You can certainly go all-out preppy with these - seersucker, nantucket reds, bright green pants with tiny whales embroidered on them, etc - but you don't have to limit yourself to that. Buckskin Originally a white, cream or dyed leather produced from the hide of a male deer or elk, but now more commonly a soft leather, such as sheepskin, that is brushed for a suede effect. I wear two tone black and white flats all the time, and it drives me crazy just cleaning those! Instagram: @kiyoshimartinez. 2. 4. Thank you very much, dearest Joanna. Keep your white bucks looking nice. by the prizes of shoes and the quality you can see in them. no wonder i keep admiring vintage, it's just so full of real craftmanship. I love when you do posts like this, I always end up learning so much from them! The name "bucks" comes from the original material used for the shoes - a soft deerskin, aka "buckskin". Since it's also the traditional first day to wear white bucks (although that's obviously a sartorial rule that's increasingly anemic), I've been putting some information together for a post about them for a couple weeks. Just love it! When I was a child in the 50's and 60's I would get a new pair of white bucks every Easter to go with my seersucker suit. As Coggins says: I think the first time you wear them you feel self-conscious, the second time you feel better and the third time, its your signature shoePeople will recognize you as the man in the white shoes. Have a fantastic last weekend of summer, Jessica. Wearing shoes, especially leather shoes, without socks, especially in the heat of summer, is terrible for your feet and for the leather of the shoes. I don't think I've ever heard of bucks before, or at least, I was getting them mixed up with saddle shoes perhaps. Thanks! Frustrated, I ripped out the footbed liners and now only wear them in colder weather with socks. When once asked by a French journalist how many pairs of the shoes he owned, Gainsbourg replied: Repetto perpte [forever Repetto]., Thats what the white shoe does. They typically turn up once in a while on sale, but$225 for Walk-Over bucksstrikes me as a fair retail price. Their white Zizi model has long struck a note with rockstars from Mick Jagger to Mark Ronson and, most famously, the Gallic crooner Serge Gainsbourg. If youre looking to cut corners on shoe spending, this is exactly where you can do it. Certainly quality workmanship still exists in some areas of fashion, but it often costs a premium and can be hard to come by at a local level for many, even if they can afford it. By contrast, the lower end will have less durable rubber and glued soles. I got a pair of limited Bass weejuns in size 10 which normally fits me. I can't imagine keeping my shoes so clean! The shoes in the first picture look more light-weight than the shoes in the rest of the pictures? Unfortunately, a day after wearing them sans socks resulted in the footbed lining to come unglued and curl up under the ball of my feet while walking. Press J to jump to the feed. There aren't a great deal of modern shoe styles (save for those with classic styling to them) that appeal to me either. Your knowledge about vintage never ceases to amaze me. I always just thought the song "Blue Suede Shoes" was a song and had nothing to do with the fashion of the day. While some brands like Walk-Over and Mark McNairy have decided to make them more colorful, Im still a proponent of the classic white buck. Here's Street Etiquette again, making the case for letting them get dirty, at least in some cases -. That the shoe would fits certain occasions and outfits depending on whether theyre clean or dirty is evidence of its versatility. Great! Richard Woolnough has more in The A to Z Book of Menswear: Bucks A shoe originally made of suede buckskin. What a great way to stroll down memory lane. Receiving and sharing the Very Inspiring Blogger A Vintage Fashionista Friday: September 20, 2013. I would love to see a picture of the closing mechanism, which we called a "mousetrap". Then theres the sock question. Maybe not quite as lustrous as fine-quality suede, but plenty good enough. Because of their sleek profile, dance shoes look best when paired with wider cut pants. Pale pink ones sound divine. Though we tend to avoid very obvious summertime outfits after mid-September like seersucker suits, white or cream linen suits, white bucks. My 19 year old son just bought a pair of white slip-on Vans and he has spent the greater part of the summer walking the dog along the lagoon trail in an attempt to get them as dirty and scuffed up as possible! I know there is a whole tradition going back to the 1950s of East Coast prep school and college-age boys letting their white bucks get scuffed and stained, maybe deliberately so, but if youre a grown man and want to look like one, put in the effort to keep your leather shoes