gunboats and jeans...can't do it

[davestlouis]

One of my 12 year olds has a baseball game tonight at 8:15...too late, but that's just the way it is when there are not enough baseball diamonds. Anyway, it's getting chilly, so I threw on jeans for the first time in probably 6 months. I was going to wear gunboats with the Levi's but I just couldn't pull it off. It made me think of a goofy old man who doesn't own casual shoes, and looks half-goofy in jeans in the first place.

Who here wears gunboats with jeans?

I just threw on some ratty old Footjoy loafers with no socks, not worth getting all aggravated before the game...this team has a tendency to lose every game,so there will be plenty of aggravation later this evening.

 

[Lefty]

It's a regular look for me.

 

[fluteplayer07]

Definition of 'gunboat' for the kid without glasses in the back of the class?

 

[davestlouis]

fluteplayer...gunboats are double-soled wingtips...think Florsheim Imperial, big, heavy, chunky shoes.

 

[flat-top]

With the right jeans, cuffed, this is actually a very COOL look!

 

[Talbot]

Regular footwear for me. Looks good in jeans or chino's

T

 

[davestlouis]

I don't normally put this much thought into how I dress, and I surely don't obsess about it like I did tonight. My kiddo's team lost by one, which beats the 15-0 beating they took last time.

Maybe the socks were the problem...all I have is black dress socks or white athletic socks, so I was stuck with black. Oh, and the coach's wife, and my darling wife razzed me for not wearing socks with the loafers...not my night.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Yup, I do it all the time.

 

[Mav]

I do. It's double- ugly, because they're not only brown gunboats, they're Doc Martens.

You're just not trying hard enough, buddy.
Seriously, they're a country shoe. Regardless of the sleek, spiffy style of brogue worn as businesswear today (I wear those, too) big old man shoes like this are technically pretty casual. My great granddad used to plow in the things.

 

[davestlouis]

I was originally going to wear khakis with the 'boats, but miraculously, over the summer, all of my casual pants shrunk several inches in the waist, and are now skin-tight...dunno how that happened

OK, Mav, you've shamed me into trying this again...I'll grab some socks that are not just plain black dress socks, and see if I can make this work.

 

[flat-top]

I'll grab some socks that are not just plain black dress socks, and see if I can make this work.

Argyles will do nicely!

 

[Tomasso]

The moment I saw the title of this thread I thought of Gene.

But seriously, it's a classic 50's look.

 

[shortbow]

Back in the late sixties, I went to a pretty exclusive boarding high school in Arizona. Some of the guys who were students there were from the hoi poloi old money east coast families. These young gentlemen wore as a sort of everyday uniform, button down oxford shirts, tweed jackets and the aforementioned gunboats and Levis. Way out of my universe, as I was from Texas and New Mexico where it was riding boots, Weejuns or sneakers, but I always thought the clunky gunboats and jeans look was very cool. Still do. Not my thing, especially as I don't want to be taken for a Yankeelol, but I say go for it if you like it, I think it is a snazzy look.

 

[shortbow]

Ps. To do it right, you need a single, one inch upturned cuff on the jeans.

 

[cptjeff]

Ps. To do it right, you need a single, one inch upturned cuff on the jeans.

No ya don't....

It's a fine look.

 

[Tomasso]

No ya don't....

Agreed......



BTW, suede wingtips (not gunboats.....do suede gunboats even exist?) look great with jeans as well.

 

[cptjeff]

Agreed......



BTW, suede wingtips (not gunboats.....do suede gunboats even exist?) look great with jeans as well.

I'd say that this qualifies as a gunboat: http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/product_6526701_1_40000000001_-1

 

[Tomasso]

shakeshead

 

[Mav]

I was originally going to wear khakis with the 'boats, but miraculously, over the summer, all of my casual pants shrunk several inches in the waist, and are now skin-tight...dunno how that happened

The Closet Shrinking Genie. I hate that guy.

OK, Mav, you've shamed me into trying this again...I'll grab some socks that are not just plain black dress socks, and see if I can make this work.

It's just a matter of you getting used to it, broham. It's a cool look to everyone else, you're just not used to seeing those big honkers sticking out from the bottom of your jean legs. Took me awhile, as well, but the sheer in- your- face funkieness of a pair of big ugly brogues is sublime.

 

[cptjeff]

shakeshead

No? Then how would you quantify it, and what would disqualify that shoe? 360 Degree welt? check. Double sole? Looks to be a check. Full brogue wingtip? check. Blucher? check.

Gunboats or no (and what have you got against them anyway?) that kind of shoe looks great with jeans.