing! She takes them off and shows me how the pieces all fit together and how by just switching the placement or the combo of rings, you get a totally new look. It’s the coolest stuff, I swear! (Check out their Instagram @rubystella for all the different ways they wear their jewels) Here are just a small few of my faves…1. 14k White Gold Diamond Sapphire Evil Eye Bracelet-  We’ve all seen cute evil eye bracelets but this one is my fave! The eyelashes make it for me

2. 14k Rose Gold Floating Heart Necklace- I LOVE this simple yet perfect heart. Perfect worn alone or with multiple hearts at different lengths like Ruby wears

3. 14k White Gold Diamond Curved V Ring- This is one of my favorites. Check out how the girls stack this with other rings to make totally different looks

Stepping Into Spring

Spring has officially sprung! Don’t believe me, ask my allergies. I’m sneezing up a storm over here! But with the small negatives come tons of positives- warm weather, longer days, shorter skirts… and fun floral shoes!! Between sneezes I rounded up some of my all time favorite shoes that remind me of my favorite time of year. Hope you like them!

These Sophia Webster shoes are the newest of my perfectly Spring-y shoes. The butterfly detailing on the back is so amazingly dreamy. I also love the oil slick patient leather on the toe piece. Perfect perfect perfect! I love the floral print on these Givenchy sandals. Feminine and edgy in perfect harmony. The gold shark tooth closure is a real bas-ass touch.Ah Vivienne Westwood! Always timeless and flawless. I’m obsessed with these lace up floral booties! Great for a night out in Spring time.I miss my Cece L’amour line and being to design cute fun shoes like these floral wedges. Of course I’m biased but I absolutely adore these, even years later. These Etro sandals are pretty awsome. I found them in Florence a few years ago and just loved all the detail going on. The bold striped heel is a perfect contrast to the delicate floral printed upper. And who doesn’t love a good pom pom??Again, I’m biased- but these Betsey Johnson shoes I designed in my last collection for her are one of my all time faves. I love the classic Betsey floral print and the sky high heel. Sexy in the girliest of ways!

My Custom Made Wedding Shoes!

My beautiful and gifted friend, Lucia Roman offered to design me some wedding shoes and I’m not an idiot so of course I said yes! Lucia is our L.A.M.B. designer and is responsible for the designs of some of my favorite shoes in our companies history! She’s crazy talented so I knew I was in good hands…She sketched up several options and we picked the four that we liked best. Those four were made into prototypes and then the winner was made for me to wear on my wedding day! This beautiful pearl encrusted bootie was perfect in every way.Thank you so much Lucia!!! I love them and am happy that they will forever be a part of the memory of the best day of my life!!!

How To Turn Tricky Fall Fashion Trends Into Office-Friendly Treats

Seasonal weather changes always bring the thrill of new fashions. This fall is no exception.

It’s frightening, though, how many trends appear to be wearable for weekends-only…or look so intimidating. It’s easy to feel like we are wearing costumes.

Don’t get spooked!

Here are my top guidelines for turning this fashion nightmare of tricks into office-friendly treats:

• Phantom Fears: What you wear can support your feeling your most dynamic self on the job. That’s why I always recommend giving a fashion trend a try, if it intrigues you at all. Fear does not need to override your excitement. Just be sure and follow the rest of my guidelines to make it work for work.
• Supernatural Solutions: When it comes to tackling trends for the office, I suggest you opt for the most conservative styles. This way, even if you are slightly pushing the dress code, the odds of you magically appearing modern, elegant, and professionally polished will be in your favor.
• Hocus-Pocus: Style your next career look by incorporating a maximum of two top trends. I advocate for two, because your co-workers focus will then remain on you and not solely on what you’re wearing. Beware! More than two can easily be distracting. Accessories are occasional exceptions to my two-max rule. Keep the rest of your outfit simple and classic.
• RIP: It’s all about exuding confidence and competence, right? To ease any anxiety about wearing a fashion trend to work, I suggest objectively checking yourself out in a full-length mirror to truly make sure it is appropriate for your work environment & position, it flatters your specific body type, and it is something you absolutely feel enlivened wearing.

