Herring Shoes Journal

Back in January, I announced that Herring was launching its own range of women’s shoes and that I would get back to you when there were more styles to consider for your choice of footwear. Well, today, I am bringing you the suede driving moccasin….

Herring has been making these for years for men. They are handmade in one of the most respected factories in Portugal. To add some extra luxury, the Louisa features the Herring shield motif on the heel and there is an extra padded insole. If you are new to Herring, then this is a great place to start as these moccasins represent exceptional craftsmanship and superb value.

But when do you wear them? As the name suggests, you should wear them when you are driving. This is not such a daft notion. How many pairs of shoes have you ruined with scuff marks down the heel and on the back of the upper? I know I have. These are easy to slip on and off when you are in the car. The pimpled tread gives you more grip on the pedals and continues up the back of the shoe to cushion where your heel rests on the mat in the footwell.

That said, I’m not driving much these days, but am sure I will get back to it once all social distancing restrictions have been lifted and life gets back to normal. I am, however, working from home. To me, these moccasins are the perfect WFH shoe. Soft enough to feel like a slipper but smart enough to know I could waggle my feet in the air – if required – at a video meeting. Please erase that image from your mind immediately!

These moccasins really are a beautiful shoe. They feel very grown up; a stage of life I should probably be embracing. The stitching is so exact and neat…and then there are the colours. The Louisa comes in the classic chocolate, Cognac and sand shades of brown, but my eyes lit up at the ice pink and turquoise. This way I can blend my new-found shoe maturity with my enthusiasm for colour. Burgundy and navy are also available.

Where I think these shoes will serve me well is when I make the multiple visits to the garden to meet the needs of the new puppy – Derek – we have recently welcomed to our home. These shoes are too gorgeous to even consider taking them out in inclement conditions, but I think they will be ideal to quickly pull on for a swift nip in and out on a sunny day. The UK summer cannot be too far away, can it?

In terms of fit, I am a size four with very narrow and shallow feet. (It’s a privilege and a curse!) The size fours (European size 37) fitted me well, as the Louisa is made on a narrow last to allow our feet to stretch the suede without the shoe then slipping from our heels. As expected, they felt a little tight at first, but the leather soon began to ease. I think they could become the most comfortable shoes I have every worn!

Just you watch, I will be wearing them everywhere as they are essentially lovely loafers, as worn by our gorgeous model above. Wherever I do wear them though, I will be keeping them well out of Derek’s reach! Wish me luck.