The times are changing.
Whereas before people spat in my face because of my moccasined feet, today I get a standing ovation in the street.
This introductory sentence is perhaps A LITTLE exaggerated. The truth is that if not long ago the moccasin placed you directly and unfairly in the “bourgeois” or even “right-wing” box, today the boundaries are blurred. We no longer know which foot to dance on (or with which shoes, as a result).
Always more difficult to stereotype people who have nothing in common except the love they have for moccasins.
You just have to open TikTok to see that the cliché no longer holds. The moccasin is everywhere. Users love it and twist it.
Besides, it's not just them: before them, there was A Kind of Guise.
And more memorably, there was Aimé Leon Dore. This New York brand from Queens created in 2014 and to which all eyes are turning today.
And without saying that it's entirely thanks to them that it's back in favor, let's say that the brand has largely participated in its comeback. In addition to the return to favor of the “old money” clothing style which is a hit on TikTok.
(And I like to think that I also have my share of responsibility, however small, in the ultra microcosm that has seen the moccasin on my feet since I showed them on the networks.)
“I see you” would say Jake Sully in Avatar. Sorry, I watched it last night.
To return to Aimé Leon Dore, it's not just them, since it's not only the clean moccasin they like that's coming back (the penny loafer), it's also rock like Dr. Martens or Solovair, and it's also all-terrain, equipped with commando soles.
In short, the moccasin is leaving the salons to end up on the streets and it is with roaring joy that I write this text for those who want to wear them but don't know where to start.
But first let me try to convince others.
4 (objective) reasons that prove that the moccasin is the ultimate shoe shape:
1. Its history is rich
Wearing a moccasin means walking the corridors of American universities in the 1930s.
The moccasin is a standard of the Ivy League style , empirically designed and worn by students of American universities in the 1920s.
The students try to wear clothes that set them apart from the man of Wall Street , always in gray, very austere. They are looking for a way of dressing that is more in line with their way of thinking.
In 1936, moccasins were seen as odd and yet students adopted them. We don't really know why, they become the symbol of one of the most recognizable and at the same time wearable styles of the 20th century, the Ivy League style (founding father of casual chic ).
I stop there for the story because we could go back even further but it becomes uncertain. However, I can tell you that traces of the moccasin can be found in Armenia, Canada, England and Norway.
2. For the purity of its form
It does not complicate the foot because it is not complex itself . It is a pure form which lightens the foot, with some exceptions, and the stylistic statement.
We don't have heavy feet in moccasins. Suddenly, we are a dancer. We twirl.
The pants end with undisguised feet. The moccasin wraps the foot as simply and modestly as possible and does not seek to betray its shape.
In short, to put it another way, as it is simple, it gives you the freedom to be more complex in the rest of your outfit. Freer in short.
3. The power of its register
The general wardrobe is becoming more casual. The CEOs of Silicon Valley are in hoodies. And sneakers are worn by everyone. In this context, we can consider that wearing Oxfords or Derbys is too far removed from our contemporaries.
This is where the moccasin comes into its own: more formal than sneakers, less than derbies, it dresses you just a tad more without causing too much of a divide with sneakers with which it shares the flexibility and ease of port.
Personally, I consider moccasins like sneakers but better. Did I tell you these were objective reasons? I lied.
4. It goes on in no time
Maybe that's not a compelling argument. That you have a lifestyle where nothing exceeds and that your daily life is calculated just to have the 3 minutes which allow you to put on and lace up your combat boots but from my side:
- sometimes the doorbell rings because the delivery man is there and I'm barefoot...
- sometimes (always), I'm late to take my daughter to the nanny...
- sometimes my lower back hurts from a wrong move while bowling…
- sometimes (never), my Porsche is parked in a double line and I have to go move it because the impound is coming.
For all this situation: moccasin > all other shoes .
Where to start ?
Or which moccasin is right for you?
A shape to avoid, the spiked moccasin
The connotation prevails over too weak aesthetics.
Spiked moccasins are called car shoes in English, meaning “shoes for driving your car”. And this is where the connotation takes over, is that if you have special shoes to drive your car, that sets you apart too much from the vast majority of people who either take public transport or actually have a car but can't imagine having special shoes to drive it.
This means that we have several cars and the lifestyle that goes with them. In short, the moccasin does not become the shoe of everyone but of 1% of the population. Which in my opinion goes against the 4 objective reasons mentioned above.