6 Shoe Care Tips for Guys

1. Leather shoes- Polish, polish- often

You’ve invested money—and probably time—in your new shoes. Show them off, and make sure they look good. So as soon as you take them out of the box, polish them.

Read more: Shoe Care Tips for Leather.

2. Suede shoes- clean and brush

If you’re investing in suede kicks, treat them with a protective suede cleaner or spray that resists water, salt and mud so they won’t be damaged-and to look good. The best option is the neutral suede cleaner available in all Bata stores, never mismatches the colour. You should also commit to a good suede eraser and brush for maintenance. First, use your eraser to target stains. Then, follow up with the brush to bring the nap of the suede back to its original state

Read more: How to clean your Safari Boots.

3. Canvas Shoes-Hand wash and cool-dry.

Use a wet cloth to wash your canvas uppers and a brush for the rubber lining, and then dry your canvas shoes in room temperature. No direct sunlight or they will fade out.

4. Wet shoes- newspapers have more use than just reading.

If you get caught in the rain, save your shoes from permanent damage by drying them as soon as you get home. Stuff your shoes with newspaper to soak up the moisture and place them in a well ventilated area as you wait for them to dry. The heater will crack them.

5. That habit – Don’t use a sponge

Don’t use sponges on your shoes-you never know what’s in them. Sponges tend to suck everything and may permanently disfigure your shoes…instead use a cloth or a hand brush.

6. Classic-add a layer of rubber.

No other shoe company will tell you this, but before you wear them, ask a cobbler to place a thin rubber sole on your new dress shoes, if only on the heel. The rubber will protect the leather soles from damage, AND also give you extra traction. Plus, worn rubber soles are easily—and more affordably—replaced than leather. Your shoes will last, and last.

- See more at: http://blog.batakenya.com/2014/06/03/6-shoe-care-tips-for-guys/#sthash.eOsAGHOs.dpuf

Shoe Care Tips for Leather

Research shows that fashionistas are in agreement that – “You’re not dressed up, if Your Shoes are worn down”. Whereas physical health experts are in agreement that footwear is meant to protect your feet as well as the general well being of your physical body. Psychologists on the other hand are in agreement that what you wear on your feet is a reflection of your personality.

Available in Bata stores @Kshs.3299

When these three schools of thought are blended, we find that footwear protects your feet and at the same time, it is a reflection of your personality since your personal style says a lot about who you are.

However, we tend to forget that the beauty and lifespan of a shoe is dependent on how well we take care of it. For instance, shoe experts world wide are in agreement that leather is nature’s perfect shoe material:

Leather breathes which allows your feet to breathe as nature intended. Leather flexes and bends with every move you make. Leather is luxurious and durable. Leather is restorable and is an investment that requires personal care. Leather may cost a little more but will last a lot longer with proper care. (Atkinson Shoe Repair Inc.)

Below are some general tips on the best way to care for your leather shoes:

Available in Bata stores @Kshs.4299

1. It is possible to minimize the effects of exposure to water as well as other weather conditions such as excessive heat from sunlight.

- In case your leather shoe has been exposed to water, do not wear it while it is wet and do not expose it to sunlight in an attempt to dry it. Simply, allow  your shoe to dry at room temperature. Footwear should be kept away from direct heat because prolonged exposure to heat may dry and crack leather.

2. Don’t let dirt build up, clean shoes and boots regularly:

- Clean off dirt after every wear with a soft brush or rag

- Maintain the leather gleam: polish, polish, polish.

3. Keep your shoe shape by loosening laces or buckles before removing.

4. Use a shoehorn for slipping your shoes onto your feet, this prevents breakdown of the heel counter, the leather support between the lining and the upper of the shoe,  from losing its stability.

