For the past few weeks I've been road-testing a pair of shoes from Bodileys, a family-owned English shoe company that recently launched its own range of Northampton-made footwear. Beautifully-made with leather Goodyear welted soles, these bench-made and hand-finished Derby shoes come in blue calf suede with a detachable fringe and contrast laces (I wear them without the fringe).
I usually wear the more rounded shapes of English brogues, so it took me a couple of days to get used to the slimmer and slightly more pointed style, but I soon came to love their elegance. They're ideal for an older or younger man looking for a stylish alternative to more traditional brogues as they give a slightly lighter appearance, going well with slimmer-cut trousers or denims.
As with any quality, English, hand-made shoes, they are extremely comfortable. I found them ideal for summer, wearing them with cream and blue chinos, linen jackets and bright socks. The attractive midnight blue suede glows when put with brightly-coloured socks, as can be seen in the photo above.
These are superbly elegant yet comfortable shoes, offering the best of British shoemaking for £300, a price that compares very well with similar craftsmen-made Italian shoes. Taking up to 8 weeks to manufacture, they offer the highest quality. For more information, see links below.
As with any quality, English, hand-made shoes, they are extremely comfortable. I found them ideal for summer, wearing them with cream and blue chinos, linen jackets and bright socks. The attractive midnight blue suede glows when put with brightly-coloured socks, as can be seen in the photo above.
These are superbly elegant yet comfortable shoes, offering the best of British shoemaking for £300, a price that compares very well with similar craftsmen-made Italian shoes. Taking up to 8 weeks to manufacture, they offer the highest quality. For more information, see links below.
To read my previous piece on the blog about Bodileys, click here.
For more information on price and sizing, see the Bodileys website here.
If you have a favourite pair of shoes, or manufacturer, British or not, that you'd like to recommend, please let me know. You can e-mail me at greyfoxblog AT gmail DOT com.
