Søled (ØUT)

“I’m a young associate (24) at an investment firm. Most of my colleagues are “Suits” — all day, all night. However, I don’t want to age myself before my time, and I don’t want to completely conform to the environment I’m in. What kinds of options do I have as far as leisure footwear are concerned?” – Wally Streetwear, NYC (Harlem)

Not to stress big homie. With Jay having convinced everyone that 30’s the new 20 over a year ago, I’m pretty sure the whole “aging” thing has halted to a stand still. None the less, I can empathize with the fear of letting Corporate America stifle your God-given right to self expression through fashion. They say the clothes don’t make the man, but they sure as hell make the man believable. Now when it comes to “leisure footwear”, one must beware the relativity of the word “leisure”. Are you headed to a Super Bowl party, reuniting with some college friends post grad, or escorting a lovely young lady on a promising first hurrah? Form must always fit the function (unless your swag’s on a hundred thousand trillion) and  less is always more. Aim for a core comprised of business casual, casual, and what I call, urban chic.

• Business casual = $dressy enough to wear to the office;  versatile enough to be dressed down. Think: Johnston & Murphy, Cole Haan, Kenneth Cole.

• Casual = lace ups;  fly enough to wear out; not dressy enough to wear to work. Think: Sperry, Rockport, Cole Haan.

• Urban Chic = sneakers too fly to do anything but rock while you’re out just trying to be seen. Think: Creative Recs, ALIFE, Nike SB.

Remember this is by no means dogma nor are the brands etched in stone as your only options. Think of this as something similar to a template in Microsoft Word; you wouldn’t submit a template to your boss as your finished project….and neither should you head to your nearest hipster outlet (PEDX for me here in Canton) and ask for the latest pair of SBs. Use this to establish a firm base, then apply your own distinctive creativity. What ever you do, make it believably yours.

~ The CS

u|T|ø presents…Søled (ØUT)

>> Urban Grads and Graduettes, today we’re introducing a new advice column, Søled (ØUT) by The Couthless Suit. As you guessed, this column will speak directly to the inner-sneakerhead, or that kicks-lover residing within us all. Send your questions, discussion topics, or “in need of advice” emails to urbantakeout@great8productions.com and The CS will kick game proper. Enjoy the first of many entries!

“Dear CS, I’m a young single female with a VERY mean shoe game. Recently, my male friends and I had a conversation about chicks & kicks, in which they told me that guys actually bond better with women who have “dope sneakers” as well as heels. I’m the type of lady who never owned a pair of “J’s, Forces, or Dunks”. And, while I LOVE my Rousseaus and Balenciagas (only own a couple though), I’m in dire need of some suggestions for ORIGINAL, fly she-sneakers. Please help!” – Lady Louboutin, Atlanta.

Lady Louboutin,

First let me applaud your male friends for hipping you to this little known fact. Women wonder why their “flawless shoe game” only attracts men with “one thing on their mind”, and yet you only wear one type of shoe. It can’t be strappy heels and dressy flats all the time ladies, its time to diversify your footwear portfolio. Fact: Guys love watching women with a good shoe game and a mean ass walk. Fact: Guys love women with whom they can relate. Sneaks are just one of the many avenues that lower guys’ emotional defensive shields.

That being said, you can’t go wrong with a fly pair of mid–hi top sneaker. Creative Recreation is doing some really good things with women’s shoes where they capture the essence of what it is to be feminine without losing touch with that gritty street appeal. Nike Blazers also tend to do a great job of producing that hybrid sexy street hipster aura. Color combos are usually out of this world for both Creative Rec and the Blazers, not to mention the intermingling of different textures and fabrics. http://www.pickyourshoes.com/is a great starting point; call it “A dummy’s guide to fly ass kicks”. Good luck, and whatever you do, make it believably yours.

– The CS