What kind of sole man will you be this summer?

What you choose for your soles of your shoes or boots probably depends on the occasion and the time of year. Herring sells shoes that have the same upper style, but a choice of sole to suit you. Our range is also so vast that our multiple styles of the same kind of shoe bear a choice of soles; our loafers are a good example of this. Before you make your choice, you may want to read up on your sole options.

Leather soles
Let’s look at leather first as it was the original sole. Leather soles ooze quality and tend to be the choice for more formal occasions.

Take the Herring Churchill II Oxfords as an example. The sole is made from a high-quality hide and have a strong tannage for extra durability. You can see the stitching on the underside of the sole and this looks super smart. The soles are individually trimmed on the last before being hand stained and wax polished. The heel has a rubber tip to prevent slipping, but they still make a satisfying clippy-cloppy noise as you walk down the street.

The downside of leather is their lack of resistance in inclement weather. Snow, slush and puddles are not a leather sole’s friend, but come the summer (it is coming), leather is light-weight and good to go. Perfect time to add some flourish to your feet with some spectators. Our Henley two-tone brogues are due in any day!

Rubber soles
For more resilience and a bit of bounce, especially if you are on your feet all day or have a long walk from the station to the office, rubber is the way to go. You do not have to sacrifice your smart appearance by choosing rubber. As mentioned earlier, we make and sell Oxfords with both leather and rubber soles, so you can choose the one that suits you. Our Knightsbridge Oxfords come in both soles with the rubber being a more inconspicuous flexible and lightweight variety.

Leather shoes also give you a bit of swivel on the dancefloor, so worth remembering for long-awaited weddings and other celebrations this summer. For something a little different, i.e. not a black Oxford, give the Longdon two-tone semi-brogues a whirl or the wholecut Christie II Oxfords to really make a statement.

Rubber soles also smack of life in the country where a tougher ride is needed. For this purpose, there are different types of rubber soles to choose from. A Dainite sole is low profile has shallow dimples or recessed rubber studs for grip. While Commando soles are chunky and identifiable by their deep cleats. These soles are rugged and ready for action.

Soles for summer
Let’s come back to the original question that gave me the title for this blog. As we look towards June, we should be looking at our options for summer shoes. Did someone say loafers? Our loafers offer you both sole options too.

As mentioned before, the warmer months are perfect for leather underfoot. The Barcelona II is our leather-soled best-seller, closely followed by the Ibstock, Ingleby, Dillon, Riverford and Lecce. You have plenty of choice of colours, styles and tassels or no tassels!

For a more rugged and resilient option, the Exeter is a great option and the Edmonton too. For a chunky look and feel, go for the Kramer Mod loafers.

With our sole guide above, hopefully you will be well informed when you make your choice.