Tips And Works

Buying shoes off the rack has its convenience, of course. You can try on multiple styles and pairs until you find something you like, and you can usually find something on sale that is adequate for the basic needs of protecting your feet against the perils of modern life. Yet so many off-the-rack shoes are poorly made and often only represent the best in factory-made imitations of the bespoke big brothers they pretend to be in style and materials.

For centuries, men created their wardrobes by making the rounds to the tailor for a suit or clothes, and to a shoemaker for bespoke footwear made in their style of choice, using materials selected to represent their own unique personalities. This was not just a practice in the cosmopolitan cities of London, Paris, New York, or Milan, either. A reputable shoemaker could be found even in the farthest villages and frontier towns.

Today a man can still find a custom shoemaker to fit and create footwear to his liking. It is said that Prince Charles wore a pair of 20-year-old -- but well maintained -- shoes on the day he remarried. When asked why, he is claimed to have said, “Because they are comfortable.” This is something to think about the next time you squeeze your dogs into a pair of shoes at the discount mart. Or perhaps you should just get on with having a pair made for you.

Bespoke shoes offer you the chance to invest in yourself, and they represent the ultimate in custom apparel, but you have to plan ahead and think about a few issues first.

Making contact with the shoemaker

Unless you live in a major city such as New York or London, be prepared to travel to meet with the shoemaker in his shop or at a swank hotel such as the Carlyle in New York City, where custom tailors and shoemakers often set up fitting rooms over several days, once or twice a year. John Lobb, for example, lists an extensive worldwide travel schedule online to meet with clients. So the internet is your first point of contact.

Other bespoke shoemakers will only meet with you by appointment in their shops. Some, like Jim Smith in England, will also meet you in your office or home if you are nearby, but others, like James Taylor & Son, also in London, will send a sizing and measuring kit through the mail. The customer simply fills out a form and sends it in with payment. This mode usually reduces the cost of the shoes because the shoemaker does not have an exorbitant overhead with travel expenses.

Choose the shoemaker that’s right for you

It all becomes a matter of convenience, style and price because the bespoke shoemakers listed here are the best at what they do. Price will likely be the overwhelming factor, so expect to spend over a thousand on a single pair. For example, a pair of custom shoes from John Lobb will run approximately $1,200, but the advantages over time negate the initial cost. One must also consider the time and expenses of the custom shoemaker in the process (read: travel expenses and maintaining your measurements on file for future shoes, etc.). However, James Taylor & Son discounts subsequent pairs of shoes for returning customers.

if the shoe fits…

When you consider all that a bespoke shoemaker does, first measuring your foot, then creating an outline of your foot, then hand-carving a form of your foot, cutting the leather, stitching the shoes, and adding the soles -- and remember, you have two feet and they are not identical, no matter what you mother told you -- then the cost seems rather, well, completely worth it. And, the same shoemaker that made your shoes can maintain and repair them as you stroll through life in comfort

and style. Resources:
www.jimshoesmith.co.uk
www.johnlobbltd.co.uk
www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk