When people ask “how long should shoes last?” the reality is: it depends on more factors than you can imagine. A shoe’s lifespan is determined by construction,
Where Has The Shoe Industry Gone?
Where Has The Shoe Industry Gone? This is a blog post that I wrote in 2018. It is amazing to see the foresight (not trying to pat my own back here) that I had
What Makes a Good Shoe? Fit and Quality Explained
Figuring out what makes a good shoe isn’t always straightforward. It’s a highly personal question with subjective answers. But from years of experience in the
Why Brand History Shouldn’t Dictate Shoe Pricing
Brand History and Shoe Pricing: What You Should Know In recent years, I've been highlighting newer shoemakers from China — such as Yim Shoemaker, Yearn
Trying Dress Shoes with Athletic Socks
I have sold a lot of shoes to a lot of guys throughout my career, not only to men purchasing shoes from my own brand but also selling all types of shoes at
Brown Shoes with a Navy Suit: Style Guide
Back when I worked on Savile Row, wearing a suit and tie every day was second nature. And even though I was in London where the rules is 'No brown in town,' I
Shoe Shining Tips & Tricks
Back when I was a 'professional shoe shiner,' I wrote a long, educational post about how to polish your shoes properly. I later realized that I had never shared
Berluti London Store Visit: Part Two
In the continuation of my Trip to Berluti London series, here are some more photos capturing their leather goods offering and some of the patina styles. Their
A Trip to Berluti – London: Part One
'A Trip To Berluti' is a small series I made back in 2016 when I used to live in London and frequented their West End shop. Like my latest Aubercy Store visit
Aubercy Shoes: The French King of Footwear
This wraps up the recounting of my visits to the Aubercy shop in Paris. Aubercy shoes have inspired me since I first discovered them and find that they are one
Crepe Soles – Yay or Nay?
When I started my own shoe brand, J.FitzPatrick, one blog reader told me, 'Justin when you add black crepe soles to a pair of dress shoes, I will be the first
Ten Shoe Tips Everyone Should Know
When we are new to high-end shoes we often spend a lot of time overthinking many things that in the end don't matter. Or we often don't realize many things that
How to Style Button Boots – Casually
In the modern-day, 'how to' style button boots is not as strict as it once might have been. It is no longer a rule that button boots have to be worn with a
Interview: Wilbur Tu of Graziat Taipei
In this Graziat Taipei Interview, we will talk with Wilbur Tu, the owner and founder of his great brand of striking footwear. His brand is relatively unknown in
Shoe Industry Secrets: Production Times
There are a lot of shoe industry secrets used to romanticize shoemaking. All of those videos you watch about the 300 steps to make a pair of shoes and shoes
Lies in the Shoe Industry – Handmade, Middlemen, Top leather etc.
It's amazing the amount of shoe industry lies you read these days about 'handmade this', 'no middlemen that', 'the best leather in the world', etc. I feel that
‘Handmade’ is no longer making shoes by hand
The word 'handmade' really means little these days. It is used so commonly by people/brands that its true value no longer exists. And that doesn't even take
A Dress Shoe Guide for Noobs
In this dress shoe guide for noobs, we lay out a few of the misconceptions that many new customers associate with their welted shoes when they first start
The Best Shoemaker in the World
Doesn't Exist... So, now you are thinking, 'Wait, what? Doesn't exist? What does that mean?' Well, it means that this slogan can only apply to you and your
CNES x Hugo Jacoment = Paris Trunk Show & Exclusive Models
The CNES brand has teamed up with one of the menswear industry's leading authorities, Hugo Jacomet aka Parisian Gentleman aka Sartorial Talks, to showcase a new
How To Prevent Over-Conditioning Your Shoes
Over-conditioning your shoes can cause harmful effects. This post will seem trivial to many but the reality is that it is not trivial to most if you do some
Corthay’s New Loafer – ‘Charlie’
Most people attribute the 'slipper' look to either a house shoe or a formal style pump. But for me, this is an outdated mentality. I think that it very much
J.FitzPatrick Sample Sale
Come down to our sample sale, in our NYC store from Thursday, July 14th through Saturday, July 16th, 11AM-7PM, to take a crack at 200+ sample pairs at
How Covid Affected The Shoe Industry Part 1
Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece based on my own experience and those close to me in the shoe industry that share a similar experience or have shared
