Why leather soled dress shoes?

[tonyb]

I reserve my leather soles for dry days of which we have few here in Boston. Leather soles, no matter how nice or how thick, cannot and do not stand up to the pervasive wet of winter sidewalks. A few months wear and they are done.

A good pair of rubber soled shoes last a very long time and once they wear through, any competent cobbler will resole them. I have recently had my favorite shoes, my high brogues from Venice resolved with excellent Vibram bottoms, not the lug kind, mind you.

A man's wardrobe should have both, here in Boston. If I lived in a dry place, I would probably not worry so much.

This is essentially the same point made by a fellow who has resoled shoes for me. He says that leather soles are fine if you rarely wear them in wet weather. Out here, on the mossy side of the mountains, that means you'd wear them in July and August. Maybe. I've taken his advice and had him put some of those rubber half soles (or whatever they're called) on my kicks. It has worked out well. Perhaps it sacrifices just a touch of elegance, but a rubber sole is considerably less inelegant than a leather sole with a hole in it. And wet socks ain't where it's at, either. I wouldn't put rubber soles on my patent leather formal shoes, but seeing how those babes (bought cheap at a thrift shop) get worn maybe twice a year, and never through slush or snow or even much by way of a wet sidewalk, well, I can only hope I live long enough to wear 'em out.

 

[LordBest]

I've worn leather soled shoes on slick pavements without any difficulty recently, even on slippery leaf mould. Having said that I wouldn't fancy going up much of an incline in them.
I only made the switch from trainers and such to leather soled last year, and I have to say I really prefer them. I find them much more comfortable, and the sound they make, as previous posters have alluded to, is splendid.

 

[vitanola]

I don't like slipping and sliding.

If I could find glue-on rubber pads, let's say rubber circles an inch in diameter, and I could glue two or so onto the leather soles, I'd wear my leather-soled shoes more often.

Rubber soles, and heels, for that matter, are very hard on antique rugs and carpets. We have century-and-a-half old ingrain carpeting on most of the second floor of our house, and some good old rugs on the first floors. These carpets wear much better when trod on with leather soles, which slip and polish the fibers, rather than pulling and fraying them. The shoes also last much longer, and once they are broken in can be very comfortable indeed!

 

[Mossyrock]

For every day wear, I prefer either leather soles or the composite soles on my Alden 405s. I have a couple of pairs of leather shoes with molded rubber soles and heels (one piece), and I really dislike them. They are reasonably comfortable, but it bothers me to pay good money for a pair of shoes that are, essentially, disposable. I guess they just go with today's disposable age.... More's the pity...

 

[Feng_Li]

I'm with Tiller. Sneakers even feel unpleasantly squishy to me.

 

[mike]

When it comes to leather's place... and wearing clothing for work or play

Clip clop clip clop clip clop. A man's gotta dance and shoes should make a noise when heading down a street.

I often have thought that one thing about the golden era we would probably all find most striking if we were to travel back in time, is the sound of everyone walking.

 

[Tomasso]

I've worn leather soled shoes on slick pavements without any difficulty .

Riiiiiggghhhhttt.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I loved leather soled shoes when I was young, now have so much foot pain I have to wear orthotics and cushiony shoes that baby my feet.

Somewhere in the early 80's I had a good pair of Clark's shoes for women, they were nice, stylish and, when the rubbery sole wore down on one side, I went to get them resoled -- and was told it was not possible.

I had to throw out a perfectly good pair of shoes, in good condition, except needing new soles. I was so bummed, I never bought Clark's again.

Before long, nothing was leather except men's dress shoes. I decided that using non-leather soles was the shoe manufacturer's way of making sure you had to buy new shoes every couple of years.

The leather soles, like semi-automatic cars, like old Remington typewriters, like my mother's old Electrolux sweeper, lasted FOREVER. Heaven forbid. A major sin in today's throwaway society.

I never liked wearing leather soles in icy weather, a good way to fall and break your hip.

karol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

I wear these types when I perform. But everyday dress wear it is leather. I find it very comfortable.

