Shoes, not Waffles
I don’t come from an Ivy League WASP family with a vacation estate in Southhampton or Newport whose address is spelled out like “ELEVEN” instead of “11” or has an emblazoned title like, “The Breakers” or “Windswept”. Thus, it seems illogical that I would have such an affinity for something like Belgian shoes, which are so inextricably linked to the Upper East Side old guard.
But I do. I love them. I love everything they represent and they are on a short list of what I consider “perfect” items.
Belgian Shoes were a gift to mankind from legendary retailer Henri Bendel, nephew of the founder of the eponymous NYC institution of good taste.
"...Mr. Bendel, who had worked closely with several Belgian shoe-making families during the 19 years he served as president of Henri Bendel Inc., purchased two 300-year-old shoe manufacturing companies in Belgium in 1956 and began producing a casual, classic loafer that became a staple of New York fashion...." -NY Times September 22, 1997. Obituary for Henri Bendel
The design itself is an evolved take on an old traditional Belgian house shoe. The shoes are meticulously hand-sewn inside out, then “turned” and finished. They are largely made today in the exact same process and style as they were a half century ago, and as such have gained a loyal, multi-generational following.
Small selection of Bernie Madoff's Belgian Shoes, courtesy of the US Marshals
If you aren't aware, Belgian shoes were in the news a few years ago, set example of the excessive spending of one Bernie Madoff, and several new, unworn boxed pairs were listed in his estate auction. It's too bad we aren't the same size, as I would have loved to own a pair of Bernie Belgian's.
In attempting to pinpoint my first discovery of Belgian Shoes, I would have liked to be able to tell you a nostalgic tale about visiting an old retired relative in Newport who wore them with a certain elegant nonchalance, and who also wore his trousers rolled as he walked upon the beach. The reality is I first saw them in person on the feet of one Alan Flusser.
Trek to Meet the Guru
The inimitable Alan Flusser
During my Spring Break sophomore year of college, I took my first trip as a sort of adult to New York City. Among the many places I wished to visit, Alan Flusser’s custom shop was at the top of the list.
My first time meeting Alan Flusser warrants a completely separate and lengthy write up, so I will keep the details succinct, needless to say it was an important moment for me. But I remember what he was wearing quite vividly.
Alan had on a horizontally striped dress shirt, a cashmere plaid sport coat, athletic striped track pants, and Belgian Shoes, specifically the animal print “fuzzy leopard” variety. Again, the temptation here to go into detail about my encounter with the nonpareil Mr. Flusser is palpable, but this is about Belgian Shoes after all.
I fell in love with them instantly, something about their “Fuck You” sort of appeal. Alan Flusser is a master of “Fuck You” clothes, (just check out Gordon Gekko’s wardrobe in “Wall Street”) and I like that sort of thing. My own personal “Fuck You” style is a bit more subtle, however, and Belgian Shoes to me are like a sort of whispered “Fuck You”.
Although I was immediately taken by the shoes, I didn’t actually buy my first pair until a few years later during another trek to Gotham. Your first pair of Belgians, much like your first sport coat, should be a classic configuration. Dark Brown or Black Calf perhaps. Not one to take my own advice, I instead opted for olive green suede Mr. Casual’s, and they are my first and still favorite of the many Belgian’s I have acquired over the years.
instructions, should you decide to acquire a pair.
Follow this advice precisely, and do not stray. Your first pair (and really, any subsequent pair) *MUST be the “Mr. Casuals” model. (Don’t fuck with me on this one). This is not a “Goldilocks and the Three Belgian Shoe Models” situation; the Mr. Casual is THE first choice.
* If you are a female, or have dramatically small feet, the corresponding model is called the “Midinette”.
The instructions below are only for those who intend to have rubber soles put on their Belgians to increase their durability. This is not a requirement, and certainly you may enjoy wearing any pair until the bottoms are worn to a “Boston Cracked Shoe” degree worthy of their heritage. Wear them until you kill them. Wear them on a box while eating green eggs and ham. Wear them any way you like.
Rubber Bottom-ing
You must WEAR THEM regularly for a minimum of a month (or until they are soft and easy to slip on and off without a shoe horn).
After proper wearing-in, you must then send them back to Belgian Shoes in NYC to have rubber soles put on.The rubber soles MUST be put on by Belgian Shoes NYC.
NO EXCEPTIONS.
Despite what you might think, the purpose of wear before having the rubber soles put on has less to do with actual wear on the shoes and more to do with stretching them out and softening them sufficiently. The rubber sole application tends to make the shoe fit stiffer and tighter, so you want them comfortable and loose before application.
Enjoy your Belgians for years, basking in the knowledge that you are in the company of some of the most interesting and certainly best dressed men and women in history, but also a slew of assholes, sartorial blowhards, ersatz intellectuals, and myself of course.