Monday, 6 June 2016

The Polo Ralph Lauren Boat Shoes

Craig of That Dapper Chaps shows us how he styled the Polo Ralph Lauren boat shoes from Tessuti

I have to be honest with you Tessuti is not a name that I'd heard of previously, and I'm not sure how I have managed to miss it! Established in 1985 they now have fifteen stores across the UK and you can check for your nearest store HERE.

With a strong online presence too, they offer a huge range of designer clothing from the likes of Boss, Barbour, Michael Kors, Vivian Westwood and Paul Smith to name but a few, and they cater for men, women and kids. Being a fan of Ralph Lauren I chose a pair of Polo boat shoes.

My flatlay ensemble as seem on my Instagram page

The obvious styling would be to put them with shorts and maybe a nautical inspired shirt or sweater, but I wanted to show you that boat shoes can also create a smart, office appropriate look. In an age when most offices offer their workforce a smart casual option there's no reason why the boat shoe can't make an appearance.

A closer look at the deatils on the Polo Ralph Lauren boat shoes from Tessuti

Getting all tied up

So, keeping things 'smart casual' I chose a pair of light tan chinos from H&M. The rolled up hem makes the look slightly less stuffy and shows off the stripped socks giving a nod to that preppy look that Ralph Lauren is so well known for.

The full look, including my wool coat

The classic Polo branding on the Ralph Lauren shoes

On top I wore a blue cotton shirt by Shirt Mill and a vintage blue and tan diagonal striped tie to bring the colour palate together. With a brown plaited elastic belt by Brydon Brothers to match the shoes (as a belt always should) I added my Nelson Martina brown leather watch and a few bead bracelets to complete the look.

This look is appropriate for office or pub

If you like the shoes as much as I do you can buy a pair yourself HERE. If you like the idea of boat shoes but prefer a different colour Tessuti also offer a pair in navy blue. Whichever pair you choose be sure to post a picture to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tag myself and Tessuti to get noticed!