Can you feel it? Do you see it? Dare we say, are you smelling it? Yep, warmer weather is on its way, and we couldn’t be happier. And just as the sun is soon to be peeping out from behind the clouds, so too will we be emerging from our hibernation shortly, blinking into the light and getting sartorially ready for spring.
Yep, we just can’t wait to be footloose and fancy free again. Actually, scrap that; though our feet will certainly be loose in spirit, they’re certainly not going to be naked and unadorned. Instead, to put a spring in our step, we’re stepping out wearing these 4 men’s shoes must haves for S/S 2023.
DRESSY SNEAKERS
If you’re looking for something which straddles a certain smartness that’s appropriate for both casual and more formal occasions, the fashion experts at marcnolan.com tell us that it’s all about inhabiting “the hybrid shoe/sneaker space”. They’ve adapted loafer styles into sneakers so you can get the “timeless dressy look of the loafer with the all day comfort of a sneaker”, and let’s be honest here, that fills a hole in your shoe rack that you’ve felt was gaping for a while now.
We’re a little obsessed with their Jasper shoe (pictured bottom left below) which is one of their best sellers and a really sophisticated yet subtle piece. The classic full-brogue wing-tip design with contrasting athletic striped sneaker sole is versatile and nimble for a variety of occasions. In summer, when you’re transitioning from a picnic to a more swanky evening affair, you’ll do so gracefully wearing these.
Other brands have similarly taken to this trend. Who What Wear recommend looking ‘’for suede styles with chunky soles this spring – a loafer perhaps – which would pair well with either tailoring or casual dress on the weekend.” For the modern, shape shifting man, this are wise words, indeed.
SLIDE & STEP
Eating some sliders in your sliders at a lazy, languid all-day barbeque, sliding back a few beers, laughing with friends before perhaps sliding into an old flame’s DMs…it’s what spring and summer evenings were made for. Now, do you slide on all your nights like this?
Later this spring and into summer, when things get back to normal (toes crossed), every man should have a pair of sliders in their warm-weather wardrobe, ideal for slipping on at a moment’s notice when the ‘pint?’ texts start to ping with increasing regularity. With uncovered toes and a free, unhurried feel, sliders are the perfect embodiment of what we’re all hoping for soon; a carefree, stress relieving kinda summer.
Oh, and you’ll be able to cross those toes more easily, too.
While classic Adidas sliders seemingly never go out of fashion, due to that suggestion of swagger they possess, we’re particularly fond of Birkenstocks. These guys have been tentatively stepping out onto virtual catwalks in recent months in anticipation of warmer, more outdoorsy times ahead, and boast blocky, primary colours and an elegant buckle, just in case you were worried that slipping on your sliders was a little too ‘dressed down’.
BOLD COLOURS TO BOOT
Speaking of bold, blocky colours, spring fashion is traditionally redolent of pastel shades, signalling the transition from the harsh winter to more optimistic times gradually and with first steps tentatively taken. However, we’re skipping all that ‘softly-softly’ stuff and going straight to bold, bright colours this season, desperate to grab positivity by the scruff of its neck and wring it out for all it’s worth. Hmmm, not the most positive image perhaps, but still…
The Fashion Gurus at FashionBeans predict that bold colours are going to be one of this season’s must haves and we couldn’t agree more. They explain that “British high street footwear store Clark [sic] has done so with its desert boot and Wallabee shapes (the dreamy clay is particularly striking) while Converse continues to change up its masterly Chuck 70 with more colours than a festival’s glitter booth. Just make sure you temper that colour pop with a neutral colour blocked pair of trousers or shorts”.
Sounds like sage advice to us; no one wants a colour overload, even when they’re wearing their funky new sunglasses.
CHUNKY SOLES
Short kings rejoice; chunky soled trainers were one of the key trends in both S/S 2021 womenswear and menswear, and are set to continue their meteoric rise and increasing ubiquity for this season and beyond. We can’t refute their promise, to give you the spring of a running shoe, the comfort of a trainer but the novelty of something new.
Particularly popular this season will be soles and shoes of contrasting, complementary colours – think monochrome, maroon and navy, or even silver and gold if you’re keen for a braggadocios entrance to the club once things are open once again.
Speaking of which, check out these top tips on 5 ways to emerge from lockdown looking fresh and feeling focused.