 

[mike]

Anyone know the history of these type of rubber soles? Are they an offshoot of a cleat? I have a pair of JCrew brown suede wingtips with these soles and have noticed Ralph Lauren uses these soles too. Any info? [huh]

 

[GallatinHatMan]

I, too, have worn leather soles my whole adult life regardless of weather, without any real difficulty. I grew up and practiced law in Central Indiana, Indianapolis and its environs, and have always tended toward Florsheim and Johnson & Murphy shoes with leather soles. In the Indiana winter, they did have, particularly with the salt, more signs of wear but so long as they were dried properly, and kept polished they did not seem any worse for wear. The current J&M's I'm am wearing now just got back from being resoled for the twelfth time. Alas this may be their last, as there is developing a crack in the upper leather just behind the toe piece. These are twelve years old and are worn almost every day. If you take care of leather soles, they offer long service and great comfort.

I walk most days between my home/office to our county's various courts about 4 blocks away so they get constant wear on concrete which is particularly hard on the leather soles.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Anyone know the history of these type of rubber soles? Are they an offshoot of a cleat? I have a pair of JCrew brown suede wingtips with these soles and have noticed Ralph Lauren uses these soles too. Any info? [huh]

This is only one point of view:
Rubber outsoles can be appropriate for both business and casual wear providing better all around traction and cushioning than thinner, leather soles. For those who spend most of the day on their feet, thicker rubber soles offer more cushioning. Rubber soled dress shoes may also offer more versatility as some styles can be worn with casual pants or even blue jeans in addition to dress pants.

 

[Rhabryn]

If anyone is interested

If anyone is interested, Shoebuy.com just started stocking Strands, Fifth Avenues, etc... at a base price of 279.95 or so.

Look aroung on google for a coupon code, can usually find a 20% code.
Then be a "new" or a "returning" customer (have ordered within the last 60 days) (note: includes if you've ordered something and turned out you didnt like it and you returned it). Plus, use live.com <now called bing cashback> cashback for another 15% cashback on top of that.

Price Calculation
279.95 x .8 = 223.96 (after the 20% off code discount)
223.96 x .9 = 201.56 (after "member" 10% off discount)
201.56 x .85 = 171.33 (once you recieve the "cashback" - which usually takes 30-60 days) (note: you'll have to have a verified paypal account linked to your live.com (bing.com) cashback account).


It works on any other shoes through shoebuy.com - I've gotten a pair of AE Hales and Weybridges that way.

 

[de Stokesay]

I find running shoes quite uncomfortable, but I have an extremely narrow foot and a very flexible arch. Their squishiness just doesn't give me the support that I need. Have you ever heard of running shoes made in widths? If so, I would be interested as wingtip brogues look silly with workout wear so I am forced to wear the nasty running shoes on occasion.

de Stokesay

 

[Tomasso]

Have you ever heard of running shoes made in widths? If so, I would be interested

Here you go.

 

[LordBest]

Ah, well, I should have specified rain slick. Come to think of it, if the pavement ever freezes up here I am going to be in serious trouble, I only have leather soled shoes.

Riiiiiggghhhhttt.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Leather soles and wet or icy weather; anyone ever heard of overshoes?!

I have a closet full of AllenEdmonds leather soled shoes I'd rather not see destroyed by water. When it's raining or wet, I wear rubber overshoes from home to work. When I get to my office, I remove them. I also keep a second pair at work in case it rains or snows during the day so I can reverse the process.

Am I the only person here old enough to wear these?

 

[ClothesHorse]

I'm a leather sole fan. I was SO excited when I found the thread showing White's Boots. Never heard of them here. I worked in an old time Men's Clothier in OK (Oldest in the State - sadly they closed the doors at 100yrs in business) and wore leather every day.

I find my leather dress shoes to be very comfortable, my boots- both work and cowboy-- to be very comfortable. I only wear trainers/sneakers if I'm in the gym. In fact most of my friends don't even know that I own a pair.

I think that well made and well fitting shoes are paramount to comfort. If they fit and support they will be comfortable. IF they don't they are an abomonation. Much like shooting a fine shotgun actually.

I grew up in a pier and beam constructed house with hard wood floors. I can still close my eyes and hear my father coming and going in his cowboy boots. Those are the memories that I cherish, and the footwear that I prefer.

all the best,

CH

 

[GallatinHatMan]

Am I the only person here old enough to wear these?

I had a pair in Indiana and wore them when the ice and snow were melting and it was wet and slushy. I abandoned them when I came to Tennessee. Come to think of it, I may have lost them in the divorce.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Am I the only person here old enough to wear these?

When I was a kid in the '50s, all the men wore "rubbers" over their dress shoes on wet days. They looked very much like this:

These are a modern version of "rubbers," with stainless steel studs on the soles. Perfect for an ice-covered sidewalk.