A close affiliate has opened a new menswear store at 534 Chapel St, Melbourne..
03 9827 1666.
Looks amazing…
The penny loafer is quite literally a remnant of a bygone era – a time when pay phones were a vital part of daily life and a penny could be a lifesaver. Although, when Bass first debuted the shoe in 1936 the name that they gave to it had nothing to do with currency. As a reference to Norwegian farmers who were the first people seen wearing loafers in a 1930 Esquire article, Bass called the shoe, “The Weejun.” Companies had already been making flat front loafers for several years, but John Bass wanted to add something unique to his shoes. Bass decided to put a small strap across the top of the shoe, but it was the signature lip shaped cutout in the center of strap that made the Weejuns a classic.
Initially it was just a nice little detail to differentiate a Weejun from all other loafers, but after a few years the opening became a practical pocket. In the 40′s and 50′s a phone call cost about a penny, and so Weejun wearers began slipping pennies into the front of their loafers as a backup in case they ever needed to make an emergency call. Eventually, the pennies just stuck, and even after phone rates had been raised people were still putting pennies in the cutout of their Weejuns. In the 60′s the sockless look became popular as preps began pairing their penny loafers with everything from shorts to sack suits. This high/low versatility has helped the penny loafer endure for decades as a simple spring staple
All styles shown available at Gingers Gentlemen Shoe Boutique…
Contact Gingers Gentlemen Shoe Boutique Perth on 08 9226 5050 for information.
thanks to Lab Fifty Five
With a good pair of leather shoes starting at around $200 AUD & going well north of that, it’s essential to protect ones investment by taking the time to properly maintain them. A high-quality pair of dress shoes should last a man decades, & a little bit of time & money spent in upkeep will save hundreds – if not thousands – in repair & replacement costs over the life of a shoe.
Polishing your shoes:
1. Wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth to remove superficial dirt and stains.
2. Wet the welt brush and scrub out the entire welt strip.
3. If the shoes need it, apply sole-edge dressing — carefully. If you get it on the uppers, it will stain them permanently. Let edge dressing dry before going any further.
4. Apply polish, using a circular rubbing motion. You don’t need to slather it on. You don’t need to be gentle. And the more you rub, the better. Let the polish dry. It should take about five minutes.
5. Buff the entire shoe with a polishing brush. For extra gleam, hold the shoe between your knees and buff the toe vigorously with a lint-free cloth.
Required Materials
You’ll need the right tools — just a few, but each with a crucial purpose.
Shoe polish: Kiwi wax-based polish is as good a brand as any other. (Cream polishes, applied with a brush, may be easier to use, but they won’t give you the same shine.) And you don’t need every color under the sun. Black, of course; a chestnut or darker brown; and something middling or neutral for light-colored shoes.
Welt brush: Looks like a toothbrush (and you can use one in its place). It’s designed to get the grit out of the welt, the seam where the shoe’s upper joins the sole. You’d be amazed how much dirt gets in there.
Polishing cloth: In lint-free cotton or linen. Use the same one for putting on the polish that you use for buffing, regardless of the color you’re using. And hang on to it: The longer you use the same cloth, the more it becomes suffused with rich oils and dyes.
Polishing brush: Used to get a high shine out of the shoe once you’ve got all that wax into the leather. Horsehair is recommended.
Sole dressing: The edge of the sole takes a scuffing from doorjambs and sidewalks. Restore the pristine look of your shoes with an edge dressing, applied with a small craft brush or a cotton swab.
