I used to have a great pair of perfectly dirty white bucks, but they got destroyed. I spent a few Summers without a pair. Not that I didn't look. New versions were either too expensive, or not worth the trouble, and white bucks are sadly elusive through my usual cheapskate, thrift shop channels. But then these turned up. No discernible brand name, but made well of quality white buck, with the requisite brick red rubber soles, and built in dirtiness. At $5.49 they were more than double the cost of my last pair, but still worth it (snark).
True, Labor Day weekend is upon us, the official "end" of white shoe season. However, one of the ruling tenets of thrift shopping is a rejection of shopping seasonally and taking what one finds when one finds it. Besides, I happen to think white bucks are at their best into the Fall, with flannel and tweed. I've said it before, to some minor wailing and gnashing of teeth from the purists. Let's not forget, it's a concept that dates back to the 1940s or sooner, a style that hails from the campi of American colleges, "preppy" (gross) before we felt the need to call it that, and I can dig it.
Our man James pulled it off well. As a bonus, note what appears to be a peaked lapel single breasted tweed jacket, and a tie that is tied with the rear blade longer that the front..."sprezzatura" before that was an awful, played out cliche.
White bucks in late August...late to the party? or just in time?
They appear to be vintage walk over. If so, nice score as they are goodyear welted and can be re-soled. The buc is also very thick and nice.
ReplyDeletesomeone told me that you can clean bucks up a bit by using a Magic Eraser.
ReplyDeleteTrue. I used to use a drafting eraser bag to clean my white bucks when i was in high school. It worked great. They usually cost around $6 but last many years!
DeleteSTFU! The post is a coincidence, I haven't worn my white bucks all summer until today. They were too white, so I wore them to mow the lawn last week. And now today is the last business day before Labor Day, so I decided to bust them out.
ReplyDeletePigtown,
ReplyDeleteTrue, but the last thing I want to do is clean them up. The dirtier the better.
Anon.,
I figured Walkover too. Very well made. Note the white leather piping at the edges.
Just in time I say. I haven't worn mine all summer. We have long Indian summers here in northern California. I can wear them until December, when the weather finally turns.
ReplyDeleteI say just in time. In Southern California we have two summers. Second summer starts on memorial day and goes until Halloween. Working in the hot San Fernando Valley will have me in summer shoes until then.
ReplyDelete