Classics Reconsidered

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Bassweejuns

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The word 'preppy' didn't really enter my vocabulary until I started reading lame American 'Young Adult' fiction hidden behind school-sanctioned books in the library.  For me, it's a supremely American style genre that has its own brand and garment iconography to best rep it.  G.H. Bass Weejuns loafers, established in 1936, are most definitely part of that.  This shoe company founded in 1879 have collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger for a set of 'Originals with a Twist', taking their classic Weejuns loafer and making them up in wool plaid, pony skins, suede and polished leathers in the 'classic prep' colours of burgandy, bottle green, navy and ochre.  It's a whole lot of emphasis on history, classicism and heritage, which you'd expect from a collaboration like this and you'd think I'd be tiring of all this revived classics jargon, but somehow, the 'American' ness of it all makes it a new experience for me.  It's always a bit odd looking into another country's 'heritage' pieces and G.H. Bass' Weejuns loafers aren't something I have personal memories of or attachment to.  In a way, it feels fraudulent to be so enthusiastic about something I have no prior memories of but the imbued American preppiness about the shoe is what makes it wholly appealing.

Many concept stores/department stores are doing special launches and installations for the collaboration and in London, it was Selfridges where the yellow penny dropped…

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Selfridges have got a special Hilfiger x G.H. Bass Weejuns style made for them with yellow stitching, a yellow sole, a yellow penny to slot in as well as an Olympia Le Tan shoe bag to go with them…

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I was trying the Selfridges yellow ones on for size but I'm going for the navy ones with the red stitching.  On a price note, all the leather ones are ¬£170 and the ponyskin styles are ¬£215.  They're all available at Selfridges London right now as well as colette online but they'll be properly available for all on the Tommy Hilfiger site online from September onwards. 

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I love that Navaz of Disney Rollergirl came geared up in preppiness already with her pair of vintage tasselled weejuns as well as an inside-out red sweatshirt…

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On another G.H. Bass note, their collaboration with Rachel Antonoff is mighty mighty cute and still very much available, if you favour something more whimsical than these sturdy Tommy Hilfiger ones…

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Another bit of American classicism coming right up.  You'll laugh if I say that up until a few years ago, the brand Coach barely entered my brain.  There were no stores in Europe generally, I'd only ever seen them in American magazines and frankly, what I saw never really enticed me to go Coach-hunting.  Coach's presence in the UK has of course changed with a store now in Westfield and now Net-a-Porter is gearing up to launch five iconic Coach styles introduced in the 70s by Bonnie Cashin on June 15th.  It's interesting that NAP have chosen to revive styles with the help of Coach creative director Reed Krakoff rather than bring in current Coach styles, but I gather from the viewpoint of fans of older styles of Coach bags, this is a welcome collaboration indeed.  Again, I'm not discerning seeing as I've personally never hunted for vintage Coach but according to Refinery 29, the older 'heftier' styles in 'sleek leathers' are much coveted – a far cry from the logo-ed attrocities that I've come to narrowmindedly associate Coach with.  I suppose it's a little like my obsession with Mulberry Scotchgrain bags that I continue to hunt out on eBay.  The Coach Classics range is compact and includes the small shoulder purse, a field bag, a Madison satchel, a Stewardess bag and a duffle, again in 'classic prep' colours and ranging from ¬£275 to ¬£498 in price.

Coach Vintage Legacy Collection

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I can attest that the leather has a lovely suppleness to it and has been well-treated (multiple downpours of rain hasn't battered it one bit…).  This small shoulder bag style is a compact but sturdy beginning but I'll definitely be checking out the bucket bag in navy come 15th June for a roomier option. 

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Worn with Mandarin & General pale green dress, Earl Grey lime green bomber jacket, Alexander Wang wedges, Ellery & Graz sunglasses

25 comments

  2. I was forced to wear loafers all four years of high school (the choice was between loafers or saddle shoes), and I’ve noticed that the womens’ style that’s emerging these days has a larger throat than the ones I used to wear. They look more masculine. I can’t decide if I like or hate that.

  5. I love the heeled ones. I missed out on a pair of Mulberry heeled loafers thanks to a sneer from a sister (“you look like Ms H___”-our straight-as-a-board primary headmistress who was like she was from the 50s in the 80s) and have regretted it ever since!

  8. I love your bag! Just perfect for walks, and going out, and going to parties 🙂
    And the loafers, OH MY GOD I want them all!

  9. This reminds of back-to-school shopping in 1992. I was going from a rural, government-run junior high school to a private prep school in the city. I was convinced this meant I had to have penny loafers. I bought them – lovely burgundy ones – with a shiny penny. I think I wore them for two weeks before I switched to doc martins. This was, after all, the early nineties in Seattle! Over the course of high school, my style went from preppy to grunge to hip hop to I-studied-abroad-in-South-America-and-am-therefore-cool (which involved a lot of polyester.)

  12. i love this post because it reminds me of my mother’s style influence on me on two levels. i was in middle school and my mom bought me penny loafers, which i thought were so lame but she clearly knew what was up.if only i could get those loafers back and stretch them to a size 7.5. also my mother loved classic coach, during my childhood she had several, and now i steal them from her. thanks ma, glad i dont have to pay $50 for the urban renewal ones.

  13. OMG the loafers, my worst childhood nightmare! They were the ugly shoes in the late 80s/early 90s….I remember I refused to go to school in them in fear of being laughed at :S
    In present, I kinda want to own one.
    Love your qipao dress…so cute. I bought a black qipao top a few months ago….sadly I looked like a village-granny LOL.

  15. Penny loafers are the most comfortable shoes ever. I’m excited they are bringing back the originals with a twist. Coach’s handbags have stunning leather. You can’t go wrong with Penny loafers and Coach handbags.

  16. Loving everyone’s loafer stories – I wish I had one to tell! They weren’t really ever part of my required uniform… now T-bar shoes from Clarks, that’s a different story!
    Kit: Go for something from Mandarin & General – I love the ethos of the label plus the cut is not village-granny like at all!

  19. those pennyloafers look so lush. the leather is perfect and they’re very sturdy looking. i guess i’ve just seen it done too shoddily over the years, but this is totally refreshing and cool. love the yellow bottoms.

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