Welcome back to another week of new releases in the Heritage fashion world. The first month started strong, providing us with a slew of interesting new products from multiple brands and momentum is clearly continuing into February.
Oak Street Bootmakers
Three remarkable new limited edition releases from Chicago-based brand, Oak Street Bootmakers, were just dropped and are making a statement.
The Trench Boot
Although built to the same construction standards, this is not your ordinary Trench Boot. This model comes with a 360 degree split reverse welt, as well a cap toe with four rows of stitching. It’s finished off cleanly with a dark antique edging.
Something else that’s unique about this model is that it has a half-midsole in the front portion that spans from the toe to its waist. This technique is used to provide additional flexibility while still retaining the feel of a leather midsole underfoot.
Now for the real star of the show, the leather. A special tannage from the famous Italian tannery, Tempesti. It’s called “Walnut Overdye Camello Asportabile” and it’s a unique type of vegetable tanned, teacore leather that’s designed to age fast and dramatically. It has an extremely thin layer of “Asportabile” (removable) pigment, intended to wear away and reveal the contrasting undertones.
The result is something that looks almost like aged bronze with a mix of dark and golden brown hues, further accented by its defined, pipey grain breaks. The character of this leather works extremely well with the aesthetic Oak Street provides.
This model of Trench Boot would pair easily with a wide variety of casual outfits. Indigo selvedge jeans are an obvious choice, but olive drab chinos as well as black would also be suitable.
Cap Toe Trench Oxford
In the same setup as its Trench Boot counterpart is the Cap Toe Trench Oxford. This allows people to have the stunning patina of this limited edition Tempesti leather in an Oxford you can potentially wear to work.
This is certainly something that can be worn with a suit in a business-casual manner. It would look great paired with shades of blue, gray or even black and is sure to be a conversation starter.
The Lakeshore
This is the final part of Oak Street’s three boot release featuring Tempesti’s “Walnut Overdye Camello Asportabile” leather, the Cap Toe Lakeshore Boot. It has a 360 degree split reverse welt, a cap toe with 4 rows of stitching, and a leather half-midsole.
With its clean quarter panels uninterrupted by heel counter and collar stitching, the Lakeshore is undoubtedly an attractive looking pair of boots. This model is a unique combination of sleek and rugged, especially once the patina begins to develop.
The Lakeshore falls somewhere between the Trench Boot and the Oxford in the ways of versatility. This makes it an excellent choice for smart casual.
Caswell Boot Co
The Shaw
I personally find Caswell’s Shaw boot very attractive, with its masculine-looking rounded toe box, and it’s a decent height. In some ways, it almost reminds me of the Wolverine 1000 Mile from the side, although I much prefer the silhouette of the Caswell.
Built on their “Harris” last, the Shaw in Wickett & Craig’s “Chestnut Oiled Latigo” leather is a lot of boot at a reasonable cost. Caswell Boot Co provides and exceeds all the features you’d hope to find in a boot in this price range: offering such details as a leather insole and midsole, leatherboard heel counter, 360 degree split reverse welt, a leather stacked heel, and a Dainite studded rubber outsole.
The Shaw is fully lined, with a gusseted tongue and 7 antique brass eyelets that pair beautifully with the rich brown shade of the upper. The Wickett & Craig Chestnut Oiled Latigo is vegetable tanned leather that displays a high level of pull-up from its oil treatment. This allows it to be more malleable, while also providing the beautiful highs and lows associated with pull-up leathers.
The Shaw is something that can work with a variety of styles and should be treated as you would any brown service boot. Although they have just the right proportioning to look great under a cuffed, straight leg pair of jeans.
You can read our review of the Shaw here.
The Soho
Caswell Boot Co takes their very first step into the sneaker world with their Soho in Horween’s Natural Waxed Flesh leather. The Soho will feature a 5-6 oz leather upper, with a cupsole construction and is sidewall stitched.
Hiroshi Kato
The Anvil
Hiroshi Kato decided to take their popular anvil jacket to the next level by offering it in the historical Sashiko fabric. This fabric dates back to the 1600’s in Japan. Its name means “Little Stabs” due to the needle motions required to make it.
This 10oz Sashiko fabric is made in America from 100% cotton and is indigo rope-dyed to achieve its rich blue color. Its three dimensional boxy weave is both unique and eye-catching, and it will develop some incredible high-contrast fades over time.
The Sashiko Anvil jacket features two chest pockets with the same durable Cat Eye buttons used throughout, as well as two side pockets. The Anvil can be worn as you would a indigo denim jacket, meaning it would pair well with pants of contrasting shades. Things like tan chinos, light wash or black jeans, or even a matching indigo for the Canadian tuxedo.
See You Next Week
Beautiful leathers made to patina, bootmakers venturing into new styles, and an ancient Japanese fabric reborn in America, what more could you want in a week? You can rest assured I’ll be watching the market to bring you new and exciting material.