men’s shoes – Herring Shoes Journal

Square-toed footwear for a celebration of individuality

2 April 2024

The square toe is the Marmite of the shoe lover! People either love them or hate them or like to try to identify their origin to maybe prove their leaning either way. I have owned several pairs of square-toed shoes and boots. I had no idea they created quite so much ire or desire, so that makes them the perfect subject for a journal article!

Let’s look at the so-called origins of the square toe. Some say it came from a basic construction where there was no difference between the shape of the right and the left shoe or boot. This seems like a rather brick-ish way to go on the style front, but wholly practical, especially for military boots that needed to be pulled on quickly.

Square-toed sandals were also worn in the paddy fields of Japan to prevent sinking as far back as 300 AD, while in Europe, the very pointy and very medieval pointy poulaine style was replaced by a wide-toed shoe known as a footbag! Is it any wonder the square toe lacks a bit of love if it was called a footbag?

Square-toed slippers were fashionable with men and women in the late 1600s and early 1700s, and beyond.

Cowboys also seemed to have had a hand, or foot, in the square-toed fashion. Back in the day, cowboy boots were made for comfort. It wasn’t until the late 19^th century that the pointed toe became more fashionable.

There is even mention of a 1940s American footballer who sported square-toed shoes to aid his kicking technique, while they were all the rage for women in a pump or sling-back form in the 1960s and 1970s. Think Jackie Kennedy or the Duchess of Windsor.

Comfort aside, as there is no denying that more space will be easier on the toes, the square toe has simply been a design choice as a shift away from the round or almond-toed footwear. This style has been coming in and out of fashion for many centuries and has seemed to have morphed into the chiselled toe…maybe to off-set the poor PR around the square toe!

The chiselled toe is actually very elegant. Take a look at the Markham Oxfords and tell me if I am wrong. These shoes were made on the Z460 last which gives its wearer a longer toe with sharp edges. We have three chiselled brogues made from this last shape: the Bournwell, Munster and Villiers styles.

We also have the Monkwell monk shoes and our Muswell Chelsea boots.

From other manufacturers, see the super stylish Spencer two-tone brogues from or Darlington Derby does from Barker, made on the 443 last, and Loake’s Hannibal brogues.

Like all fashion, it is a choice. A choice that is considered a diversion from the norm is often viewed as a confident look. If you like it (apparently, I do when I think about my footwear choices in the last few decades), then wear it.

Herring Shoes

Brogued boots by Jared Acquaro

2 June 2020

Now that we have gone over the construction and care basics. we can move onto the footwear.

Currently, in Melbourne, Australia, it is autumn/fall, so we are getting into “boot” weather. Boots have a few more details than shoe styles, so I thought I’d go over the Herring offering, showcasing the features and benefits. Thus, helping you buy better. In saying this, I will note not all the styles I own may be available to purchase, but below I will offer alternatives.

The first boot that I bought from Herring was the Burgh (sadly now out of stock). This is a very classic British style brogue boot, some may say this is an essential item for the colder months. The brogue boot can be traced back to Ireland and Scotland in the early 19th century. Unlike the modern-day brogue, instead of perforated holes and decorative patterns, the story was told that farmers drilled holes into their boots and shoes to drain water out during the wet season. The word “brogue” is Scottish for a tool that bores holes. This country-style boot became a staple across the British and European countryside, being made to handle the harshest cold and wet conditions.

Like most country-style boots, these run a little bigger than a shoe. This is to leave room for thicker socks, as a posse to thin dress style socks. Size-wise, I went for more fitted and dropped half a size from my regular, something I would advise for most boot styles if you wish to wear them more fitted.

I love wearing these boots in a more utilitarian style: jeans, fatigue pants, moleskin or a heavy cotton chino. The storm welting gives width to the boots, so sticking to a slightly tapered or regular/straight cut pant/trousers works best visually. If you go too skinny, then your foot proportion will be exaggerated. In other words, you’ll have “clown” shoes.

These are definitely capable of being matched in a suit, due to the soft chisel style toe, they are more elegant than bulky. I would suggest wearing brogue boots with winter fabrics such as flannel, tweed and corduroy. Blues, greys and earthy tones will give you the most versatility, as brown is a warm colour.

Boots are like a fine wine and only get better with age. They will soften and gain lots of character, so don’t be too precious with them. Quality boots will last and take a beating.

My top replacement for the Burgh would be the Langdale II and here is a list of other offerings from Herring that will also fit the bill perfectly well.

The Herring Langdale II are the perfect alternative to the Herring Burgh, which is currently out of stock.

Until then, buy smart, buy well.

Regards, Jared Acquaro

Herring Shoes

A detailed shoe care guide by Jared Acquaro

12 May 2020

In this edition, we focus on caring for your quality leather shoes. Yes, there are many articles related to this subject (as detailed by Herring already in previous posts) but this will be a more detailed version on how to do this for longevity, from a beginners point-of-view. I will show you a few tricks I have learnt from experts and trial and error, plus what to look out for in products that could harm your footwear, instead of protecting them.

