The London Lounge

Back from a great [sunny!] day in Brick Lane. I thought I'd share some photos of the pair of vintage spectator shoes I got there (see below). 1930's-40's, still with original soles. The fit is perfect; they will come out nicely after some cleaning and polishing. I don't have the right words to describe the patience of my girlfriend while I was dragging her from shop to shop My favorite cafe was shut, but I paid the usual visit to the historic Beigel Bake for a jam doughnut (..okay, and for a chocolate muffin).

I enjoy very much renovating and wearing vintage shoes. How about you? do you own any pair?

I don't as a rule, resort to vintage shoes unless, as in this case, it is for something that is neither easy nor cheap to find in new form.
Those look quite good and indeed I've been lookign for something like that (but haven't, clearly, had the same time available).
The concentration of vintage shops around there is phenomenal, indeed.

I used to hang around Brick Lane's vintage market a lot when I first arrived to London. There is where I made my first friends and I always feel a bit at home when I go there and see them. About vintage shoes: the best part is hunting for them, spotting good and rare ones and bringing them back to life. Wearing them might require some extra-care, especially if they are quite old and have unconventional features (think of white kid vamps). As to time and lack of it, I try to follow the advice of a man I have great esteem for. With his thoughts I thank you, Luca, for sharing yours.

Seneca wrote:Nothing, Lucilius, is ours, except time. We were entrusted by nature with the ownership of this single thing, so fleeting and slippery that anyone who will can oust us from possession. [...] I do not regard a man as poor, if the little which remains is enough for him. I advise you, however, to keep what is really yours; and you cannot begin too early. For, as our ancestors believed, it is too late to spare when you reach the dregs of the cask. Of that which remains at the bottom, the amount is slight, and the quality is vile. Farewell.

there is a lot more interest in vintage shoes on the Fedora Lounge, where there are whole threads dedicated to them.
this forum being all about bespoke, or high end RTW, you're unlikely to drum up much enthusiasm.

workwear dandy wrote:there is a lot more interest in vintage shoes on the Fedora Lounge, where there are whole threads dedicated to them. this forum being all about bespoke, or high end RTW, you're unlikely to drum up much enthusiasm.

Yes, I know.. but being registered on more than one social forum is against my 'morals' (life is too short for that!) and actually I even closed my facebook account before registering on the London Lounge. I noticed too that discussions about £3000 bespoke shoes are more popular than those about £55 vintage shoes here, but I don't mind.. and hopefully fellow loungers don't mind a vintage digression every now and then

my own take is that if the previous owner's foot imprint is noticeable in the inner leather, then i wouldn't wear them.
if they're deadstock or have only been worn once or twice then no problem.

Frederic Leighton wrote: I noticed too that discussions about £3000 bespoke shoes are more popular than those about £55 vintage shoes here, but I don't mind.. and hopefully fellow loungers don't mind a vintage digression every now and then

Exactly, if the hat (shoe) fits, wear it!

workwear dandy wrote: my own take is that if the previous owner's foot imprint is noticeable in the inner leather, then i wouldn't wear them. if they're deadstock or have only been worn once or twice then no problem.

wwdandy,
just the thought of having to chek out whether the inners of a pair of shoes have "imprints" or not makes me stay away from that kind of vintage.

[Almost] half way there...