shined, and your white bucks cleaned and chalked. I am amazed at the wealth of information on buck skin shoes that you shared with us! He believed a man should never wear a brown suit after dark. Not sure if that is a real word. Like an ultrathin dress watch, the contrast in proportion balances the delicate nature of the shoe and gives them a stronger presence. ;)~xoxo, CoriLynn. Does anyone know where I can get some white bucks online in Europe ? I doubt with my messy ways I could mantain spotless shoes thoughKate-the old fashioned way. But remember this, Mashburn says. These however I do like and will wear them every chance I get. :D, Did they get chunkier as the years progressed? Walking down a street, their dirtiness would be marginal. 3. White bucks are typically seen as a preppy staple, with the term white shoe firm often referring to successful firms filled with partners who were Ivy Leaguers, as described inthis column by William Safire. You can spend as little as$60 with Bass, or go as high as$500 with Alden. I wish saddle oxfords (and bucks) were a fraction as easy to come by these days (especially in person) as they were back then. I dont wanna have to deal with customs and stuff like that. I love that you added some additional interesting points to the history of white buck shoes. I'm a southern woman who works in politics and have always wanted white bucks- to go with the job :) My father wore them and some of my most treasured memories are of him teaching me to powder his from Allen Edmonds. I prefer them without socks. I just do not like current shoe styles. We aim to foster an environment where everybody feels safe and welcomed and where people feel encouraged to have healthy and productive discussions. But theres no need to fear the old standby, as long as you follow a few simple rules, courtesy of Atlanta menswear designer and tastemaker Sid Mashburn. You were right about the thick socks girls wore with their bucks. I remember them being very snazzy looking and was quite taken with them. You got snickered at if your bucks were scuffed. Thank you very much for sharing your memory of that unique style of white bucks with us. (LogOut/ Perhaps others in Maine will see this post and be able to follow your lead.Wishing you a wonderful start of spring, Jessica. Stay a spell and have a blast as we explore the incomparably fantastic world of vintage history and fashion together. As evidenced by the men who love them, white shoes secret is simply having the sartorial confidence to put them on. Garden & Gun is a registered trademark. Therefore, theyre perfect to amp-up a simple casual look. I get tons of compliments on them from both men and women of all ages. So, paying more for mid-range bucks might not necessarily mean you get something better than something on the low end. I don't know how I manage it but I will always get a spot on it within seconds! Just picked up a pair of white ones yesterday at the Bass outlet store in Kittery Maine. As beautiful as they were, given their hefty upkeep, I can see why they feel out of widespread use by the mid-60s, as fashion as a whole was becoming more causal. I posted this awhile ago about wearing them, I hope it's still useful: Okay, well casual oxfords are mostly a summer shoe, first off, so summer casual outfits. Personally, I have a virtually unused pair from Brooks Brothers I found on eBay on the cheap. Its understood that when it comes to footwear, most gentlemen would like to retain an arsenal of essential footwear to rotate through during the year. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Thank you for sharing! Josh from Street Etiquette explains -. I love the attention to detail, degree of quality, and workmanship that went into so many vintage items - even many mass produced ones - and am especially grateful for it, too, because it means that lots of items from the 30s, 40s and 50s are still around today for me and other who adore vintage fashions to buy and wear. Jessica *PS* You bet, honey, stupefied is a real word. It just wasn't the sameThis year, I bought a pair of Bass (like the pink/blue) that are a white or super light chino color with almost the correct red sole. If I may ask, how is "White Nubuck" different to "White" when ordering Bass Buckinghams off Amazon? Of course, that depends how much you intend to wear them. Cheers! If you shy away at the thought, youre not alone; for some misguided reason, otherwise adventurous guys avoid white shoes as if theyre Mukluks or Crocs. