Show Me Your Money

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEAH FRIEL

Stylish Ways to Tuck Away Those Assets

Corporate Chic

Put the Right Foot Forward

For a lot of isle-residing (and working) men, their shoe collection consists of a pair of sneakers, a dress shoe and slippers. Maybe two of each.

Minus the shoe collectors-who may keep a healthy stock of loafers, driving shoes, wingtips, derby lace-ups, mugstraps, boat shoes and so on- most businessmen in Hawai’i can get away with owning a minimal amount of elegant footwear.

According to Thomas Park, owner of Leather Soul Waikiki (recently named in Esquire‘s “Top Men’s Stores in America”), the top three styles of shoes for the office in Hawai’i are the classic penny loafer, the long-wing blucher and a suede chukka boot. These American classics are not only in style now, but will continue to be popular 50 years from now, Park attests.

“The penny loafer is a classic American style and works well with chinos and a Reyn’s aloha shirt,” explains Park. “Loafers always work well in Hawai’i, where people tend to take their shoes off when inside homes. Also, pennys are classic and preppy and work well in Hawai’i's business environment.

“The long-wing blucher is another American classic, and works well with gray slacks and an oxford cloth button down dress shirt. An East Coast classic, long-wing “gunboats” mean business, and are perfect for a banker or attorney.”

As for the suede chukka boot, Park says these versatile shoes work well with the above-mentioned outfits, yet is widely versatile.

“Unlined suede chukka boots have become extremely popular in the past few years,” he adds. “A dressier, shaped chukka dresses up an outfit and also works well into happy hour, dressed down with jeans and a dress shirt.”

Now that you have the perfect shoes, don’t skimp on socks. White athletics are an obvious no-no. And while classic black, gray or brown are always safe, there’s a trend for men to show socks with color.

“Socks are just as important as belts,” says Park. “The standard rule is to match your socks with your slacks. If you are confident in your fashion sense, match with an accessory such as your pocket square, watch strap, tie or better yet, with a shade of color in your shirt. If you want to stand out of the crowd, just wear something totally out of context but keep it solid, no gimmicky patterns or logos.

“Socks are another way to show people that you care about how you dress and how your whole look works. Caring about the details shows you mean business and do not overlook the minor details.”

- By Yu Shing Ting