Herring Shoes Journal

In the first of our ‘What to wear’ series, we are starting with what to wear with jeans. Most of us wear jeans at some point in the week and the shoes we wear with them can change the whole look of an outfit. Here are my top five suggestions.

1) Without doubt, my go-to pair are the  Purcell II in Tabacco Suede. We have talked in detail about the history of a Chelsea boot and why they appeal and this particular model works beautifully with jeans as the colour sets off the denim perfectly. And don’t be fooled into thinking suede means they are delicate, this suede is as hardy as anything and will clean up very easily if required ( I personally think they look better when they have the worn look).

2) Yes, another boot style (I promise this isn’t a running theme), but my second favourite style to wear with jeans is the Coniston (or the Coniston II would work). When my fleece gets broken out of the wardrobe and I’m having to clear leaves off my shoes, so I don’t make the porch a mess, I know it’s time to get my ever-faithfuls out. They are not as elegant as the Purcell II, what with their more rugged exterior and Dainite sole, but they are a smarter than average boot thanks to the brogued uppers and the deep burgundy mix of grain/smooth leathers. It must be mentioned that the 12508 last is for me the best country/casual style last there is. It’s not overly rounded or overly sleek, perfectly suited to being worn with your favourite pair of smart or rough-and-ready jeans.

3) I am excited to talk about my third choice… the Voyager in Mustard. A fairly new addition to our ever-growing collection of styles, they have become a real favourite of mine for when I am on the go. At the ripe old age of 35, I feel too old to wear my gym trainers for general ‘around town’ plodding or a trip to the supermarket, so these really are the best alternative. They are heavier and sturdier than my Nike shoes, and look the mustard (pun intended) with a pair of jeans. You won’t look like you’re trying to dress like a teenager, instead you will give the impression you care about your footwear even when they are the ultimate casual style, and adding a splash of colour never hurts. Talking of the colour, this yellow is the perfect tone and any other variation could look garish but the guys at Norman Walsh, who made these for us, have nailed it. To summarise, I would describe the Voyager as an ‘adult trainer’ and a bit of a wardrobe essential.

4) When I am not wearing the above and just need to slip something on easily, I go with the Rock. Yes, they’re deck shoes and usually worn with chinos or shorts but, trust me, they work with jeans too. I wouldn’t wear them to the pub or on a day out, but I will pop them on for walking my dog or taking the bins out. Once laced you don’t really need to unlace them as they will give quite quickly, so you can slip your feet in with ease, maybe you can call them my lazy shoes? Yeah, that would be fair. An alternative to a pair of Crocs, perhaps….

5) For those of us lucky enough to be able to dress ’smart casual’ at work, there are a lot of options when it comes to footwear. The go-to would be a pair of tan brogues and why not? They look great with a pair of jeans and a shirt. But to mix it up I would consider a pair of monk shoes. Forming part of our new handgrade range, the Monkwell in dark brown would be my first choice to wear with smart jeans, either with a shirt or even a nice tee. I could wax lyrical about the quality and finish of these shoes all day, but if I am cutting to the chase, then quite simply they are elegant without being too dressy. You won’t feel overdressed wearing these for that Friday evening pint, while not feeling under dressed at work. 

These are just my suggestions. Happy for you to make your suggestions below or send us your photos on our social media channels.