Herring Shoes Journal

Gosh there are a lot of ‘outs’ in this blog title but let me explain! With the Government offering 50% discounts on meals out on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August, a few of us may be heading to our local restaurants with more frequency or even for the first time since lockdown began.

Couple this with PM Boris Johnson leaving it to employers’ discretion as to whether staff should return to the office and it feels like the brakes are coming off ever so slightly if we are sensible.

This is not a COVID-19 advisory blog, however. We are still all about the shoes and wonder whether dining out and possible office days is a good excuse to dust off the formal shoes?

You may be finding shoes an alien concept right now! There will plenty of us who have donned office attire for our video meetings with bare feet enjoying the fresh air under our home desks. Or we may have worn more relaxed footwear that suits dress-down work wear.

Now though, there is a chance to dress up again…and I think that will feel good. It will feel like a little bit of normal. If you are usually a relaxed-dress diner, now is your chance to push the boat out and really, and literally, go to town.

Some of my fellow Herring’s bloggers crave sartorial elegance and they do look good for it. Style really does start from the bottom up and as we embrace our brave new world, why not throw your shoulders back and slide in with some super smart shoes on your feet?

If I had to choose a top five for these socially distanced times, I would choose some real eye-catchers for fellow diners or colleagues to admire from afar – two metres where possible.

1. Holmes monk shoe – I have chosen this as it is brown and can be worn with chinos or a navy suit. This is a new shoe for Herring and is part of our Elite range of classic shoes where we have used our knowledge of European factories to find a way to include very high-end features into a shoe at a decent price. The Holmes has a highly bespoke look with its hand-painted sole and we have used a sleek looking last that is slightly more generous than you usually find on a high-end shoe so that it is comfortable from the first wear. To be fair, any monk shoe will serve you well as an eye-catcher.
   
2. Henley two-tone brogues – This is our newest version of this classic two-tone spectator shoe with long swooping areas of canvas that makes it very flexible and breathable although it is still leather lined throughout. The 205 last shape is very popular, giving excellent fitting qualities and comfort with a slightly contemporary look care of the squarer, chiselled toe.
   
3. Golding derby shoes – The colour of this shoe is simply gorgeous and although they are Derby shoes, they are not chunky and rugged. This Goodyear welted leather sole (1/4 rubber heel) is hand-finished to give a lustrous deep colour.
   
4. Laverton II two-tone boots – I love these boots and think there are light enough to be worn in the summer, especially if you choose the tan calf and ginger suede option. The Laverton II simply oozes sophistication and stands out from the crowd with hand-patinated colouring complementing the super-soft suedes.
   
5. Montgomery brogues – Another new one and I have chosen this shoe for its colour. While this shoes also comes in tan, I am giving burgundy an outing for this top five. The simplicity of the design, without the usual brogue detail, makes this a very elegant shoe.

If you are being asked to return to the office, we have plenty of formal shoes in our sale right now so have a look. A new pair of Oxfords may just give you the spring in the step you need!