5. Don’t wear tight shoes. Wear an appropriate size for you.

6. Practice preventive maintenance. Repair your shoes before every-day wear turns into damage.

Keeping your shoes looking good is not hard to do. Shoe care is especially easy if you have just the right stuff.

- See more at: http://blog.batakenya.com/2011/08/09/shoe-care-tips-for-leather/#sthash.a3weGuIR.dpuf

Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 Review

I really like Saucony shoes, so I was happy to get this pair for testing. Unboxing them revealed the flashy “slime green” color scheme, which was a much tamer color scheme to the Saucony Zealots I ran in last year.

The Saucony Hurricane Iso 2s I was looking at really resembled the Zealots I tried, they had similar overlays, similar lacing setups, and similar external heel counters.

What makes the Hurricane Iso different is that it weighs a tad more to pack more support in the shoe compared to the Zealots.

I can agree with that, but I don’t think it’s that much more support. FYI, if you want more support, go for the Omni, the Xodus or the Redeemer line.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 General Info

Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 – Heel

The Saucony Hurricane line of shoes are a highly cushioned shoes with enough support to be considered stability shoes.

Saucony provides a cushioning scale and they rank these shoes just 2 points away from maximum possible cushioning. Their shoe with maximum cushioning is theTriumph.

The Hurricane line is probably on the high end of cushioning for Saucony, but it’s not a pillow-like slipper experience. You’re still getting a responsive ride while wearing these shoes.

Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 Sole Unit

Saucony Hurricane ISO 2 – Sole

The outsole has fair amount of rubber in the bottom, and I would categorize it as rugged when compared to many other types of stability shoes of the same class.

The zig-zag pattern under the forefoot is a more aggressive tread pattern when compared to the previous model that had patches radiating outward from the inside of the forefoot.

This newer pattern of tread for Saucony won’t probably be great for intense trail running, but it looks like the shoe is designed with road and mixed trail running in mind.

Saucony put their highly durable XT-900 rubber at high-wear locations, and their softer iBR+ rubber near the midfoot for better cushioning.

The midsole gets pretty fancy, Saucony is using their EVERUN technology as a stability and cushion boosting insert just beneath the heel. This EVERUN technology is also used in the entire topsole on the Hurricane shoe.

Yes, this is another tech term to throw around, so here are the numbers for EVERUN: 3x better property retention than standard EVA foam, 83% energy returned on each stride.

It’s no flubber, but I would agree it’s better than your standard running shoe foam and I enjoyed the benefits during my longer runs.

Oh, Saucony isn’t done yet with the midsole. They also have their signature PWRGRID+ tech for even more added cushioning, and they have a dual density medial post for added stability.

Nike Lunar Tempo 2 Review

Maybe you’ve the movie “Home Alone”, and then you saw the movie “Home Alone 2” and had to ask yourself if anything changed Yes, the plot was still enjoyable, but besides a few scenery and actor adjustments, it felt and looked like the predecessor.

That’s how I feel about the Nike LunarTempo 2s. I could copy and paste in my review of the previous LunarTempos and probably no one (besides our review team here) would notice.

The shoe is still nice, I just have to look extra hard to find something new to talk about.

Nike Lunar Tempo 2 General Info

Nike Lunar Tempo 2 – Toe

The Nike LunarTempo 2 is a lightweight cushioned trainer designed to hug you feet.

Nearly identical to the previous model, the LunarTempo 2s are built on top of squishy Lunarlon foam, and encase your feet in Nike’s seamless Flymesh upper with Flywire Cables.

The only real changes to this shoe are in the upper, where Nike put a bigger logo where ventilation holes used to be, and Nike put some trim along the edges of the upper running underneath the laces.

The toebox feels tight, which can be expected when wearing shoes designed to hug your feet. This shoe would be great for mid to low mileage training, and would also do well as a casual racing shoe.

Nike Lunar Tempo 2 Sole Unit

Nike Lunar Tempo 2 – Pair

So much foam. The outsole is mostly foam, the midsole is essentially a continuous hunk of Lunarlon foam, and the insole feels like it’s mostly foam. This is how Nike achieves such a cushioned ride.

