Thursday, September 30, 2010

Bonfire of the Weejuns

Nothing has probably incited more tisk-tisking than the ongoing, intermittent crowing that I manifest  about my Navy Blue Weejuns that I bought in college. 
When I play the “If the House Was On Fire” game, these navy babies always end up on the list of things I’d retrieve before exiting. I remembered the other day that when FootJoy sold dress shoes years ago, usually in golf pro shops, they offered a navy blue tassel loafer almost identical to the iconic Alden tasselated standard. And yes, I owned a pair. Can’t remember for the life of me where those concoctions ended up.
So the quest for a reasonably priced version of the old college blue Weejuns has been a Quixotic endeavour at best. I’d also admit that for me it’s been a half hearted one. I don’t need another pair. My vintage ones are fairing just fine. But I did find exotic navy blue shoddings for consideration. Ron Rider and Leffot can put you in a pair of stunning navy blue venetians for just under seven bills. Lovely but I don’t have that kind of dough these days.
The other reason that I’m not inclined to the Leffot level of navy blue pedal adornmentalia is that the balance on my John Deere’s will be due soon. Some axked me the other day what the status was on this contrivance. A pair of try-on loafers is en route to me this week. The conscientious folks at Yuketen want to make certain that the sizing is just right before they finish my order. Good-green things come to those who wait.
Really then, a navy blue shodding effort was until recently, gonna be a huge financial undertaking. Mark McNairy taunted us last summer with the promise of a navy blue Weejun re-launch. Alas, I’ve never seen these offered anywhere. Mark McNothing.
A couple of readers…that would be about 30% of my constituency, eagerly passed along to me a link to Oak Street Bootmakers with the news of their navy blue loafer offering. So here you go folks, a none too inexpensive but not Leffot level price point navy loafer. I don’t know anything about this purveyor but from the looks of this shoe, it seems to be a solid value. I’d prefer not having a double-soled version but everything else rings true to the essence of Weejuns…when Weejuns mattered.
Onward. With blue things.
ADG, II 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

FootJoy street shoes were great, wore the "Augusta" lace up shoes with the shield toe in college - in Augusta of course. The Weejuns needed a day off every now and then.
RTS

ADG said...

Anon...I too had that "shield toe" lace up. Wore the hell out of it right out of college when I was a sales rep. It was kinda my "daily driver"...and I wore it often, when calling on The Medical College of Georgia and Eisenhower Medical Center out at Fort Gordon. Damn.

LPC said...

All well and good but I was not *quite* ready for hairy ankles this morning. Don't tell me it's my own fault - I know.

old said...

Apropos posting ADG.

Wore an ancient pair of US made brown Weejuns to an event last evening with some classic professorial apparel. Although I am a fiend for Alden shell and calfskin full strap pennies for everyday wear, there's nothing like a well-worn but metriculously maintained pair of Bass pennies to burnish an Old School look. consisting of a horseblanket 3B sack sportcoat, floodwater cords or khakis OCBB with a club tie or perhaps a bow!

I dug out an American made burgundy pai from its orginal box that I took to duLac as a freshman in 1977 that I am wearing them presently.

Also have a pair of black and a pair of brown pennies both made in the USA with original soles and heels that I bought in 1982. Probably have put at total of 20 miles on each knowing that they would become as amost rate as a 1963 Aston Martin DB5. Unfortunately lost a pair of rare Scotch grains to our Lab four years ago when he was a pup. But then again, he benefitTed from some fine dining!

Thanks for resurrecting the visibility of these great Ameican classics

Suburban Princess said...

That's quite the grocery combo you have there! It beats my huge bottle of Advil, energy bar and decorative pumpkins I bought this morning.

oldominion said...

THe bookstore in Southampton where I saw Tom W was next door to a joint called Tenet, an early stockist of Oak Tree. I bought myself a pair of the blue loafers the day after the Tom spotting. I love 'em, even as they're lined and the sole is a bit thicker than I'm used to. They're a little wider in the midfoot than my Alden for BB loafs so you don't quite get that super fine fit, but, hell, blue loafers, babe. I love 'em.

K.S.Anthony said...

Your Navy Blue Weejuns are the best shoes on the interwebs...jackboots bot withstanding.

ilovelimegreen said...

Stop waiting for green things and start filling your life with them - you have no idea what you've been missing. I can't wait for the arrival of those green loafers - remember, you said we would share them.

Lisa said...

Well the grocery basket is looking a little better than in the past – no TV dinners. I see some body wash (High Endurance no less) – bathing is good, some even say ‘cleanliness is next to godliness’ but in your case I’m not sure I’d go that far. Is that a bottle of juice? - probably a mixer for gin etc.

And then there is the STP oil treatment. There are several schools of thought swimming through my brain: hair tonic until you get a proper haircut, ersatz cooking oil (this is the south after all) or maybe the Saab just needs a drink. Multiple choices and there are no wrong answers. A win-win situation.

Belle de Ville said...

I adore the green loafers!

Pigtown*Design said...

is that the lemonade or the limeade in your basket? i am partial to their limeade with a splash or three of rum, with a mint stalk garnish.

nothing to say about the shoes.

ADG said...

MegTown...We buy both...and mix it with sparkling water. That's our soda over here!

Belle...thanks.

Lisa...the Saab needed a little sumpin' sumpin' extry.

LostOne...thanks man. I gots no Jackboots but I did read Jersey Under the Jackboot and I have some Harness Boots.

Oldominion...Can't believe you are just now giving up the 411 on navy blue loafer ownership.

SuburbanPrincess...NOTHING beats your decorative pumpkins.

Old...I don't lament much. But I do regret the loss of my scotch grain/pebble Weejuns somewhere in the KA house a zillion years ago.

LPC...sorry Prunella, and during your birthday week...extry sorry then, about the hirsute hocks. Whaddja get for your birthday?

tintin said...

I scored a pr of the blue venetians from Ron. They're tasty or whatever term you use. I'm seeing Ron today. I'll ask him if he'll give you a discount since you have such small feet.

ADG said...

But Tang-Tang....why haven't we seen the McNairy Bass line in any stores?

tintin said...

I've been told that if Bass was in the funeral business people would stop dying. THat might have something to do with it.

The Sporting Trad said...

You would not BELIEVE what I found...I had to Google it to see if they existed, and sure enough, your blog popped up. Yep, an original pair of new old stock navy blue Weejuns. The smell is akin to that of an old leather-bound book. You're right- I'd never give them up, now that I have a pair. They are simply not able to be recreated!