THE BELGIAN DIARIES: RUBINACCI

Belgian Shoes are reassuring—they imply an almost aggressive sense of ease with the world. But they still retain their capacity for surprise: A man in Belgians often looks like he’s getting away with something and that he’s disproportionately relaxed. One of the great selections of Belgian-style shoes is available at the Rubinacci stores in Milan and Naples. There you’ll find the most colors (including a compelling emerald green), the most materials (velvet, leather and more exotic options) and the best price (starting at 390€). From the comfort of your own computer you can dial into Mr. Porter ($450 and up).

These are really more like a lightweight loafer. They have a hard leather sole and more structure than the traditional slipper-like Belgian. Its fit is slightly narrow. They feel dressier to me than Belgians, and would be more naturally paired with a slim trouser and a coat and tie.

I got these in Milan a few years ago. Did I need them? You know I didn’t! But I thought I did because the leather looked like the interior of a German sports car from the ‘70s. They felt so out of time that I was overcome by a strong sense of shoe attraction. Sometimes I just want to wear clothes that belong to an era when cars still had keys, proper dials and manual transmissions. This is definitely an analog shoe and sometimes that’s the best way forward.

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THE BELGIAN DIARIES is a periodic look at the famous shoe and its relations.