on the streets of New York
Back when President Reagan was
in his first term of office, part of my enthusiastic and ultra preppy daily
uniform included saddle shoes. The
Western White House – Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo -- was just up the road, and
while plenty of people had saddles and riding gear in the Santa Ynez Valley
where I grew up, I didn’t know anyone else who owned saddle shoes. In those days the uniform of choice for
locals was – English or Western riding gear, Levis or
Wranglers, athletic uniforms, beach attire or blue Future Farmers of America
jackets. I however, created a unique preppy look that looked very out of place on the California’s
Central Coast. It was a look that I
pulled together piece by piece from stores in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, and Orange County. I
wore crazy colored socks, two or three polo shirts (at the same time), and a sweater
or two, and wide-whaled corduroy pants.
Sometimes it was topsiders, but most of the time, I wore saddle shoes…
courtesy of Leffot
Many years have passed, but it’s
those saddle shoes that still get so much attention! Two years ago, I wrote a book about my mentor and former
boss called Eleanor Lambert: Still Here, and my cousin Anna, taunted me: “Did
you talk about your saddle shoes in the book? Haha!” I was reminded of how everyone had an opinion of my saddle shoes, but I loved them and I did not really care what anyone else thought.
I do admit, that wearing them on a day trip with my godmother Chrissie to Palm
Springs was a big mistake. As dusk approached she decided
it would be fun to take "a quick short hike in the mountains"… to test out her new backpack. Let me just say that saddle shoes were not designed for hiking. I am not sure whatever happened to those saddle shoes after that hike...
courtesy of Leffot
Now of course saddle shoes are
back. A whole new generation of very CHIC and very SMART young people are embracing saddle shoes. If
you want to see some great saddle shoes – or just great men’s shoes period – it
is a must to check out Leffot!
10
Christopher Street (corner of Gay Street)
New
York, NY 10014
(212)
989-4577
Often people who experienced
something the first time around, find it tempting to judge the next generation to
pick up an idea, but I actually find it very exciting to see people embrace
something new to them and make it theirs.
The truth is people were wearing saddle
shoes long before I was in the 1980s, I would be willing to bet they might fade away again only to return one day in the future.
courtesy of Leffot
That brings me to the purpose
of why I created this blog… I am
passionate about telling the stories of the pioneers that have come before us,
I want to share their stories, but, I am always
thinking: How is it relevant to us in our lives today? I know that each story has the ability
to change the narrative of what we know, engage our imagination, ignite (or
re-ignite) passion, as well as build community. I want to build a connection between today and the past, but it is important to always move the conversation forward.
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