A Great Option to Look Nice
For what they are, these shoes are great. These are faux-suede shoes with a burnished toe cap--which doesn't really make sense, since suede cannot be burnished (as far as I know). But they work here. They are plain-toe derbies with some broguing along the seams, so, although they are dress shoes, this style is on the casual side. Like the faux suede, much of everything else on them are cosmetic--this includes the yellowish stitches around the midsole (which mimic a Goodyear-welt stitching and, in this case, are reminiscent of Dr. Martens shoes) and the markings on the heel block that mimic stacked leather (although it's only a slab of rubber). There are even holes on the bottom of the heel to mimic nails, although there are no nails holding the heel in place. These shoes are meant to look good, but they're not going to have actual great construction. (A side note on the stitching and welt, there does seem to be a welt, and the welt joint is discernible. I don't know what this is for, as I can't imagine these shoes being Goodyear-welted for the price and materials. If this is just a detail the shoemakers put into the shoe, that's mind-blowing that they would cosmetically simulate a Goodyear welt to this level.) With that said, you should know that's what you're paying for--a pair of shoes that look good, especially from afar, but they're not an investment. They have a great silhouette with a soft chisel toe, and they're so slim that if you didn't look closely at the lacing system, you would think they're Oxfords. They even have a gentleman's notch on the heel, so the designers really put some thought and effort to make them look as good as possible. The outsole is a crepe sole texture, but rubber, and they're thin enough that they seem to mimic the tactile sense of leather--you can feel the bumps on the ground you're walking on. However, everything feels sturdy. Some fast-fashion shoes are paper-thin. But the materials on these shoes have weight to them and feel durable. They felt comfortable out of the box and required no break-in period of any kind. I could walk miles in them at a time without any problems. I bought these in my sneaker size, and they fit just fine at first. But after a while, they started to loosen up a bit and feel a little big, which was rather unexpected, since they're not made of actual leather. I would go with your dress shoe size (which is typically a half or full size down from your sneaker size) for a good fit. The description says that these shoes are waterproof, but I haven't had a chance to test that out yet. If you need a dress shoe for the office, or even for smart casual wear, and you don't want to invest in something too pricey, these are a great option. They look very nice and are comfortable. These won't be shoes that you'll keep around for years and years of regular wearing, but they are great for what they are. Update 10/13/2025: These shoes are, indeed, waterproof. And if they're not waterproof, they're at the very least extremely water-resistant. I just had the pleasure of walking out into a storm, and thanks to clogged gutters and changing traffic lights, I had to get across the street by way of some giant puddles. The nasty water got as far as on top of the front of my shoes, and my socks remained completely dry. I wouldn't say use these shoes as part of a deep-sea diving kit, but they will keep your feet dry in even a big rain. Read more
