A Wee-Confession

Forgive me, for I have sinned. Rather, I had sinned and now have seen the light. This week I purchased and wore my first pair of Weejuns. Two of them actually – since I waited so long, one just didn’t seem enough. Truth be told, the Bass outlet had a special two for one, so burgundy and black both got swept up.

My mother assures me I had a few pairs when I was younger, but if so, it is beyond my current memory. First released in 1936, Weejuns were the mainstay footwear of the Ivy Look of the 1960s that I have written about before. And for something that truly has been around for quite a while, they look it. Weejuns seem to me to be that rare but great mix of classic and still cool that always looks a little retro but modern at the same time.

I have been alternating the two pairs for a few days now, trying to break them both in quickly, and already I can’t imagine how I ever wore chinos and OCBDs without them. Casually elegant, comfortable (albeit stiff) from the start, and great with or without socks, they are looking like my go-to shoes for this summer. My drivers haven’t even come out of their box yet, and that my friends is saying something.