The Question of Moccasins

I love Moccasins. I also love old bags (note the abscence of 'vintage'), silk shirts with bows and - generally speaking - anything that looks like it was first purchased by a stylish lady in the mid 40's. But whilst a cracked leather holdall or pure silk wrap can accentuate most outfits, a pair of moccasins can either float you on the fashion sea or drag you to its bed like an anchor.

My first pair of moccasins were purchased by my mother, on a family trip to Malta. In St Julian in the early 90's they were de rigueur amongst the islands young folk. Wanting to fully embrace the trend (and why wouldn't you for a two week holiday?) my mother bought them under the caveat that they were to be my school shoes for the following term. I agreed in haste. On our return, the said moccasins immediately bought me out in hives. They symbolised a rash fashion choice that haunted me for several months. Their overwhelming hideousness (I am aware this is not a word), glared smugly at both me and my indignation, five days a week. It took over fifteen years for me to revisit the style. I stumbled across a simple Russell and Bromley navy blue pair for an absolute bargain and the deal was done. Now it would be fair to admit, I am hooked.


Apparantly the original duty of the native American moccasin was to enable the wearer to feel the ground. I'm not sure that's an attribute that crosses the mind of most Western moccasin lovers today, yet the style can help you feel 'grounded', sensible almost. To counteract such common connotations, I'm about to indulge in these rather fabulous outdoor moccasins from Boden, £59 though the choice between the white and the green is a difficult one.



The true fashionista will probably have a typical hi top pair of boots such as these Minnetonka Back Zippers from Net-A-Porter, £80,

though the last year or two has seen a rise in the popularity of the Minnetonka Thunderbird.




Available from Minnetonka.co.uk , £55,50 (a sixty year old company, dedicated to all things moccasin), both the black and brown colourways are simply fabulous. A favourite of my dear friend Kiki Georgiou, they add a welcome, native twist to an enduring design.  



 
Finally, this leather embellished design from Marc by Marc Jacobs available from farfetch.com, £140 is also rather tempting.

The list of stylish moccasins is growing fast. I could not predict how long this fashion love affair will last, nor do I know what mass footwear fetish is around the corner (just please let it not be Kickers). All I do know is that I need to purchase now before the choice begins to make my head fizz and I end up making a rash decision. Thanks to my early Maltese fashion experience, I learned that you need to stand by you choices, however dodgy they seem once your feet have hit the ground.