Thursday, May 15, 2008

What's Up, Preppy? Or: Why the Hull Am I Pining For Boat Shoes?

I never grew up wealthy or preppy (oh but how I am SO both now!) but back in the day, when I was a kid in Cleveland, my middle-middle-class family managed to have a small power boat. A boat, in Cleveland, of all places. I used to hate going for rides on it -- all that choppy rocking, the frizz-inducing mist, peeing in a scary toilet that didn't flush. All that shit freaked me out. Then the Bush I recession hit (like father, like son), and we got rid of the boat -- ironically enough -- before we moved to boat-friendly Florida and then Virginia. Now that I am old enough to appreciate the things I didn't appreciate when I was little, I realize how nice it'd be to have nautical access, if only just for the outfits and cocktails. Maybe that's why I, like Fashionista, am sort of currently into the idea of boat shoes for summer footwear. Eek!

($69, Sperry, Zappos)
The absolute classics. Sure, they get sorta gnarly when you wear them all summer with no socks, but that's sort of the appeal. And they look cool when they've faded and get shiny and worn.


($69, Sperry, Amazon)
I don't think I could pull them off, but I like them in white too. Especially for dudes.



($45, Vans, Karmaloop)
Vans has, for some reason, gone prepster too with their take on boat shoes -- and a nice, femmey take, it is too. I'm sure somewhere, some dude in a ratty Vision tee, clinging to his Kurt Cobain haircut, is gently weeping.


More preppy footwear I'm feeling:
($43, Minnetonka, Buddysmoccasins.com)
In January, I used my awesome powers of prescience to predict that mocs would be on the move this spring. And I THINK I WAS RIGHT! Why? Um, because it's SPRING and I'm about to BUY these!


I had a pair of Tretorns back in the day, and I recall that they were the most phenomenally soft, comf sneaks ever. I may need another pair.




($48, Sanuk, Swell)
Ah the surf-prep look. I like these, at the risk of being mistaken for an extra in a Jack Johnson video.

UPDATE: Oh hai! It's MK, all up in ur preppy post! I wanted to add that I am kinda pretty really into these bitches:



Vans boat shoes, $45.50, in HOT PINK. And that is why I like 'em, peeps. Hot pink shoes kinda go with everything! Yay!




4 comments:

Pamcasso said...

I like the white vans (I hope the grunge boys don't cry too much though) and the (tweed??) sanuks. I think I'd go with LL Bean, Lands End, or something like that and go authentic:) Comfy shoes are good.

Anonymous said...

Given that I saw the cutest girl in Sperry Topsiders just yesterday, and am wearing wedge (WEDGE!) mocs right now, I'll have to give you credit for calling the trend.

Anonymous said...

i am now officially coveting those tretorns. all the cool girls in my junior high wore 'em with their calvin kleins.

Unknown said...

Those vans are so cute. I might just pick them up; if only to have a "preppy" pair of vans.

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