Sperry Top-Sider 75th Anniversary deck shoe: Back to square one

Sperry invented the deck shoe. The first ones looked just like this apparently. Made in America, soft grey suede, begging to make a couple of feet comfortable and slip resistant.

Not much has changed in 75 years, it must be said. Apart from the fact that most of them are made in Asia these days.

A few thousand colour combinations and tweaked details later and they're back where they began, with this re-release of the originals.

Judging by how good they look, they needn't have bothered with all the rest.

Via Fat Kids

Band of Outsiders for Sperry penny loafers: I say!

I have been rather impressed with the bargain Sperry Topsiders I bought a few weeks ago. Soft as you like and perfect for a sockless summer.

That's probably why I've given these penny loafers a second glance. This is Band of Outsiders' version, in a canvas not unlike the type used in Visvim's Moc Abarth Folk.

Possibly a bit pimp daddy for some tastes in that natural cream colourway, and guaranteed to draw dirt to them like a magnet but a nice release all the same from the inventor of the deck shoe. Even now I'm picturing a bar on a dock in the south of France, martini in hand, fake tan on my shins, a lady on one arm, these on my feet.

This is the latest in a series of colabs with Band of Outsiders, and the previous ones are also worth tracking down.

But it's the striped sole that makes these stand out. Nice touch.

Available at Caliroots


Via Selectism

Sperry Top Siders: TK Maxx returns to form

I'd almost given up on TK Maxx. It used to be a treasure trove of designer clobber - CP Company, Maharishi, I even found an ALife sweatshirt in there once.

But that is in the dim and distant past.  Recent visits have turned up nothing better than a few socks and some pants.

Until yesterday that is. Because browsing through the shoe aisle I caught sight of a pair of Sperry Top Siders. Then another pair. Upon closer inspection, they were everywhere. I was spoilt for choice. It was all I could do to stop myself leaving with more than two pairs.

In case you don't know about Sperrys, they are one of, if not the, original deck shoes. Invented in 1935 by a bloke called Paul Sperry, they were the first to feature a non-slip sole thanks to an innovative pattern on the tread which was inspired by the cracks on his dog's paws.

Thanks to the non-marking white sole, they were adopted by the US Navy and have gone down in history as an all-time classic.

They aren't exactly difficult to track down, although more so in the UK, but that doesn't stop them from being an absolute bargain when you can find them at £30 a pop.

Anyway after sleeping on it, the blue ones have now gone back. I decided there was no point in having two pairs, especially seeing as I have enough shoes to open a store of my own.

The advert at the top is courtesy of Sartorially Inclined, who got it from another blogger, who's link doesn't appear to be working.