And then, sorry, but small cleats in a garish color contrasting with a garish suede leather too, that's not elegance, it's wearing everyday clothing like you wear a football jersey. The sartorial philosophy gets stuck here, IMHO.
No. 1 to have: the casual moccasin for everyday life
It's the moccasin that I've worn the most, especially from spring to fall: the American penny loafer . This is the emblematic model of the Ivy and more precisely represented by a model: the Weejuns by GH Bass.
You can also find similar penny loafers at Sebago, Septième Largeur, Orban's, Velasca, Yuketen.
The idea is to have a soft, practical shoe that will fit into all styles. Really all of them. I'm talking about wearing jogging pants, jeans, chinos or a suit.
Some details to choose carefully:
- The shape: take something relatively round, not pointy, something that looks natural. Your foot is curved, it is not pointy. The shoe must pay homage to him.
- Color: dark brown is a good option. Personally, I think eggplant is even better. It gives more depth to your outfits while going with all the colors in your wardrobe.
- Leather: smooth leather seems most appropriate first. Just because it's more versatile in style than suede.
- The assembly: the idea here is to have something very flexible like a blake or a moccasin stitch.
- Another detail: on this type of moccasin I do not put a skate or iron. I prefer it to remain very flexible. Even if it means that the sole will deteriorate more quickly and I won't necessarily wear them when it rains. For that, I have my all-terrain moccasin: the Reims from Paraboot.
#2 to have: off-road for the whole year
For me, it's the Reims of Paraboot. This is the one I wear the most from fall to spring. When the weather is lousy, it's perfect.
The characteristics that this moccasin must have:
- Rain-proof leather. Here, it's a Suportlo (from Degerman - unless I'm mistaken, I haven't been able to confirm the information). By Suportlo, understand “water resistant” therefore a leather designed to resist water.
- A robust and waterproof assembly. Here, it's a Norwegian sewn:
With this, the drops do not pass.
- An anti-slip sole. Here the rubber soles from Paraboot do the job well. Maybe a little less than commando soles that said. But in 99% of cases, it is more than enough.
As a less rustic alternative to these Reims, I have this model which also ticks a lot of boxes:
It's the same base as the very first Weejuns moccasin (in fact they're also GH Bass) but mounted on a commando sole. They also have rectified leather, therefore coated with a plastic membrane, which repels water effectively.
The only downside: the assembly is not as solid and waterproof as the Norwegian stitching of the Paraboot.
The bit on the instep is a fantasy that is not found on all models of this type, at GH Bass, I should point out.
#3 to have: moccasin for your formal outfits
(By “formal outfit”, I mean suit or a really dressy mismatch.)
When you love moccasins, you want to wear them all the time. I find there is always an advantage to wearing a moccasin. And with a suit, you stand out from the crowd.
The moccasin is not as formal as a derby and much less than a Richelieu. To do things well, with a very formal suit, you would have to wear Richelieux and some see it as heresy to even think of combining moccasins with it.
But personally, I like to play dangerously with aesthetic registers. However, you should not do anything.
If your suit is casual: loose cut, soft material not necessarily wool, no padding in the shoulders, no rigid structure anywhere, the first pair of moccasins is entirely possible here.
However, if you like formal suits, navy blue, two or three pieces, with structure, scalpel cut, fit, then I think you need loafers that are a little more formal than the first and especially much more than the second ones.
For this, I recommend:
A sleek penny loafer. This one comes from Morjas. Alternative to find at Septième Largeur (the Nicodème and Classic Moc), Velasca, Crockett and Jones (the Boston, the Sydney, Grantham 2), Aubercy (the Lupin), Carmina (the Penny Loafer (or full strap penny loafer), John Lobb (the Lopez).
The characteristics of the moccasin you need for this type of outfit:
- A smooth full grain leather (not rectified) in a sober and dark color : black for example or aubergine or dark brown.
- A leather sole (fitted with a pad and an iron for greater longevity and to prevent slipping on wet parquet floors and sidewalks).
- Discreet blake or goodyear stitching . The Norwegian stitching is really very impressive in the aesthetics of the shoe. Here, we must favor purity.
- For the shape of the shoe, something profiled if you like these shapes and otherwise a nice oval, like these Morjas above.
- Stitching and details:
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With these three pairs, you can wear moccasins in all situations. Everything else is superfluous. But that’s where the (guilty) pleasure begins.
Anthology of silhouettes with moccasins:
My previous contributions on the moccasin:
- Panache: how to wear them well