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Subscribe now and save. I'd go crazy! I love this kind of shoes, but saddle shoes are on my wish list for some time ago. I just ran across your blog for the first time today and bookmarked it immediately! I don't think snickerable is a real word, but it definitely should be! *befuddled by fashion*, Very good point, they do appear to have had slightly thicker soles in some of the earlier images. If the scenario was switched to something like a seersucker or linen suit, Id advise keeping your shoes as clean as possible. Plus, get the exclusive Robb Report tote bag FREE. Subscribe to RR1 Live+ for exclusive virtual events all year long (at least 1 per month), conversations with Robb Report editors, special perks, and more. Jessica. Makes me wonder when we became all quantity and not quality? Narrow, wide? Bank (http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Product_11001_10050_101876) is one source that I know of. They look best without socks, although to avoid swamp feet I would recommend something like these. In fact, many see them not as shoes you purchase with the intent to wear them forever, but as disposable after they wear out. Thanks for sharing the source, too. I had no idea there were this many ads available for viewing:) Maybe we might see Tony sporting some:) I had no idea you could clean shoes with erasers? From what I've read here and elsewhere, the Buckinghams are a little more streamlined. And with summer suiting comes summer casual footwear particularly the white buck. They naturally go with summer clothing, like linen and seersucker suits, colored chinos and madras. Towards the end of last week we took a gander at classic mid-century schoolgirl inspired ensemble in the latest installment of. Interest piques, search on - I'll be sure to post here if I can determine such was the case one way or the other. I'll have to sport my pink ones in the coming months, while hearty footwear and socks becomes a must here in Canada more. I adore classic menswear and love seeing chaps dressed in vintage and/or timeless styles (vests/waistcoats, long overcoats, suits, and crisp white button front shirts are some of my personal favourites). Jessica. a law firm or brokerage, in which the partners belong almost exclusively to the WASP upper-class elite and are thought of as being cautious and conservative. I have serious problems when it comes to wearing anything white. I wore white bucks in the 50's. I fully understand. A tan or stone poplin suit is still fair game, though. But, after searching for years, I wanted to give them a try before returning. Ah, sweet memories! Hi Jessica. Writer David Coggins is such a fan, he put a pair on the cover of his bestselling book Men and Style. The only shoes that look good with shorts are lowcut casual shoes like boat shoes, loafers. Hi Lloyd, thank you for letting me know what lead you to discover this post. You can definitely clean shoes with (clean) white erasers - and not just bucks, but most kinds of suede shoes, handbags and garments. Its also worth considering the white dance shoe this summer. I will, however, vouch for the Walk-Over brand. Posted to the white bucks Facebook page. And while we are at it, dont wear a longsleeve shirt with shorts, that defies all logic your legs need to be ventilated but your arms need to be insulated? Like many 1950s/1960s styles, white bucks have seen a resurgence with the recent interest in preppy, Americana style. Rule number one? 2007-2022 Garden & Gun Magazine LLC. The source is white ''bucks,'' the casual, carefully scuffed buckskin shoes with red rubber soles and heels worn by generations of college men at Ivy League schools. So unless youre at the seashore or maybe out in the country, change out of the bucks before sundown. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, this is one shoe where paying more doesn't necessarily make sense, the most comprehensive roundup of options I've ever come across, Primer says bucks are the perfect casual shoe, Here's Unabashedly Prep with a quote about white bucks from Thom Browne, Style Blogger focused on white bucks for their 1 Piece/3 Ways series, Street Etiquette again, making the case for letting them get dirty, at least in some cases, http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Mens-Buckingham-Classic-Taupe/dp/B002LZTGFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338171876&sr=8-1. The difference is that nubuck is leather that's been sanded on the grain side to have a light nap, while suede is made with the underside of the skin. If you're wearing chinos or jeans, it looks pretty good rolled up a bit to show off the ankle. And for grins, heres me last year wearing mine during a nice summer weekend last year: Personal thoughts, tastes, observations and memories by Kiyoshi Martinez. In 2020, theyve shaken the goody-good attitude and go well with everything from selvage denim to seersucker. Like the re-discovered Fun Shirt, theyre a playfulyet wearablestyle that inspires one to be a bit more open-minded when it comes to matters of dress. With summer coming up and the Kentucky Derby this weekend, its about time to start breaking out the