We’re not big on boat shoes here at Put This On, but a good oxford? Absolutely. A good, polished oxford is the best footwear style you can wear with a conservative suit (what Jesse calls a “sincere suit”). And since everyone could use a suit for things such as weddings and funerals, that means everyone could also use some oxfords.
At the moment, Massdrop has a nice deal on Founders’ oxfords. They’re made in Italy using French tanned leathers, with soles that have been stitched on using a method known as Blake-Rapid stitching. That makes them much more durable than regular Blake-stitched footwear, and much like Goodyear welted constructions, you can replace the soles once they wear down. Founders loaned me some of their shoes to check out last fall and I was pretty impressed.
The shoes normally retail for $298, but Massdrop has them for $199. Each purchase comes with a free pair of cedar shoe trees. They also have the oxfords available in either black or dark brown. Go with black if you plan on wearing these with black or charcoal suits. Go with brown for everything else.
The catch: Massdrop doesn’t allow for returns, so you’ll want to be sure of your size. Luckily, Founders has a good sizing guide on their site. The Massdrop deal also ends Friday.