The outsole looks IDENTICAL to the previous model, so I think Nike has not made many changes there. You’re getting the same waffle-shaped patches of rubber just underneath the toe bed, and outer heel.

This minimal use of rubber makes the shoe great for treadmill and road use. Just don’t expect the rubber to last too long, I went about 200 miles in the previous model before the rubber started to smooth out.

This minimal use of rubber on the outsole is similar to the Kinvara line of shoes by Saucony.

The midsole is identical to the previous model. It’s also mostly made out of the same Lunarlon foam that’s “30 percent lighter” than the traditional Phylon foam they use while also being resilient.

It also has the same compressed accordion pattern along the walls, and the same smooth transition to the upper.

It is not a bad thing for the next generation of a shoe to look so much like the previous generation, it just means Nike is probably being risk-averse and avoided changing much anything on the soles.

Nike probably used the same equipment to make the sole of the LunarTempo 2s, so I’m somewhat disappointed current MSRP matches the previous model’s MSRP. Maybe Nike invested more into the upper?

J.FITZPATRICK FOOTWEAR & THE SHOE SNOB WINTER SALE NOW LIVE!!

It is once again that time of year that we get ready for Spring/Summer and thus offer up some of our stock that we need to transition out of. But on top of that, we also have a bit more on offer this Winter Sale as we soon incorporating major change in our normal production by switching one of our leather manufacturers. Therefore, many of our core products (that would otherwise never go on sale) are going to be discounted for this Winter Sale. That being if you have ever wanted one of our shoes in the Antique Brown leather (among other core products on offer), but never wanted to pay full price, then now is your chance to snag it up before it is gone for good!

Now to top it all off, I am commencing this sale on my birthday, turning the ripe age of 32! If you were ever want to gift me a present, then please share this sale with your friends and/or family that might also be interested. That is all that I ask for    Thank you so much!

Happy New Year to all and I thank you again for all of your support in my brand, my vision and my products!

Justin FitzPatrick, “The Shoe Snob”

OTHER GREAT SHOE BLOGS

                                                                    Edward Green shoes patina’d by Dandy Shoe Care

As much as I would love to reign over the shoe world, I can’t deny that there are other great shoe blogs out there, ones that I also take inspiration from. As I am not a greedy man, I thought that I would share them with you in the hopes to give you something more to look at when I am lacking in getting stuff out there. So here they are:

1. Shoegazing – Jesper is the shoe king of Sweden. His blog posts go far more in depth than I do (or pretty much anyone for that matter). If you really want to shoe-out, read his blog. In English and Swedish.

Maftei for Shoegazing

1. Bespoke-Makers – If you fancy seeing crazy cool bespoke shoes by Japanese makers, then this is your site as it is full of greatness from Japan (among other places)

Il Quadrifoglio boots, courtesy of Bespoke Makers

1. Claymoor’s List – For the most in-depth posts with regular posting on all things shoes (multiple times daily), amongst a plethora of photos, head to Claymoor’s List to discover everything there is about shoes.

Silvano Lattanzi courtesy of Claymoor’s List

1. Dandy Shoe Care – To see the most elegant of shoe patina shoes (as is shown in the main photo as well as below) then get here on a daily basis. Not only does he show his own work but is one of the most generous re-tweeter/sharer of other people’s work too.

Patina courtesy of Dandy Shoe Care

1. The Shoemaker World – Someone who exploded onto the scene just a year or two ago, originally talking just about shoes, has since opened up to speaking on not only menswear but life in general, with great photography and content. Available in English and Spanish.

Dimitri Gomez shoes courtesy of The Shoemaker World

1. Erikged – An Instagram phenomenon, Erik rose to fame by taking immaculate shots of his own personal footwear, with super high shines on super nice shoes with amazing backgrounds and settings.

Antonio Meccariello shoes courtesy of Erikged