I’d just recently been offered a new job, and have been looking for a nice pair of shoes to boost my shoe game. I’m a fan of something more sleek – I’m a big fan of Allen Edmonds, I have the Plain-Toe Carlyles in black, and those are as slim and sleek as I can get! I wanted to switch up my wardrobe and wanted to add a bit of brown into the mix – then I came across the Wolf & Shepherd Bannister Derby shoes – a combination of both sleek and comfortable, “Like walking on clouds” as they advertise.
But are Wolf & Shepherd Bannister Derbys really like walking on clouds?
Although they did feel comfortable when I tried them on in the mall, the very first day I wore them – to my new job’s orientation, I almost slipped! I got out of the parking lot, onto the side walk, towards the portion of the sidewalk where the concrete starts to gradually descend onto the crosswalk. My heart skipped a beat. But oh well, I know that shoes require some breaking in, so all is forgiven.
I spent a good portion of the orientation of my job taking a tour of the facility and even just straight up walking on pavement. The email I got regarding orientation dress code promoted business casual, along with comfortable shoes. I didn’t want to be the odd guy out wearing something a bit more “casual” and understand that it’s more worth to dress a level higher than everyone and leave a good lasting first impression. Was it worth? Debatable.
They might’ve taken too much of a beating that a small piece of the sole wore off on the first day. I felt disappointed.
I bought them for retail at full price, no discounts, for a total of ~$350 USD. Unfortunately, at this time, market volatility with the recent COVID-19 disease is starting to prompt sales nationwide, even a 25% off on these shoes.
What I was looking for in an everyday dress shoe:
My overall goal with these shoes, was for an everyday dress shoe that I could dress up or down, that can take a beating, paired with a slim & sleek look. I’m personally not too big of a fan of the “cap toe” shoe look, as it adds a sense of “bulkiness”.
Did it do the trick?
Yes. Although, I’m not 100% satisfied with these shoes, these shoes are comfortable, durable, and stylish all at the same time. Like any other shoe, they will require a break in period and let’s be real, unlike what their marketing suggests, these shoes aren’t indestructible. I was caught by surprise one day as I spend the majority of my job indoors, but was surprised as one time mid-day I had to take a step out of the building I was in to where my car was parked, there was a huge downpour. “Fuck,” I immediately thought. It’s just water. But when I spend upwards of 300 dollars on a pair of shoes, I’m gonna want them to be nice. I had no choice to wait it out. It was projected to rain all day and I was with my senior colleague. We had to get back. I sucked it up and walked in the rain, without an umbrella, in my new shoes. They got soaked. This was around 11 in the morning. By the time I did get back in the office and let my shoes dry, they started looking back to normal! I was surprised. I thought the shoes were done for, but they’re still lookin good. It was then that I realized I made the right choice. Honestly, these shoes are nice, but regarding a nice occasion, if I were to compare Allen Edmonds vs. Wolf & Shepherd, I’d go with Allen Edmonds. BUT! If I were to get a shoe to last, I’d go with Wolf & Shepherd – particularly the Derbys.
P.S – Want a good tip? Don’t get any of the Wolf & Shepherd Belts! If you’re a representative of Wolf & Shepherd, please suggest a sleeker design for the buckle, the belt I tried on was too boxy!
A good belt to get with the Maple colored Bannister Derbys are the Cole Haan 32mm Full Dome Stitched Leather Belt in chocolate. The best color combination when you’re looking to match two “neutral browns”.