Visiting shoemakers in Budapest - Rozsnyai Shoes - part one

My dear blog readers profound apologies for being quite for some time, I just happened to be in Hungary (Budapest) and had to pay the famous Hungarian shoemakers a visit. I was fortunate enough to go into Mr. Vass Laszlo's establishment, he has two stores on the same street not far from each other and right in the heart of the city of Budapest. 

Not far from Mr. Vass there are other two Hungarian shoemakers, Buday Shoes and Rozsnyai. Unfortunately never had a chance to go into Rozsnyai, but did take some pictures through the display window.

I have to apologise for the almost crappy photos taken with an Iphone, but you all get the idea as what is offered by the Hungarian shoemakers in this case the Rozsnyai establishment. Need not say that the first week of my stay was very hot, almost unbearable, but the flooding had retracted. So that was good. 

For the day I will post a few shoes offered by Mr. Rozsnyai.

I almost passed the shop, when I saw the below pastel coloured whole cut Adelaide with punched holes and no brogues in green and blue on a chisel square toe last, similar to the Crockett and Jones 348 Last. 

A double strapped monk with a wing tip cap toe. Very elegantly done

 A green and black Oxford (the green hide looks like lizard, but could be mistaken) also on a chisel square toe last

 A Derby in brown Ostrich hide

 My favourite from Rozsnyai was the below strapped loafer in exotic hide. 

All photos sourced from me  "The Shoe Aristo Cat"

The Bowler hat - dress like a London City Gent

The bowler hat is one of those accessories in a man's wardrobe I do associate with London, for it was In London the hat was invented. It is being said that James Lock & Co, were commissioned to come up with a more day to day work hat, which would be an alternative to the top hat used back then. But a long story short, James Lock & Co subcontracted the task to a pair of hat makers named Thomas & William Bowler to make the hat, thereof the name "bowler" hat.

Sadly these days these hats "bowlers" are rare and if worn, the gents will be from the Conservative side of the political spectra and of a matured age. In my humble opinion, the bowler must be a staple hat gear for any gent that cares about his looks.

The below pictures do really depict that a bowler makes a gent look good and distinguished, classical, stylish and immaculately dressed and a piece of clothing that is linked to the City of London and adds that dash of English gentry.

An illustration of an English gent in a peaked lapel single breasted suit, stripped shirting, tie, pocket square, furled umbrella under armpit, bowler and holding gloves. Very elegant illustration of a London City gent.

A London City gent in a blue pin stripped suit, well knotted tie, boutonniere, furled umbrella, the bowler as an essential part of the dressing code and paired with black Oxfords.

Cassius Clay aka "Mohammed Ali" as a London City gent, in a stroller set, dark jacket and stripped trousers, double breasted grey waistcoat, white shirting, boutonniere, tie and the unmistakable bowler hat, furled umbrella and black shoes covered with grey spats. Very elegant photo of Mr. Cassius Clay "Mohammed Ali" as a London Conservative City Gent, he could have also went as a London City banker or a "diplomat". Very classic. 

A London City Gent (banker perhaps) in a suiting, tie, umbrella and the bowler hat.

 An elderly London City gent striding in a Chesterfield coat, grey trousers, umbrella and the bowler hat.

A London City Gent inspecting some high technical "thing", dressed in a double breasted suiting, crisp white shirt, a tie and linked to the London city by the bowler hat and the umbrella.

 An elderly gent in a tube, wearing a bowler hat and reading his newspaper.

An elderly London City gent standing and observing something/someone in a Chesterfield over coat, white shirt, instead of the umbrella he has a cane and topped it off with the bowler and top well shined Oxford shoes or Balmoral boots. So London like.

London City gents, in sharp three piece suitings, crisp white shirts, ties, bowler and Homborg hats, furled umbrellas. Look at the spit shined Oxfords. 

No need to introduce the below blue blooded gent, in a grey double breasted suiting, crisp white shirt, regimental tie, furled umbrella and a bowler hat.

