Had my eye on these off white bucks for the last week, and having had a pair of Walk-Over dirty bucks in the dim and distant past from John Simons (circa 84), and of course now that there is no longer the option of buying Walk-Over shoes new, I determined they should be mine.
Although it’s easy enough to find fairly good white bucks again these days (Lands End US have an authentic looking model) they are all without exception made in Brazil and China and not goodyear welted but stuck on soles with fake welt stitching.
Having said that I do remember that the coral coloured sole material that Walk-Over used was not as good as their uppers and I can see on this pair that the heel has worn down somewhat, so I may have to seek out a repairer in the near future – not as hard these days as back in the 80s when no one in the UK had shoes with these soles.
I can feel it being a seersucker and pincord summer with a touch of Madras…
Walk-Over shoes were made for their first decades by the Geo Keith Company in Brockton Massachussetts and despite the very mid-Century modern sounding name were already a venerable old company by the time they introduced their classic bucks.
This Japanese store has a couple of pairs of Walk-Over deadstock. God, they look great in their original boxes. Still, I’m really pleased to have found this pair on Ebay in my size and such great condition.
Before anyone points it out, these shoes are beige aren’t they? Compared to the ones on the Japanese website. Of course Ebay photos are notoriously terrible for colour judgements, but they seem to be a very respectable shade of pale beige. Still happy, probably easier to wear in England too.
Very nice indeed.
‘I wear Ivy League jackets,
and White Buckskin shoes’.
KTF
It’s very tricky to try and determine a colour from a digital picture. Beige would be nicer than loud white in my opinion. Unlike most recent bucks these have very pleasing lines, and I love the 5 eyelet style. Another great find.
Yes, beige is nicer and harder to find now too. Bucks seem to only exist in white, dirty buck and those horrible waxy leathers with dark soles. 5 Eyelet short front is a classic look as well, you’re right.
The devil is in the detail (when he’s not wearing Bass Weejun Dover that is!)
Hope you pick up your target item tomorrow, 1966 – that will be awesome if you pull it off.
Am jealous already.
really, those are some white bucks. I remember seeing some older guys (actually old money) wearing them on country club gigs c 1982 a great look -nice color and photo..
Thanks Maxy.
BTW, I was thinking about you today when I was driving and heard the end of a programme about Benny Goodman on BBC Radio 4. Try checking out the BBC iplayer – radio you can access outside the UK. The presenter was long time MP Kenneth Clarke, a known Goodman nut.