Japan Ease

Mr. Hare is not sure how he feels about these shoes but he likes to see something different and these are. From Chausser, in Japan of course.

Also from Chausser, the most acceptable man heel of the season.

This August Mr. Hare has been listening to...

The Black Kids - Party Traumatic

White Denim - Workout Holiday

Yet More Mellow Cats N Kittens - Hot RnB and Cool Blues 1945-1951

 Santogold Vs Diplo - Top Rankng

The Cool Kids - Bake Sale

Beyond the Wizards - Sleeve

Bobby Hebb - Sunny

Tapper Zukie presents - Proud to be Black

The Bug - London Zoo

Songs The Cramps Taught Us - Volume Two

Pierre Hardy for The Gap.

You wish these were them! But they are not. When are they coming out anyway? Does anybody actually know? Is it a US thing? What's the point of that? There are many things Mr. Hare has not bothered to comb with the brush of journalistic integrity for this post but Mr. Hare has one fact. There are few famous women's shoe designers who excite equally on the man's side of things, but Mr. Hardy (Do you see what I did there?) is the daddy of them all. Click on the title of this post to go straight to his site and see if you agree.

These are the Gap (Yawwwwwnnn!) ones, by the way.

Comme as you are.

Mr. Hare was rather taken by these Comme des Garcons in Browns. Inspired by Carnaby Street but built for Jermyn Street, finished in fine calf leather.  A real point to the last and proper walls that will remain over time. Non obtrusive single sole and a toe spring with just the right attitude. And then the Tartan...Genius!

These are Thursday night shoes of stamina that will take you from soiree to dinner to

cocktails to Gaz's and beyond.

Always with a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. 

Why Thursday? 

Because Thursday night is when London is frequented by people who care about such things.

I'm a Creep. I'm a Weirdo.

Mr. Hare has always admired a Brothel Creeper. The name alone is extraordinary. A Brothel Creeper used to Brothel Creep by Creepers of Brothels. 

The Problem with Brothel Creepers is that it is so hard to find a pair made by a true shoe artisan not of the Carnaby/enthusiast variety. It takes a lot of dancing to make such a pair look this good.So the appearance of male wedges of the quiet stepping through ladies of the night establishments variety is very appealing and has been duly noted.

Jun Takahashi's Undercover Fall/Winter 2008 "UnrealRealClothes" collection.

For ShYSL!

Name your price? 

OK! YSL patent oxfords. Now what do you want me to do?

Berluti is in the Eye of the Beholder.

The Berluti story is a dynastic epic which involves mastery of cabinet making, bohemian sidetracking, turn of the century Parisian chicanery, obsession, two sons, a female cousin, a dose of theatre camp, the Duke of Windsor, Elizabeth Arden and little Edith Piaf.Alessandro made the first lace up court shoe from a single piece of leather in 1895. Then Torello his son really got things moving in 1928. His son Talbinio, an architect by trade and good looking chap, brought the elegance from 1960 to 1980, while pops obsessively toiled away. Since 1970, Cousin Olga has perfected the patina process that gives Berluti shoes their distinct translucent depth. She has collaboratcd with the likes of Warhol, Truffaut and Yves Saint-Laurent. There is even a semi Masonic gathering once a year in her honour called the Swann Club, where buffing shoes in Champagne is said to be "not unusual".

Love them or hate them, you can’t ignore a pair of Berluti’s in the room.

A Child of the Jago

If John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester came across the Delorean Time Machine (flux capacitor in perfect working order) and crashed it into the Great Eastern Street, then decided to open a Man's boutique, it might aspire to be like Child of the Jago.

Blood red and grey, one inch striped, silk, no waste band, front pleated, tapered with one inch turn up trousers are what I remember most, but you can also buy a hells angels leg (below) or a cut throat razor, or vintage ceremonial, military and tradesmanswear. The reversible black velvet/silk print bomber jacket depicting orgiastic excess (above) is also pretty spectacular.

Curated by Barnzley Armitage and (Sir) Joseph Corre, you will not have seen anything like it elsewhere. Upstairs features their own designs including the aforementioned badass silk pants (I am size 36, by the way). Descend to the basement and the only thing more authentic than the air of depravity and debauchery the selections exude is the odour of historic Libertine London. 

