Ask a Picky Guy: Boots That Work With Jeans or a Suit?
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Whether he’s getting costume designers to sharetheir shopping tipswithSecret Strategistor searching for thebest off-the-rack suitsandhumidifiers, senior writer Michael Zhao has quickly become the Strategist’s resident picky guy. He’s here to answer your questions about men’s style, highly specific appliance hunts, impossible gifting assignments, and whatever else you need a picky guy’s take on. Send your questions topickyguy@nymag.com.
“What’s an all-occasion boot that works with suits and jeans, yet can take a beating?”
Plenty of boot styles look great with jeans, but if you need it to work with a suit, I’d recommend a black Chelsea boot with a slightly pointed toe. The laceless design is easier to slip on for everyday wear and strikes a cleaner silhouette that won’t distract from the tailoring. A welted design, which means the upper is sewn and sealed separately from the sole, is the best indicator of long-term durability, since it can be resoled whenever the outsole wears down — this rules out otherwise popular options from Blundstone. So long as the leather is regularly conditioned and polished as needed, a pair of these boots can last a decade or longer.
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R.M. Williams has been making Goodyear-welted Chelsea boots in Australia since 1932. Its “wholecut” boot uppers are cut and sewn from a single continuous piece of leather for superior texture and durability. The “Comfort” version of the iconic Craftsman has the same sleek profile as the classic, but the rubber outsole is grippier and fits more comfortably out of the box. They fit true to size (it’s British sizing, so make sure you consult the chart), but if you have wider feet, I’d recommend getting the wide version direct fromR.M. Williams.
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For a more affordable option, Meermin’s Goodyear-welted wholecut Chelsea boot costs a good deal less because it’s cut and sewn in a Chinese factory. A friend of mine recently bought a pair to replace his worn-down, non-resoleable Redbacks and is impressed by its build quality and comfort. Meermin’slace-up dress bootsare a similarly good value.
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If you’d prefer something more rugged and don’t want to compromise on quality, Carmina’s Spanish-made Chelsea is available with a lugged commando sole for better grip and puddle clearance. It’s also a bit wider to accommodate wider feet and thick socks. It isn’t made from a single piece of leather, but the pieces are discreetly sewn together at the bottom of the gore, preserving the smooth appearance overall.
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For a vegan option, try Solovair. They look similar to Doc Martens, but have tonal stitching that’s more appropriate with suiting than the yellow contrasting thread on Docs. Additionally, Docs are mostly made overseas on a heat-sealed welt that requires special equipment to resole, whereas Solovairs are still made in England using a sewn Goodyear welt, repairable by any cobbler.
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If you must have something with laces, I prefer the Paraboot Michael to a full-height dress boot, which looks twee when worn with a suit — withfew exceptions. This Tyrolean derby shoe is made on aNorwegian welt, which is even more durable and water-resistant than a Goodyear welt, albeit chunkier. The moccasin toe is easy to dress up or down and the loafer-adjacent silhouette even works with shorts in the summer.
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If you like the Paraboot’s style, but not the price,New York’s chief restaurant critic, Matthew Schneier,recommendsthe Kleman Padror, which is stitched in Tunisia, but finished in France. “I’ve put ’em through hell and they show it,” he said. After several years of near-daily wear, they’ve started tearing at the collar. “But they’ve done well enough that I’m about to order another pair.”
“I’m 47 and have finally figured out a bit of my style for clothing, but don’t have anything extra to add to my outfits. I don’t know if I’m a jewelry guy or not, but what else is possible out there?”
Learning to accessorize is no different than figuring out your clothing style: Observe what you like, seek it out, try it on, and repeat. Much likeAndy Baraghani, my own jewelry journey began after I realized how much I enjoyed wearing my wedding ring. Soon, I was asking strangers at parties about their pieces, using Google reverse-image search to identify pieces I liked from movies, getting my ears pierced, and just trying on every ring and bracelet that fit me in any vintage stores and clothing boutiques I came across. First impressions of new looks always feel awkward, so take lots of pictures to look back on and bring a friend or partner whose style you trust for a second opinion. What feels weird at the beginning might look better in hindsight.
