Be Different with Monk Strap Shoes

photo: eatme.fr

Women always look at shoes. I don’t know why but I do know they form a very strong impression of men based on this one thing.

How about we surprise them with our shoes? All men wear lace ups or loafers, brown or black. But there is this one shoe, that has them all:

• it’s more formal than a sneaker
• can come in any color or shade, just like any other shoe
• has an “element of surprise”
• it’s casual but can be worn in business-casual situations
• can be suede or regular leather

You probably didn’t hear of this type of shoe before: the monk strap shoe!

photo: mirunog.ru

Looks great, doesn’t it? 🙂

As the name suggests, monk strap shoes were first worn by monks. Roman monks first wore monk strap shoes as early as the 11th century. Because the shoes were durable, all people started wearing them.

The “element of surprise”? Monk strap shoes have a very interesting strap and buckle on the side. This is what the monks used 1000 years ago instead of laces and this is what today’s monk shoes still have. You can think of it as a decorative element because this is what sets this shoe apart from other shoes.

Can you wear them with a suit?

Some wear them, some don’t but everyone agrees monk shoes work best in informal situations. Bottom line: wear your monk-strap shoes with jeans, khakis or chinos.

Single or double buckle?

Monk strap shoes come with a single or a double buckle. Which one you pick, is up to you. Just take not that if you go for double, taking your shoes off or putting them on may take some time – especially if you’re used to loafers.

Regular leather or suede?

This is up to you, if you’re a fan of suede, go ahead. Just remember that while suede is more extravagant, it requires more care.

Caring for your monk shoes

Like any shoe, monk shoes need special care if you want to increase their life span to the max. Polish them every time you wear them and try not wear them for more than 4 or 5 hours.

If you do wear them for a whole day, make sure the following day you wear some other pair of shoes.

If you have suede leather shoes, pay the extra care such shoes need (I’m talking cleaning and avoiding rain and humidity).

Price

Some monk shoes can easily cost you over $500 if you’re not careful, so make sure you find a good deal first. Don’t go for the first brand out there, look at the shoe quality and hunt for discounts.

For instance, these Samuel Windsor shoes will cost you a little over $150:

photo: samuel-windsor.co.uk