Urbanity Afoot

The gentleman's shoe wardrobe for the modern city scene should be as foot-loose and freewheeling as the multifarious milieus in which he earns his bread and lives his good life. Indoors or out, upstairs or down,on or off the treadmill, shoes long ago happily overstepped the stodgy functionality of simple protection from sharp stones and cold winds. Figuratively, it's been a short walk from the mastodon buskins of neolithic cave-dwellers to the pigskin mukluks of Venice West cellar-dwellers. But for all except beachcombers, beats, aborigines and Huck Finns, the pleasant occasion of assembling a comfortable, handsome, polished and versatile wardrobe of contemporary shoes is socially and esthetically important – and a helluva lot of fun to boot. For the metropolitan male who wants to step high, wide and handsomely, we recommend eleven pairs of shoes to get him off to a smart start – these in addition to his collection of participant sport shoes such as tennis and sailing shoes, ski boots, etc. If this seems a bit much, consider the high price of impropriety. In an environment both complex and subtle, the hip citizen (concluded on page 125) Urbanity Afoot (continued from page 76) must have enough pairs to support – not sabotage – his social footing.

For afternoon conferences at the office or low-key, hi-fi evenings on the hearth rug, the correct look in clothes – natural-silhouetted Continental slimness and trimness – means a new look in shoes for every occasion: tapered toes, smoother leathers, close-edged soles and uppers, lightweight and restrained detailing. Whether you dig the classic Ivy League loafer with dark tweeds, the immaculate patent leather oxford with formal wear, or the rakish black-and-white two-tone with an F. Scott Fitzgerald uniform of blazer and white flannels, the elegant look is the shoe-in favorite of the season.

As a timely complement to this happy trend, the slip-on has slipped onto the style scene. Sleek and snugly fitted with neat leather-covered elastic tops that run from heel to instep, this popular shoe is easy on feet and eyes alike – combining comfort and sophistication in proportions that make it appealing and appropriate for either dress or casual wear. The better stores now stock slip-on adaptations of every conventional shoe style – in leathers, shades and finishes for park and penthouse, cotillion and constitutional.

Slip-on or lace-tied, the compleat shoe wardrobe should include a variety of smooth leathers for worsted, garbardine and mohair business suits; a sampling of soft grains for tweedy fabrics; and a couple of shaggy, brushed textures for weekend spectator sports wear. The dominant color for both dress and open-collar affairs will of course be black, with dark brown a respectable second – coordinated according to sartorial tradition: brown with browns: black with blacks, blues and grays. With these classic tones as an impeccable foundation, the ensemble can be enlivened with a pair of whites or black-and-whites, the latter on the verge of making a strong comeback. Either would handsomely accent appearances at roof-garden receptions or Sunday-afternoon brunch dates this spring. But the newest news is olive – olive green, olive black, olive gray, olive brown – subdued but stimulating, subty keyed to the olive hues so prominent in spring suitings. They can be teamed harmoniously with the rest of the wardrobe: Olive black and olive gray with blue, black and gray materials: and olive brown with the whole earthy spectrum of brown-based fabrics.

Whatever his route and however he travels it, the urban male will never be slipshod if he observes one or two elementary pointers. Setting aside such intangibles as taste and propriety, the best argument for an extensive wardrobe of shoes is a purely practical one. For the same reason he has the tires on his car regularly rotated, he should regularly switch off among several pairs of shoes, changing twice a day. A period of rest between wearings will greatly extend the longevity of his leathers. The shoe should be duly mounted on a clothes-closet shoe rack, and wooden shoe trees should be used at all times. Shoehorns are recommended: they keep the backs of your shoes from getting crimpled and are a great convenience. They come in a ' wide variety of materials – bone, chrome, polished woods, canes and leathers – and some of them are combined with a clothes brush at the other end. Anent polishing: keep a rich gloss on your shoes at all times. We don't care how you do it (few gentlemen prefer to polish their own shoes), but it's a good idea to keep one of those automatic buffers in your digs so that you can add that final sheen before you step out for office or date.

One of the more charming inconsistencies of womankind is its inordinate respect for a man who can keep both feet on the ground, put his best foot forward, stay on his toes, and kick up his heels – all at the same time. We can't tell you exactly how to go about it, but we do know it's a lot easier in the right pair of shoes.