seersucker in your wardrobe. Includes access to the digital magazine. Hippie chic!Love your blog. Does anyone have a pic of this style? Josa A. Similarly, the rubber soles on these casual shoes save the manufacturer money, but theyre also appropriate for the shoe style. What an interesting history. (LogOut/ I'm spending a few days with family and traveling, but I wanted to get it up before I left. All through the mid-fifties to early sixties, when I was in high school and college, white bucks were very popular, although more so with girls than boys. The inimitable Mark McNairy has a handsome brick red-soled version in his spring collection and, for a stronger nod to the clubhouse, Churchs offers a rakish white suede penny loafera close cousin of the buck. Jessica. Or anything gray, unless its deep charcoal. And yes it was more Pat Boone that made them famous rather than Elvis. Get the Robb Report newsletter for similar stories delivered straight to your inbox. White bucks, as theyre often called, may be as popular as the penny loafer to individuals who are influenced by ivy/trad roots. Were in the thick of preppy this summer, with a plethora of stylesin color, cut and spiritlooking to New England for inspiration. The suede in casual shoes like these serves the same purpose as corrected-grain leather - it helps cover up imperfections in hides, allowing the shoemaker to save money on cheap leather. And putting aside shoe care and foot health, the only shoes that really look good with bare ankles are lowcut shoes like loafers and boat shoes, and only when they are worn with shorts. Wishing you a fantastic day, Jessica. And those in the elite could afford to have excess footwear, such as white shoes. Fortunately, as the guys at Put This On explain, this is one shoe where paying more doesn't necessarily make sense -. Bucks are a recommended gateway into white-shoe territory. Thanks for this informative post. Aren't men's classes adorable? Heres how she makes the store-bought stuff her own, Remote Southern retreats to help you unwind and unplug. Includes digital magazine access + a free gift. The second requires what's called a "buck bag" - a small pouch of powder that you regularly hit the shoes with to restore their original color. But if you walk in a lot of grass/wet grass, aren't they very likely to get grass stained? Thank you for sharing!Happy holiday season wishes, Jessica. They are tight and I'm gonna sell them because even though I can squeeze into them, it's incredibly uncomfortable and shortens how my foot looks. These slim, low-rise oxfords rose in popularity during the dandyish Jazz Age and were favored by Fred Astaire, as the color helped audiences follow the dancers footwork. Please wear your white bucks with socks. Repetto, For the most pedigreed iteration, look to the Parisian house of Repetto, which has been outfitting actual dancers since 1947. They are TOUGH to keep clean. :)Many thanks again & have a beautiful Sunday, Jessica. I had such a pair, fall of 1956, my freshman year of high school. The ol' eraser trick works quite well for some kinds of scuffs and marks, but overall, bucks are shoes that require one to be very mindful of where they step and what they do while sporting them. This new age of Ivy Style is a prime time to venture into the wide world of white shoes. Funny enough, suede bucks are relatively cheap nowadays in comparison to full-grain leather shoes,as Put This On points out. When they are worn with pants, these shoes should be worn with socks. He's much, much more of a brogues kind of chap (no complaints there from me, I love them as well). I recently bought a pair of Bass Brocktons in the Taupe Suede. Suede bucks definitely need to be in that circle. I got here through looking up a Rockabilly-style song title I didn't understand, "White Bucks and Saddle Shoes" by Bobby Pedrick Jr. 1958. Twitter: @thesilentist But you need to be ready to fight. Hi Bill, thank you for your great comment. Unlike corrected-grain leather, though, it still looks perfectly decent. You dont have to dress them up., A few months ago, Style Blogger focused on white bucks for their 1 Piece/3 Ways series -. On the higher end, youll find construction with Goodyear welts and soles made of the more durable Dainite red-brick rubber. Repetto Zizi oxfords, $410 Or white shoes. You could go with a dirty tan, which might have more year-round appeal, but theres something I just really like about a stand-out pair in optic cocaine white. That's a point I've pondered many a time myself, too, dear Lorena. I particularly like their high-contrast look against dark denim, letting the indigo stain the suede a bit. Sid Mashburn sets the standard (and the rules) for wearing these classic shoes, Thanks in part to our warm weather, Southerners have been suckers for the white buck since the shoes Jazz Age inception. I can't