I am hard pressed to think of better subject matter for my inaugural blog on American Made men's fashion than Allen Edmonds, the reliable and stylish purveyor of men's shoes.   I was recruited, somewhat reluctantly, into blog life by my persistent wife, Michelle Vale, owner of a handbag company and co-founder of the Make It In Manhattan project.  She has a steadfast belief in my writing abilities and is proud to have motivated my fashion sensibilities to a point she now deems acceptable.  While I am not as young as I used to be (can anyone say different?), I am still looking to stay relevant and ahead of the curve in my selection of clothing and music.  A father of two can quickly be tempted to raise a white flag and surrender his quest to define himself as a stylish and knowing member of society.  I should know, I am a father of two!  The loving and willing obligations of child-rearing can produce some unfortunate victims... especially when it comes to footwear.  You can sometimes spot them with their aging square toed "formal" shoes, whose briefed heyday passed in the late 90's.  Or at the backyard BBQ sporting roman looking sandals that expose unkempt, and unfortunate, toes.  I believe that style begins from the ground up.  It all starts with the shoe.  And so, I begin my first blog with my favorite starting point... the shoe!

A favorite of mine since I began receiving decent paychecks, Allen Edmonds is a brand with a long tradition.  It has been encasing gallant men's feet, in uncompromising footwear, since the early 1920's, and is one of a handful of brands with an unwavering commitment to its Made In America heritage.  I have always visited their store on 44th Street  when in need of new shoes.  To be in the store to touch and feel the great selection on display gives me a sense of well being...  and I am always driven to a style that was slightly different then what I'd come in for.  A good thing, as I feel style means breaking out of your comfort zone from time to time.  And unlike many of their trendy counterparts, whose styles fade in and out (remember square toes!), Allen Edmonds has a classic style that never fades.  I have never regretted a single purchase.  All the shoes have lasted both physically and stylistically, a testament to the craftsmanship, quality, and a little help from their owner.  I have a ritual when taking off and putting on my shoes.  Using shoe trees(check and horns, and cleaning them with appropriate brushes and polishes.    But although committed to classical elegance and old world masculine style sensibilities, Allen Edmonds has not ignored progress.  Today, they have one of the better online experiences available.  I made my latest selections by visiting www.AllenEdmonds.com.  The Sanford is a no-brainer in either color.   In black, paired with a charcoal fitted three-piece suit or for a less formal feel, the walnut with a navy blue single breasted suit.  These shoes have a natural, comfortable fit, which do not require the painful breaking in that other inferior shoes typically do.  The American craftsmanship is evident in the brogue perforations and stitching details.  They are great at absorbing the harsh moonscape of cracked cement, manhole covers, and uneven sidewalks that make up the streets of Manhattan.  They keep me comfortable from my first cup of early morning coffee at Love Truck Coffee on Wall Street; my afternoon meetings on Park Avenue and quick lunches at Le Pain Quotidien; and after work drinks on the rooftop of the James Hotel.  The weekends can tempt even the most precise weekday dresser to enlist in the faceless army of cargo shorts and t-shirts... abandoning the battle to stay fashionable for lazy comfort.   The weekends for me have always been about embracing the things I love... 48 Hours to call the shots.  On most weekends, I am with the people I love, doing things I like.   I recently selected a slight revision on the Chukka boot to keep things casual while maintaining a bit of style.  I have always loved the "desert boot", as it is sometimes called.  Allen Edmonds have wisely added a hard leather sole which makes each step as comfortable as the Sanford.  They feel as good as a sneaker and they are as cool as you'd expect when worn with jeans.  These shoes transition easily from a day in an apple orchard with my kids to a concert  later in the evening with Mich, at the Hammerstein Ballroom.  The unconstructed suede molds itself to the foot, and becomes even more comfortable with every step. Wearing shoes from this great American made brand provides me with both comfort, as described above and great pride, knowing that I am wearing a product that is made here, in the USA.  In this age of economic complexity, where abstract instruments like Credit Default Swaps bring down once mighty economies, it is refreshing to start thinking back to how basic things like shoes represent the true fundamentals of a healthy domestic economy.  If something is made in America, it means that American jobs were created.  It means that my style is also supporting a place I love.  It means that I am wearing a product that represents the ideals and qualities I also share.   If style begins from the ground up... I take comfort in knowing my shoe purchases provide a positive effect in the place I live.  There has been lots of economic and political literature explaining why the outsourcing of American jobs and production has benefited the global economy.   While I do not oppose free trade, I do think our rising domestic unemployment rates can be partially blamed on the outsourcing of private sector jobs to country's whose labor rates and regulations are low.  This may be good for some... but I've yet to hear a convincing argument of how outsourcing manufacturing jobs can help an economy grow.  Perhaps if there were more American made fashion brands like Allen Edmonds, I wouldn't have to worry about having the wool pulled over my eyes as I progress further up from my shoes.

See below pictures of both the Sanford and Amok Chukka boots.  Both can be purchased at www.allenedmonds.com  Worth pointing out, check out the video library on their site to learn about the importance of shoe trees, shoe fittings and more.

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