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Mejuri Figaro Chain Necklace
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There’s no way to know if you’re a “jewelry guy” without giving it a go, and a sterling-silver bracelet or chain necklace is the easiest place to begin. I’ve been satisfied with the quality of my Mejuri pieces, and even more so with the price, which is about half what you’d expect to pay at a jewelry store. They also have brick-and-mortar locations throughout the country where you can try multiple styles at once and offer free returns within 30 days.
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For something more unique, I’ve had better luck atantique malls— which often have Navajo and Taxco pieces — and vintage shops where you can quickly compare between many different styles to find what works best for you. I got my chain fromOld Jewelry, but Front General Store in Dumbo offers the largest selection I’ve seen, and much of its inventory isavailable online.
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Should you conclude that you aren’t a jewelry guy, a belt with a polished buckle is another way to add a bit of sparkle to your outfit, and the metal tip on this Italian-made dress belt shines just a bit extra. The backside is smooth and undyed, so it won’t absorb indigo from jeans, nor will it bleed onto lighter-colored pants — a mistake I recently made. Size up if you want the tip to hang down.
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Quince sells this cheaper version as a women’s belt, but it should fit a guy just as well, so long as you double-check the size chart before ordering.
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Moving beyond shiny things, a lightweightbandana scarfis a versatile accessory that can be tied in any direction or even tucked into an unbuttoned shirt collar as a cravat. Any multi-brand menswear store or vintage shop will have lots of options you can try in person. But if you don’t mind polyester, there are plenty of affordable imitation silk bandanas on Amazon to play around with. These extra-large ones are easy to tie and come in various patterns inspired by European and American heritage designs.
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If you’re ready for the real thing, go to Drake’s. Although best known today for its soft tailoring and English-made shirts, Drake’s was originally an accessories maker, specializing in printed silk scarves. They release new designs and colors every season alongside reinterpreted classics from their archives, such as this one that evokes the Met Cloisters’unicorn tapestry.
What I’m wearing: Pleated pants and tweed-ish tops
I’ve been working through the 1981 BBC miniseries adaptation ofBrideshead RevisitedonBritBoxand am obsessed with the costumes. The combination of tailored jackets, flowy pants, and homoerotic tension makes me want to declare wardrobe bankruptcy and begin anew with clothes inspired by the show.
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Cotton twill doesn’t have the same flowy drape of the worsted wool favored by Jeremy Irons’s Charles Ryder, but this wide-legged, double-pleated chino is the closest I’ve come so far in my search for an off-the-rack pair of pants in that style.
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These unisex pleated barrel pants from the most recent Uniqlo C collection are made of a lighter, thinner twill that’s a bit less stiff. They don’t feel quite as superbly constructed as the NN.07s, but they are great for the price.
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This tweed-inspired houndstooth shirt jacket from London-based Wax is like the modern, urban version of a country walking jacket. At six-foot-two, I don’t need acropped shirtto achieve a proportional look on my body, but I still appreciate how the subtly boxy shape shortens my extra-long torso.
Status trailrunner showdown: Satisfy vs. Norda
If you’ve been itching to drop $300 on a statusy trail-running shoethat looks as good on city streets as it does on trails, your choice boils down to Norda’s 001A or Satisfy’s the Rocker. I’ve been testing both on country roads, snowy trails, and city sidewalks to see how they compare, and the good news is that your choice is pretty simple: If you prefer a cushy, supportive shoe that absorbs the impact of each step, get the Satisfy, which rides like a high-end Hoka. If you prefer a more natural-feeling shoe with a wider toe box and a more flexible sole, get the Norda, which feels more like a premium Altra or Nike Pegasus. As much as I appreciate the Satisfy’s more adventurous, asymmetrical design, the Norda is more suited to my slightly wide feet and running style.
Note that both shoes are designed for a tight fit, and I’d definitely recommend sizing up at least a half size if you’ll be walking around town more than you’ll be running long distances in the woods. I would even consider going a full size up in the Satisfy to make room forwarmer winter socks, especially if you have a high instep, as I do.
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