get enough of oxfords. Like this article? The red brick soles showed up in the 1930s (although I've never found more than just a passing reference to that - if anyone knows more about the history, I'd love to read it), and the shoes have been virtually unchanged since then. I love to see a well dressed man!! I do, however love white buck shoes I'm just not brave enough to own a pair and risk getting them dirty! I AM NOW IN LOVE WITH THE SHOES! And thats a good thing!. Lead Fit Specialist at HALL MADDEN Chicago. A derby-cut shoe with shorts gives the impression of a British schoolboy in shortpants, not a good look. I'm on the route to having a pair of worn in white bucks but how do I keep the sole bright and brick red? That sounds so charming! nice info, always nice to readloving itgreets James Little aka mr Atomic, Oh I just love the look of "Buck" shoesalways have. Primer says bucks are the perfect casual shoe, and Brooks Brothers (which obviously has a vested interest) calls bucks the "third shoe" - something in between casual shoes and dress shoes. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for even more white buck images now to see if I can draw conclusive confirmation of this or not. Never say never, as the expression goes, but I wouldn't bank on seeing Tony in white bucks. But if you do wear socks, they need to be a cream color. The shoes can work with just about any outfitshorts, jeans, a suit, denim, khaki, gray wool. If youre wearing white bucks, chances are youre at least giving a passing nod to traditional mens style, and such style had rules. We welcome those who want to learn and those who want to contribute. I'll get them one day Really interesting post. Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful memories of growing up wearing these classic shoe styles when they were all the rage with us. White buck, made of a leather coloured white, or dirty buck, a light tan colour suede. I ride a big Harley, drive a truck and play guitar in a country-rock band, (none of which I'll be doing while wearing these shoes..lol) so by no means preppy either. With seersucker, with wool, with jeans. If you're looking for men's, those are easier to come by. I suppose the thinking went that those in black shoe firms could only afford one pair of shoes, thus they bought the basic staple: a black pair of shoes. I first don my white bucks on Easter Sunday, and put them away after Labor Day, unless I happen to be attending a daytime wedding in September when its hot. Gail, Hi Gail, thank you very much for your terrific comment. Change). Mine would have to be spotless! Dont wear any dress shoes with shorts, and white bucks are cut like a dress shoe. I knew only bits and pieces of this; you filled out the gaps in my understanding. True to size? All rights reserved. It is a shame they're so tricky to keep in pristine (or nearly so) condition. Thats from about sometime in early-mid May all the way to late October. Reddit's largest men's fashion community. Some of us even carried a little package made of waxed paper with baby powder in it in your purse. As someone who is perpetually passionate about being well colour coordinated, I second your comment about the good old days big time. Thanks. I don't believe I'd heard that term for it before. Of course the color had to match that of the angora sweater you were wearing. They had a tongue like lever, also covered in white buck, that you could pull up to loosen the shoe and it snapped back into place to tighten the shoe. There must be an edge to the outfit: rolled sleeves, some dirt on the bucks. They were 'groovy'. There were no baggies in those days, Half the time when you took a step the cloud of white which came from your shoes meant you forgot to tap them suffiently to remove the excess powder.also snickerable. I've often wondered about classic footwear, in particular the Bucks, and how timeless they are ;) xx, My absolute pleasure, dear Erin. Get some white, cream, or light tan dress socks. I loved learning more about them while doing the research for this post. Tomorrow is Memorial Day, which is simultaneously a solemn occasion and the unofficial first day of summer. I can't find any info on that. Definitely! The word is better defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as ''designating or characteristic of a business company, esp. What an informative post. Please dont wear your white bucks with shorts. I wear them with loafer socks (which don't show), cuffed jeans and Oxford shirts around the office and when the time comes to dress them up, I wear them with very light or pastel pants, navy linen button fronts and a seersucker blazer. Proud Chicagoan. Or blue, unless its midnight blue. Here are a few examples: Edit: btw, I don't know what you're after with laces, but I'm a fan of straight lacing. Good luck with your search! Thanks for the infoI've had a pair of light brown bucks for a year or so and love them. But consider the list of menswear luminaries with a penchant for colorless footwear: Fred Astaire, James Brown, Tom Wolfe, David Bowie, Errol Flynn, the Aga Khan. Churchs white suede Pembrey loafers, $650 I remember white buck shoes that didn't tie or slip on. