Replacing my white leather sneakers

Fred Perry vs Converse sneaks 01


No, this is not an ad for detergent. These are my new and gleaming Fred Perry sneakers (model B2024, can't find them on the site) right beside my shy, gap-toothed, and well-beloved leather Chucks (not sure if they're actually Chuck Taylors, but that sounds better than Converses).

Okay, I'm not going to stop myself from saying this: if The Velveteen Rabbit were a fashion story, the tattered doll would be sneakers, specifically, Chucks. Who doesn't love them till their eyes pop out and they give in at the stitches?


Fred Perry vs Converse sneaks 02


Honestly, before breaking these Fred Perrys in, they look haughty to me. Even if the leather is beautifully distressed and the soles are thicker and more durable, the fact of being spotless warrants no warm affection. (Well maybe just a little.) Of course, I will love them as any other, but not before a proper leavetaking...


Fred Perry vs Converse sneaks 03


I have even patched the canvas lining at the inner heel. Sure this pair has its limitations, like smooth leather that only creases awkwardly, and soles that easily give up on me. (They are now stitched to the base, but unfortunately I think that made them more susceptible to getting squishy when it rains.) Of course, I will still be wearing them, after a little soap and mild washing, and only for the most casual of days — and when I can be more confident than usual of the weather.


Fred Perry vs Converse sneaks 04


No face-off here, just a little sentimentality where it is due. After years, and only with these leather sneakers, does filling new shoes feel like moving on, moving further from where an old pair has been able to take me.