What you will need:

A quality rejuvenation cream; natural ingredients are best for leather. Look for ingredients like; beeswax, mink oil, and lanolin. With all products, the smell shouldn’t be one similar to harsh petroleum or stripping products, unless that is your outcome. The beeswax in the cream will give you a light shine finish and a mild waterproofing.
A brush to remove excess product and another to shine; this can be any soft natural haired and firm bristle brushes. Key is to remove the product that doesn’t soak into the leather, a harsh bristle brush will seal the wax and start creating a sealed shine. This is better on the finishing steps.
For those with experience, a coloured or neutral wax polish. I say experience because applying this product takes finesse and time. It is easy to over-apply, thus making a cloudy and in the future cracked finish. (For now, best leave this out until you have practised). Again, the ingredients should be natural, avoid petroleum-based turpentine. Brands like Saphir use natural pine turpentine instead.
Old t-shirt or similar rag. This is to protect yourself and/or surface, but also to apply layers of product. I personally use my fingers when applying neutral products, in-time you can feel the build-up of the product in the leather better.
Shoe trees or newspaper, to hold the shape of the shoes.
This product is something I was taught and not something you would regularly see in videos etc, and that is a 40 denier pair of tights/pantie hose/stockings. You might think “what the hell is he talking about?” But trust me on this, it is ingenious!

Method:

To start with, remove the shoelaces (if they have them, undo buckles etc) and insert shoe trees or newspaper. Take your soft bristle brush and brush away any visible dirt (especially in the welt or randing). Next, spray or dampen a rag with water (not soak), then wipe over the entire shoe, do the soles if you like but it’s not necessary. Let dry for 10mins.
Now you are ready to apply your rejuvenation cream. Use a dry part of the rag or fingers and apply about a finger size amount in a circular motion. This will ensure an even product application, you can’t overdo or use too much but if you do it will become costly. Once both shoes have an even amount on them, let them sit for at least 30mins. You will notice that there are always “waiting periods” in between the stages, this is key to getting the right end result. After the 30 minutes use your soft bristle brush to remove the excess cream. You can stop right here and your shoes will be ready to go.
If your shoes have lost colour, this stage is where you can apply a coloured cream wax, just follow the same step above. *Please note, if you can’t get the exact colour/shade and don’t want to make this darker, use a shade lighter than the original. If you don’t mind them darkening then you can use a shade darker. (maybe experiment with using a different colour all together if you’re adventurous).
This step is not for the beginners but the more experienced. The two key elements to applying the top wax coat is a) less is more and b) patience. If you just want to waterproof, then 2-3 coats are all you will need. Apply a tiny (2mm) amount to a rag or finger and rub in a circular motion. You will see the product coating the shoe, once the wax starts to cloud, apply more to another area and so on until the shoe is covered, where you want the waterproofing. Let it sit for 30mins, brush off and apply another coat, let sit for 30mins. At this stage add a drop of water to the shoe, this will help even out the coating to avoid cracking. Once this is done, let it dry (20-30mins) and you can buff with a hard bristle brush, if you want a higher shine use a pair of the stockings by pulling them tight between both hands and with the shoes held either between your legs or an assistant buff away! Mirror shines or “bulling” takes practise and fine layers to fill the leather pores, creating an even flat surface, this is how you get the glassey mirror finish.

Following these steps are key to keeping your shoes at their best for many years to come. I have seen beautiful shoes destroyed in less than 12 months, by wearing them every day, not allowing the leather to rest and wick away the moisture with shoe trees and never applying a rejuvenation cream thus drying out the leather (remember the leather is skin and just like our skin without fat/oil is dried out).

Best way to keep on top of this is to take note of how “tired” your shoes look. Is the leather bright or dull? Has it lost its colour? Does the leather feel hard instead of soft/supple?

This concludes the first section of caring for your quality shoes. The next article we will dive into sole protection and how shoe trees actually work. Some might ask about Suede and Nubuck care, don’t worry it won’t be forgotten!

If you are after a quick bull-shine and time is of the essence, Herring do have a fantastic video on their Youtube channel here.

Until then, buy smart, buy well.

Regards,

Jared Acquaro

Herring Shoes

Alan Davies favours our Herring Shoes

28 August 2012

In this week’s issue of Live Magazine, comedian, writer and actor Alan Davies is wearing a pair of our classic Herring black brogues. A black brogue is a must in everyone’s wardrobe and at Herring shoes we have some great options including the Surrey, Henry and Canning.

Herring Shoes

Brandish feature our Herring Harvard II.

31 July 2012

This week, our Harvard II two-tone saddle brogue has been featured on men’s online site Brandish. The Harvard II is one of the newest additions to the Herring Shoes’ premium collection and is produced using the Goodyear Welted construction in the Cheaney factory. Read more about the Harvard II here.

Herring Shoes

Holiday in style with Herring Shoes!

20 July 2012

In-flight magazine EasyJet Traveller has featured our Herring Maranello in a lovely Summer photo shoot in Turkey. The Herring Maranello is an essential soft suede driving shoe available in a variety of colours. The Maranello is made in the traditional moccasin construction, making it a Summer must have for every man!