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. All white?! As Coggins tells us: I was originally intimidated by my first pair of white bucks, but after a few weeks, I couldnt imagine my life without them., I think men are understandably reluctant to wear shoes that seem blazingly white, he adds. It takes a sense of fearlessness at first. Something that makes you look less precious. And while Mashburn acknowledges white bucks arent as easy-wearing, as, say, loafers or boat shoes, thats precisely the point. What about caring for the sole? Here in Southern California we wore what I guess would now be called scrunchies over the turned down portion of the sock. Canvass makes them cooler and they are just different enough to appear as updated. For both ladies and men's bucks, try eBay and Etsy, where you may be able to vintage and modern (the latter on eBay) pairs. I got them in the mail and was dissapointed to learn my new white pair was CANVASS! Announcing the Blue Rose Vintage hat giveaway winner. In fact, lets keep it simple: after dark, men should wear black. I dont think we need to be quite so strict as old blue eyes, but a bright white shoe really is a daytime shoe. And we dont mean sneakersreal, proper shoes. I don't recall seeing that particular style while doing research for this post or at any other time, but if I come across an image of such, I will be sure to post it here for you right away.Have a great weekend, Jessica. These great men have proven that white shoes are a sartorial power move. Below Ive done a roundup of white suede bucks by price bracket, so everyone should be able to find a pair in their budget. I'm not "uppercrust by any means. 1920s yellow, 1940s peach, and plenty of cute feat Find vintage clothing at VintageSearch.org. Two tone, high heeled, boots, love them all!!! I always manage to get anything white dirty as I'm a bit clumsy I'd dare say! Thank you for the great comment! Jessica, Jessica,Your post is very infomative, filled with proper stories of history and lovely images to follow it all.As always, you have taught me something new - using the pencil eraser to remove stains from white footwear.You have a "thumbs up" from me, dear.By the way: how are your Alberta-plans coming up?Marija, Thank you for this interesting and historical post! Going to try those and will report back. Does anyone know how the Bass or Walkover shoes fit. You know, you could walk into some places and guys might fight you for wearing them, he says. I also likes how you drew a comparison between the idealism of society at the time and the representaion of it through pristine white shoes. I got my pink suede bucks on eBay a few years ago. I am stupified (is that even a word?) The style for girls at that time was a saddle oxford (usually Spaldings), and worn with thick, folded ankle socks. Overtly, this notion comes with the casual aspect of my outfit. Thank you very much for adding your personal experiences with white bucks and thick socks to this discussion. Church's. 1. As William Safire explains -. You have to be going somewhere clean! White buckskin shoes, the epitome of summer footwear with their signature red brick sole, have been the All-American shoe since the 1930s. The shape and structure is all business, but the fabrics (both the suede uppers and natural leather soles) are more weekend-friendly than office-ready. Making clothing less intimidating and helping you develop your own style. They fit, but I'm returning them because they're way too big and bulky. And while its easy to imagine yourself coming off whimsical or contrived, know that white shoes have been a part of American fashion for a very, very long time. Big hugs & the most joyful of autumn wishes to you! Jessica. Chinos, jeans, and shorts all work too - white bucks are actually really versatile shoes. Although the heat endures, the white suede walking our streets these days has dwindled. White bucks are generally made from nubuck - distinct from tan bucks, which are often suede. Although the majority may favor the crispy white appearance of bucks, Id rather save the tedious action of cleaning them with suede kits and let them wear in to add a bit of character. I also post about the vintage clothes, hairstyles and make-up looks that I adore wearing. Buyer beware Im just glad I didnt pay full retail for them. I also put together a gallery of them being worn with a reasonably wide variety of styles and colors -, There are two schools of thought here - let 'em get beat up, or keep 'em bright.