July Shoes Picks
I haven’t been buying much clothes/shoes lately but there are two on my list. They are all beautiful in their own ways.
As usual, click on the pictures to purchase them!
Mizuno Wave Prophecy Moc(≈ $350)
Mizuno has long been an underrated Japanese shoe brand, but this shoe catapults it into the spotlight by embracing the current sneaker/loafer fusion trend. Although this trend began years ago, it has gained more attention this year. It’s a blend of traditional, serious loafers and casual sneakers—a challenging combination to perfect. Brands like Comme des Garçons have been experimenting with this for years, often producing results that seem either weird or unfinished. Usually, you will look at those attempts and think, "Yeah, that’s cool," but then walk away. However, Mizuno has finally nailed it with this one
Traditional Moccasin shoes
The origins of this shoe trace back not to loafers, but to traditional Native American moccasins. The Wave Prophecy Moc’s predecessor, the Mizuno Infinity Moc, is a more traditional take on the moccasin. Unlike the famous Visvim moccasins, these are more modern and versatile. The style of the Wave Prophecy Moc is even more cohesive and refined. You can pair them with any kind of baggy pants or sporty outfit. Keeping the whole outfit clean and modern, you can even pair these with formal outfits. These shoes provide an extra playful and elegant flavor to the outfits.
Caroline Hu x Clot x Adidas Samba Reverie (Price ≈ $180)
To be completely honest, I wasn’t familiar with Caroline Hu until I was introduced to these shoes. After some research (and stumbling upon a cute model’s Instagram of the same name), I discovered her designs. Caroline Hu is an emerging womenswear designer from Shanghai, known for exploring human relationships through her art. Her designs are bold and romantic. No one describes her style better than herself: she says her design “creates a delicate path between romanticism and pandemonium.” That’s exactly what I felt when I first saw these shoes. The vibrant youthfulness of the heavy lace and silk, combined with the cool attitude of the Adidas Samba silhouette, stood out to me. The girls who wear these shoes aren’t just girly and naive; on the contrary, they have gone through the whole circle and are sophisticated and have their own distinct attitudes toward life.
And don’t forget, this is also a collaboration with Clot. Even though we can only sense a slight taste of Clot’s signature Chinese/Hong Kongese streetwear influence, it’s backed by Clot’s creative director Edison Chen who has impeccable taste. If you want to stand out from all the Adidas Sambas and Gazelles on the street, this can be a good choice.
