Co-Respondent Shoes and Sartorial Determinism

I don't know if it's the unseasonal appearance of a bit of sunshine in soggy old Britain, but we have recently been inundated with requests by chaps looking for a decent (and appropriately flamboyant) co-respondent shoe in white calf or buckskin. This summery shoe by Lodger has become something of an inspiration, and reveals the reputed cricketing origins of this type of shoe.

Well lets' see what our friends are putting out there, shall we? We will stick with the brogue variety here.

George Cleverley Wolfe (Made in the UK)

A bespoke option in tan and buckskin from George Cleverley above.

Foster & Son Co-Respondent (Made in the UK)

Another bespoke option in a darker brown from Foster & Son, with a dash more contrast in the panels.

Rudolf Scheer Spectator (Made in Austria)

A bespoke halbschue in cognac and white calfskin from the sublime Rudof Scheer.

Barbanera Gatsby (Made in Italy)

A more contemporary-looking off-the-peg calfskin co-respondent from these Italian newcomers. Barbanera was founded in 2011 and specialise in making bench-made contrasting shoes in Tuscany, Italy.

Caution: When you wear a pair of co-respondents they have a tendency to bring out the inner cad or rakehell. Don't blame me if you become a latter-day Earl of Rochester, and you are caught red-handed (shoes on) engaged in some nefarious activity. Feel free to blame the shoes though — let's call it 'sartorial determinism'.