Mr. Hare champions this kind of pioneering, devil may care retailing. These are shoe men of the highest order and I salute them. 

Call +44(0)207 377 8694 for your own sake.

Brick Lane.

As a new blogger, I wondered whether to let post matter just happen or whether to actively search it out. So with a couple of hours free I headed to Hoxton to seek out some content. It was looking unfruitful until I spotted Jamie in Brick Lane. Jamie ticks at least three of the Mr. Hare shoeist beliefs (2,3,5,6 and 7 plus others by default. See post no.1 for clarification).

On later inspection they could easily be vintage Gucci, but I didn't ask. See how he has given them top billing by eliminating trouser scrunch with a simple turn up. They fit like a glove and look as if they have enjoyed life. On this occasion Mr. Hare did not want to be seen to be openly endorsing snow washed denim at such an early stage, so I made

the executive decision to crop homeboy at the shins. But thank you Jamie and congratulations on being the very first streetspot on Mr.Hare.

The next thing I saw is being included because it involves two of my favourite things. Chuck Taylors and Rough Trade records. A combination I didn't feel particularly compelled to part with cash for, especially as I was surrounded by possibly the best and most exciting selection of music you will find under one roof in London, but it is good to see "Game recognising Game" as it were. If you haven't been to Rough Trade East, Dray Walk and you say you like music then you are doing yourself a disservice.

Chelsea...Who are You!

Frank Lampard of Chelsea Football club earns £140,000 a week.

If he could rock a Chelsea boot as convincingly as our man from Margiela below, I would say he deserved it, but he never will, because he's only a footballer.

You see Fat Frank, as he is affectionately known by most people would not

appreciate the way a chelsea boots sole

purpose in life is to afford you an attractive ankle silhouette which your trouser leg, as if in a Marvin/Tammy Tyrell harmonious duet, should follow. If you can slide your wallet up your hem in chelsea boots then you are wearing the wrong pants. Creating an effect Fat Frank might describe as a bell end. Length of trouser is also important. A Chelsea is a shoeist exercise in refinement. Bunching, or cabbage foot is not the desired impact. Worn with these simple observations a Chelsea boot is a the male equivalent of a six inch stiletto on Giselle. Without them, you might as well wear Uggs.

Let's start as we mean to proceed.

You can tell my mood, state of mind, objectives for the day and intentions for the evening with a simple glance at the shoes on my feet. I read others in exactly the same way. Many people are not literate like this, but I find most people with a point of view are and enjoy this kind of conversation. Henceforth, I dedicate this blog to the cultivation of greater shoe dialogue in the modern age.

Shoes are a measure of a man, for a man who doesn't look after his shoes may be ill equipped to look after you, should the situation arise. A True Shoeist dresses from the ground up, with silhouette, proportion, fabric and colour all dictated by the shoe de jour. This alone gives us much to discuss. So here is a stab at a mantra of sorts, which will change over time, but we should start somewhere.

The Shoeist believes;

1. Wear different shoes everyday in order to challenge your wardrobe.

2. Shoes and trousers are a double act. The best shoes in the world are nullified if not compatible with your hemline. The alterations professional is a shoeists best friend.

3. Anything goes if carried off with conviction.

4. Pre distressed is presupposed. Your born and you grow into yourself. Take pride in yourself.

5. Proportion. Proportion. Proportion. It's important.

6. When choosing shoes the first thing should be the last and the last should be the first.

7. One needs only a beautiful black shoe, a chuck taylor and a flip flop to survive, but to truly live...

8. Unlike a good car, a good yacht or a good mansion, a good shoe fits in hand luggage and yes it is the first thing a good woman looks at.

9. Good shoes are a reflection of you. Not the reverse.

10. We all age. With good care, love, daily variety, hindsight, natural oils, and a lover to please we grow old gracefully. The same is true for shoes.

11. Please Vote Obama.

Welcome to the first of many conversations relating to shoes.

Yours solely

Mr. Hare