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“Probably there is no way to have good and easy boots or shoes, except to have lasts modeled exactly to the shape of the feet. This is well worth doing. Hundreds of times the cost of it are yearly spent in idle gratifications — while this, rightly looked upon, is indispensable to comfort and health. The feet, too, must be kept well clothed with thin socks in summer, and woolen in winter — and washed daily.”

– Walt Whitman in his Manly Health and Training columns according to NPR

“Harvard lecturer Stephen Shoemaker, whose courses include ‘Harvard’s History and Evolving Religious Identity,’ has been a J. Press customer since the 1990s. His students often ask him why he always has to dress up for class. To which Shoemaker, in his three-piece suit, is often tempted to respond: ‘Well, why do you always have to dress so down for class?'”

— as shared in Style with Staying Power

Last year, with the help of Buday, I set about to try yet another Hungarian shoemaker I had read about but not seen in person. The end result is arrived in the form of the Paris model: a gimped austerity brogue made on the London-last from mid-brown calfskin, with single oak-bark leather soles, double-spaced lacing, piping around the ankle, steel toe plates and clean seamless heelcups. To make them more personal, the shoes were also made to measure and feature bright blue lining along with an undyed welt top and white welt stitching. These small details delight the owner, but won’t stand out like the ever-more popular “luxury” sneakers that feature uppers stamped with brand logos. When having clothes made, there is no need to shout — a commission is already personal without eye-grabbing gimmicks.

The London-last is Buday’s most traditional round toe form: not extended or short, nor narrow or wide, but with a high instep like most Hungarian lasts I’ve tried. The Italian calfskin is very smooth and even, not particularly soft or stiff, and comes in a chocolatey shade. The leather snaps back tp the last’s shape quickly after bending. The all-leather heel stiffener is strong and covers the whole cup. The toe stiffener is likewise strong, though smaller in size. The upper stitching is double-rowed, dense and neat. While the design is on the conservative side, the edges are peppered with gimping and the lacing holes are struck in pairs. Most shoes have an even space between all holes, but the Paris model leaves more room after each pair of holes. These bits, combined with the lengthened and high-reaching wingtip portion, are enough to set the shoe apart. Again, there is no need for shouting with striking patina work or large-scale details if the design is smart.

As with all Hungarian shoemakers I’ve tried, the Buday pair’s sole and welt together are thicker than those found on dressy Italian models. This makes for a bulkier look but lengthens the use before a re-soling is needed. However, when viewed from top-down, most of the pair’s welt disappears under the contours of the last, more so than with other Hungarians. The welt stitch is even in size. The Rendenbach soles come with a fancy finish and large grooves that hide the sole stitches. Unlike Buday’s regular pairs, their made to measure shoes also come with a jar of glue, a brush, two sets of foam heel pads, thicker leather insoles, shoe bags, spare laces, thin leather sockliners plus thin liners with foam inserts. With this arsenal, the customer can modify the fit to his liking and beat any errors made while he took his own measurements. The shoe box is a thin, grey cardboard setup, and the beechy shoe trees have a smooth finish and a very close fit.

Finally, the fit, the most important bit with MTM shoes. My slim heels rise up from most heelcups, but here they remain sturdily in place. Another point is my wider left small toe that usually rubs against the last’s edge. Here it does not. The insteps are securely hugged under the tongues and lacing, and all toes have wiggling room. In short, the fit is, as subjectively as I can say, good after the leather insoles and foam as well as thin liners were added.

Cordings, that little shop in Piccadilly, London, sent over a most British tweed jacket for Keikari’s anatomical series. The company has been in the countrywear business since 1839, so I assumed they would know what to offer. It was time to find out about their jacket side as the jacket matches the trous from way back when Cordings was last featured. As before, the cloth is very coarse and many-coloured, heavy by today’s standards at 600 grams per metre, intended for robust wear. Individual threads come in shades of yellow, green, brown, grey, blue.

The cut is a British collection of strong and roped shoulders, nipped waist, three buttons, hacking pockets, flared skirt, notch lapels. The lapels are on the slimmer side at 7.5 cm, with a high gorge, and sharp lines from the buttoning point onwards. A sharp V-shape under the neck leaves little room for the shirt, but does keep the wind at bay. The skirt has a long, rounded line from the buttoning point downwards, and comes flared for a bit of equestrian spirit and room for movement. Hacking pockets are another horsey detail, and a ticket pocket gives more room for the little things in our lives. The breast pocket is cut high and its edges are wide.

In a size 38 jacket, the chest measurement is 54.5 cm inches but ithe piece curves strongly outwards. The shaping is sturdy enough not to leave billowy creases on a willowy chest. As the shoulder seam distance is 45.5 cm, I would describe the typical Cordings shoulders narrow. This is a boon for us pencil necks as most British country jackets have fat and wide shoulders, too wide for the slim Jim. As the cuff girth is just 28 cm, these are slim as well. Same goes for the sleeves on the bicep at 58 cm. In sum, Cordings is different from most countrywear makers because their regular cut is slim, but with enough space for comfortable movement.

The wrist buttons are functioning and the buttons made from urea. The undercollar has a contrast felt and under the lapel are placed two loops for the lapel flower stem. The golden satin lining depicts scenes of hunting, fishing and other masculinely leisurely outdoor pursuits. The sleeves are finished with a contrast stripe lining. Seams are tight and straight, no loose threads can be found, the sleeveheads are high enough, patterns are matched well enough. As presumend, this is the British RTW tweed jacket I will compare all others to. Few makers offer a similar combination of the right cloth, cut and finishing.