Monk Strap Shoes - Light Brown Tan - Made in Italy | Thomas Bird

Bourne is a double buckle monk shoe in hand finished light brown, tan patina.They can add a splash of colour to a neutral outfit and look great with a blue or grey suit. We also have them in other colours such as oxblood, conker brown, blue and black. They are hand crafted in Italy, using the finest, full grain calf leather. These are cap toe monks, and have an elegant rounded toe. The 2 brass buckles provide adjustability, say if you have a slightly higher instep, and undoing the top buckle helps when you put them on. A small detail – but even in hidden areas, like under the strap, the leather is nicely finished. The straps and buckles make it a visually interesting and good looking shoe, ideal for work and special occasions. The top line is neat, with no raw edges, as we taper or ‘skyve’ the edge, then fold the leather and stitch it.

Looking inside, we see the Thomas Bird branding, embossed into a piece of calf leather, foam backed for added comfort. The shoe has a full calf leather lining. This helps absorb moisture and prolong the life of the shoe. And we use a genuine full leather insole. Inside the heel, the reverse counter, we use suede to stop your heel slipping. What you can’t see are the stiffeners between the calf upper and lining. There is one in the toe and another at the back. These are important to keep the shoe looking good as it ages, and we use longer, high quality stiffeners to achieve this.

The sole is stitched onto the upper with a traditional Italian method called blake stitching. This is an in-channel, lock stitching technique, so even if one stitch was worn the others will still be locked securely in place. And being stitched the sole can be replaced when it eventually wears. But to extend the sole’s life, we use a rubber insert for added wear and better grip. There is a 25mm genuine leather stacked, heel, with 4 brass pins, and a rubber piece, again for better wear and grip, that can be easily replaced. There is a ‘gentleman’s corner’, a small bevel that reduces snagging of the heel on your trousers. Bourne tan monk strap is a beautifully Italian made high quality shoe, that with care should give you many years of enjoyment.

More info: https://tblon.com/collections/monk-st...