Duly Noted 005
Golf shoes that don't suck, J. Press event recap, Mr Porter's ageism, and Ebbets Field Flannels' demise.
A weekly edit of style observations, product obsessions, internet wanderings, and the latest happenings from the world of Mensweird.
Goodluck Golf Mfg Co.
Founded by three college buddies, Goodluck Golf Mfg Co. feels less like a golf brand with great design than a heritage shoe manufacturer whose stylish footwear just happens to work out on the course too. I called up Michael Miano, a co-founder of the brand (and a major homie from the J.Crew days), to discuss the origins, menswear’s golf moment, and how they brought golf shoes back from the brink.
How did Goodluck start?
“About three years ago, two of my buddies in college and I reconnected. One of them lives in Sweden and is a professional footwear designer, and he was saying he's got an idea for a golf shoe. The three of us work in the creative apparel, fashion, and footwear worlds, so we decided to take a crack at it. We knew we wanted it to look traditional, look heritage but also have these really contemporary, really modern touches.”
That timing lines up nicely with menswear’s big embrace of golf. How much of that was an influence and how much was you meeting the moment?
“What we've seen in the last five years or so is a really, really refreshing, fun, creative breadth come into golf. Golf and running and tennis have become more of these cultural signals that show up in people's style, right? As creative marketing and product people, we noticed the sport being seen through a new lens and people saying, ‘This is cool.’ We felt we could put our fingerprint on that.”
The two models you just dropped don’t scream “golf shoe.” What made you take that direction?
“I think the pendulum had swung towards sportswear and activewear [in golf], really looking like you were going to the gym. We wanted to kind of counterbalance that with this idea of a tailored looking, classic shoe that read more like origins of golf, when golf shoes were first invented.”
Your first shipment just arrived in homes. What’s the reaction been so far?
“People are really digging it. We built a lot of comfort and cushion and support into the shoe while still being really stable, so they're really comfy right out of the box. We wanted to create something that was special, from the color of the leather, to the colors of our branding, everything's just a little bit different than the tradition. It's really fun.”
J. Press x “The Handbook of Men’s Style” Event
Despite the heatstroke-inducing weather there was a great turnout and I had a blast. Thanks to everyone who came out, chatted me up, and grabbed a book. And special thanks to J. Press for hosting. (FYI, I left behind a bunch of signed copies, so if you’d like one, reach out to J. Press and let them know.)
Mr Porter Ages Out
After an absolutely cooked take on how men should dress in their 40s, Mr Porter is at it again, this time aiming into the 50s and beyond. (Why suddenly so many of these? I’m guessing it’s because as demand softens this demo remains more financially able to shop luxury.) Written by “Black Ivy” author Jason Jules, the advice is a bit contradictory for a guy with great style who looks to be in the demo himself, like avoiding fads and trends but also encouraging the reader to always be “changing up” their style and seeking out new brands (hell, that’s Daniel Craig’s entire MO these days). I think these “how to dress your age” pieces are fundamentally flawed, so it’s not really Jules’s fault, but the the answer should always be, “however you want.”
Ebbets Field Flannels Strikes Out
Did you know this? I did not know this.
The collar size is colossal in that J.Press store🔥