HRH Crown Prince William and HRH Prince Harry, the former in a grey two button single breasted suit, crisp white shirt, regimental tie and the bowler. His younger brother in a navy blue double breasted suit, crisp white shirt, furled umbrella and a bowler hat. I am missing the pocket squares on both royalties and a touch of boutonniere.

A very serious look from this London City gent in a double breasted jacket, white shirting a tie and the bowler hat.

Photos sourced from Style Forum, AAAC and other cyber sources

Straw boater hats for the Summer

For the Summer to shade and keep the head cool from the heat of the Summer, gents should opt for a straw boater hat, which is an overlooked accessory. The straw boater was once a staple arsenal in a gent's wardrobe, but the general decline of men using head gear also affected the straw boater hat. 

In England for example the Henley Royal Regatta dress code for gents amongst others is: blazer, cream trousers, straw boater hats, strict rules that can not be bend.

Below is an illustration of a gent having a power nap at a club house, wearing a white linen jacket, small checked "flannel" trousers, bow tie matching the pattern in the trousers and a straw boater hat.

Another illustration of a gent (right) in a navy blue suiting, stripped shirt with white contrasting collar, blue tie with pattern, a boutonniere, paired with brown suede Oxford laced shoe.

Mr. Will Boehlke from "A suitable Wardrobe", navy suiting, pocket square, straw boater hat. A nice pair of brown suede Oxfords. Well done.

A Canadian gent in a three piece suiting, pocket square and a straw boater hat. 

 American gent Dr. Churchwell in a pink double breasted seersucker suiting, boutonniere, white pocket square and a straw boater hat.

 English gent, a boating blazer cream trousers, bow tie, s straw boater hat at Henley Royal Regatta festivities.

English gent in a navy blue blazer, cream trousers and a boater hat attending the Henley Regatta boat festivities. 

 Mr. Fred Astaire in a double breasted jacket, boutonniere, pocket square and a straw boater hat

 A multitude of boater hats assembled at one place

 Elderly gent in a short sleeve shirt, feeling hot and shading the head with a straw boater hat.

Photos sourced from A Suitable Wardrobe, Gent's Gazette, Telegraph UK and other cyber sources.

Happy Birthday Dandy Shoe Care - Alexander Nurulaeff

This blog today is dedicated to The Grand Wizard of patina, designer, artist, creator. I just read on my blog that he (Alexander Nurulaeff) had a birthday and I felt it will be an honour and my duty to say Happy birthday to you Grand Wizard Dandy Shoe Care (Mr. Alexander Nurulaeff), The Grand Wizard of Patina. 
With the below depicted pictures, I wish you a Happy Birthday and let the works say and shout many Hipp - Hipp - Hurrays to you on your special day.

The Grand Wizard of patina conversing with a client.

The Grand Wizard (Dandy Shoe Care) of patina handling and caring for a client's shoes

Works of art from The Grand Wizard of patina

 Below are shoes which The Grand Wizard of patina offered a new second life! An offer that could not be refused or rejected.

Photos courtesy of Dandy Shoe Care and Permanent Style

Italian men in Summer hats - 2013

I am a huge fan of hats, I mean not baseball caps, but gentlemanly hats that makes a male person look dignified and classic. Pity that most men have settled with the usual baseball cap which is and was meant for baseball sporting events. 

I encountered the below photo of a trio in well cut Summer suits, two dark suits and a cream suit. Two of the gents paired their outfits with bow ties, that added a splash to the outfit, whilst the third gent opted for a tie. The topping of the cake is: all three are wearing Summer hats, so classically, stylistic and elegantly done.

The three Musketeers elegantly dressed in dapper Summer hats. Elegant.

After studying the photo above, I realised that the Trio was photographed back in the Winter time wearing nice cut Winter overcoats, again back then, the catch then was their elegant formal hats for the Winter. See photos here. Hopefully hats are making their slow but sure come back. A big hand to the well dressed trio making the hat a staple ingredient to their clothing arsenal and so should the rest of us.


