If you plotted out footwear styles from the past few years on a Venn Diagram, you would find the relationship between sneakers and dress shoes has become more and more involved. Not long ago, brogues, saddle shoes, bucks, longings and cap-toes were everywhere. Then dress shoes and sneakers started to merge together into what many saw as the best of both worlds. Things seemed to be led by the menswear magazines, Pitti street style and comfort-loving guys everywhere. It seemed perfectly normal to wear sneakers with a suit. More than that, it felt stylish and right. Then boom, this past month Alex Williams in The New York Times declared sneakers the new black. Sneakers are the new dress shoe and, as it happens, sneakers are the new everything. To further prove that they look good with (almost) anything, I recently spent a few days in NYC wearing the new Converse Jack Purcell Cross Stitch collection all over town.
The new Cross Stitch sneaker is a cool update to a classic style, which is made with a superior high-quality leather, molded cork footbed, and a gumsole Jack Purcell smile on the toecap. Basically, it’s the perfect, versatile sneaker that you can wear on an easy Sunday afternoon or at non-stop meetings all over the city and back. I wore them with jeans and an indigo-dyed sweatshirt that I bought in Japan for a day around the apartment. Later in the week I had meetings, which were followed by a dinner after work, and I paired them with my blue cotton Lardini suit, which created the perfect intersection of comfort and style. Between the small details, the nice leather (which extends to the laces – a touch that further elevates these sneakers) and the styling, these could be the only sneakers I own. That would be just fine with me. [Jack Purcell]
I really like the style of these. Unfortunately, they’re probably built on the same last as all other Jack Pursells, which means that I’d be able to wear them for about an hour before they start to pinch my toes.
Do they make them in widths? I used to wear the canvas ones, now my feet are wider & they are uncomfy.
Nice writeup and even better pictures, particularly the ones inside the apartment/home. Whose photography skills can I compliment?
Dom you can compliment Teddy for those.
Well done, Teddy. I don’t know your last name (Pendergrass? Ruxpin?) but the light and the staging – spot on.
Michael, these sponsored posts walk a fine line but you pull them off in a way that doesn’t feel gratuitous or cheap. Thanks for putting in the effort.
Mike, you got to hike that leg up to a full “Man Cross”, don’t want you getting varicose veins! ;)
Doug: Ha. Well, I got a few new knee ligaments installed this winter, so my knee prefers this for now.
Wow, these look great! Lovely photography as well, out of curiosity which color is featured here (Black, or Twilight)? Also, what are your thoughts on the two? Thanks.
Michael,
What jeans are those you’re wearing in this post? They look like 47’s but I cant seem to tell.
Levi’s 1954 501Z