Loake Shoemakers

I thought about writing this piece as Mat and I recorded the latest podcast. Come on kids, you know you want to listen!

A guy walked past us in the craziest brogues I've seen in a long while. These were bright green - luminous green almost, I'm not kidding. Maybe even more bizarrely, they didn't match anything he wore. Red polo shirt, tan chinos. That's it.

Then again, what would they ever match? Maybe his luminous three piece suit was at the cleaners...

Anyway, it reminded me of the craze for 'different' brogues. Huge soles, colourful leather, crazy laces, although that Grenson-style stuff.

I'm fairly boring, so I avoided all that when it was really popular. I'm also not really much of a shoe man. I like them, wish I had more, but spend my days in trainers and occasionally a pair of tan Clarks' Frelan Walk I bought cheap at a Seven Dials pop-up last year.

I only have two other pairs: a battered pair of chocolate Grenson brogues and a solid pair of polished leather Loakes.

Oh, and a pair sent to me by a friend in Peru, which I've still not worn.

I love Loake shoes though. In a world that's gone mad for bright coloured leather and whisky bottles in the heels (I'm looking at you Oliver Sweeney ;-)), they've stuck with the classics. It's probably a good thing. One day that guy walking around the graveyard in luminous brogues will feel like a right fool!

Loake's price always surprises me too. Okay, they do the £200 plus pairs, but their Design range for well under £200 that - like some miserly old Dad - I can see nothing wrong with. Seriously, £150 for my pair and when we did a straw poll on Instagram last summer, everyone voted for mine over Mat's Grensons.

Sorry Mat!

Check out Mat's blog posts on the Loake factory and a proper Loake fitting for more info on the brand.

Images: Mat, Loake, and Me.

Pendleton x NikeiDs x ASOS

When I was a kid, designing your own trainers involved colouring them in with felt-pen. Honestly, there was a trainer you could buy made specifically for the purpose. Totally white, with some (probably poisonous) luminous pens that would stain your sneakers, fingers, sofa, and walls.

Oh well, I'm sure it's done me no harm. If I even had a pair, that is.

NikeiDs take this ace idea and do it properly.

From their website, you can customise your trainers however you like - and I do mean HOWEVER you like. The choice of options is ridiculous. From the eyelets, to the laces, to the colours of the specks on the sole, everything is up for grabs, even the name on the back (or tongue)!

We were lucky enough to get some help with the design. Some of Nike's finest folks to guide us throw the process, a beer, and a donut, all served up at ASOS HQ in North London. The one stipulation, or rather encouragement, was that we used Pendleton fabrics.

I know what you're thinking. Nike, ASOS, and now Pendleton? How many brands does one trainer need? And who are Pendleton?

The first answer is yes, the second three, and the third, check out Pendleton's history here.

Pendleton are a brand that Americans know very well, but hasn't had much in the way of exposure over here. It's a shame. We're really missing out. Their shirts are brilliant and fit right in with my love of Levi's and Red Wing. Basically, a classic American workwear brand. Perfect!

Anyway, being given some fabrics to play with in the design of the trainer was actually quite fun, rather than restraining. At least it gave me somewhere to start, rather than the completely blank slate available to anyone visiting the NikeiD website.

We're back at that felt-pen training again or perhaps I'm just someone who needs a helping hand when it comes to creativity.

Either way, I'm very pleased with my trainers, so much so I'm making another pair...more on that soon.

Image: My Instagram (mostly).

Sneaker Watch | Nike Free Trainer 3.0

Some people get very excited about the technology behind trainers. The materials, techniques, and devices used in their construction.

That's cool.

Part of me wishes I could understand more about intricacies of trainer design. Who knows, perhaps I will, one day.

For now, I'll appreciate their look and take the slightly conservative approach that if a brand's product has worked for me in the past, it'll work for me in the future. A limited outlook, I know, but one that hasn't seen me too far wrong.

I'm the proud owner of two pairs of Nikes (that's right, two whole pairs!) - one, a pair of black Nike Free 5.0; the other, a pair of Nike Free Trainer 5.0 that Nike were kind enough to give me for attending an NFL training session at Wembley, for Buckets and Spades.

I'm always looking to add to that meagre collection, as Nike are a brand who get their trainers right.

A strange thing to say, but there is never a press release I receive from Nike and wince at - a lot of other brands, who do produce some great stuff, regularly produce a dud.

These Nike Free Trainer 3.0 are exactly what I mean. Click the link and admire.

Read the tech specs if you like, but I'm already wearing these (in my head) to the gym, for a run, or on the walk to the climbing wall. So good, so Nike.

Pictures: Nike.

Like Nike? Like Running? Check this piece on running shoes and this one on running in London.