Photo sourced from Mike Kagee

Co-respondent shoes (Spectators) by Master Cliff Roberts of Northampton

It has been a while that I mentioned something from Master Cliff Roberts from Northampton (England), the one man bespoke operation. It so happened I was on my Face Book account and I realised that I am outdated with what is happening or taking place.
Long story short, I found these two lovely co-respondent (spectators) by Master Cliff Roberts. Both shoes are Adelaide Oxfords, the burgundy and white in a squared chisel toe last and the black and white in a round toe last.

According to the story, the co-respondent shoe was a John Lobb design from 1868, made for the cricketing sport, but first became popular in the 1920's and 1930's (think The Great Gatsby, Gangster's of the time Al Capone and Jazz musicians). What an era.

It is also claimed that the popularity of the co-respondent was due to the HRH Duke Of Windsor (HRH The Prince of Wales) when he wore a tan and white co-respondent pair of shoes during a visit to the USA in 1925 and further popularised them as golf shoes in 1937.

The co-respondent comes in a many varieties such as full brogue Oxfords, Adelaide Oxford's, Derby's, Norwegian split toes and can also be constructed as loafers or slippers. The DNA of the co-respondent is that it comes in two colour combination for example, black and white, brown and white, tan and white etc. Originally  the co-respondent was constructed of willow calf and white buck or reverse calf suede. The white part was sometimes made from mesh material, to offer better ventilation in hot weather. So what does it tell, the co-respondent must be part of the Summer shoe arsenal for any gent who cares, just a bit.

HRH The Duke of Windsor kicking rugby in a double breasted suit paired with co-respondent shoes. Cool aristocrat gent. 

Much talk and .....let us see the rendition of the co-respondant by Master Cliff Roberts. 

The co-respondent, an Adelaide Oxford shoe in dark brown (burgundy) and white, punched cap toe with a medallion, a soft chisel squared toe last. A real good looking shoe from Master Cliff Roberts. I like the colour combination. Well done, as always Master Cliff.

A black and white co-respondant (Adelaide Oxford), punched cap toe on rounded last, just beautiful.

Photos sourced from Master Roberts FB profile

Dandy Shoe Care - Trickers shoes but not any Tricker's

I have sampled the patina art work by patina artist, designer The Grand Wizard of Patina from Italy aka Dandy Shoe Care, Mr. Alexander Nurulaeff made on three ordinary shoes by  Tricker's of England. 
The Tricker's company has been around since 1829 and produces rather heavier shoes more suitable for the country side and paired with cords and tweed suits they do look great. The Tricker's shoes are affordable for all pockets, so I think. 

The trick of the blog's theme is not whether Tricker's shoes, which are at lower range than Crockett & Jones (hand grade) for example, are as sleek as the hand grade line or any of the English shoemakers in that higher range, but a helping hand from patina Grand Wizard Mr. Alexander Nurulaeff's care and heavenly touch, they will look like bespoke samples from any of the World's best bespoke shoemakers - eh...hmmm.... maybe a bit of pepper and salt there to exaggerate a bit.  Well, after the dash and splash of patina handling and caring, they look like any high end product from any good shoemaker (Crockett and Jones, Edward Green etc) and even have a bespoke touch. Sounds much better.... yes. 
So?  A thought, get a low end good shoe and have it given a second look and life by a The Patina Grand Wizard. Now you are with me. Thanks.

Three pairs of Tricker's to be taken care off and given a new life by The Grand Wizard of Patina, a Penny loafer, a brogue punched cap toe Oxford with a medallion and braided tassel loafer. 

 The caring and caressing of the patina colouring in progress as seen on the tassel loafer in the middle. Transformation to a new life on it's way for these shoes.

The life before Dandy Shoe Care and after The Grand Wizard of Patina breathed new life into these Tricker's. Now these pairs of shoes maybe Trickers, but not any man's Tricker's.

Photos sourced from Dandy Shoe Care