Monk Straps For Men
They say a man wears the most noticeable item on his feet. Think about it, most men pay attention to the larger parts of their body, such as their upper torso and legs. However, it is the details that set a stylish man apart from a regular joe. One of today's most popular menswear shoes is the double monk strap shoe. This is for good reason. It can be worn in several environments and in different settings. In an important business meeting or a night out with your lady, you will look equally sharp wearing them (with the right combination of course).
History Of The Double Monk Straps
Although today's popular, few people realize how deep the monk strap shoe really has a history. The double monk strap shoe was very popular in Europe. In particular, during this era, the monks were most notably known to wear these shoes, which led to the name of the shoe. For the additional level of protection they offered, Monks wore these shoes compared to the sandals they normally wore. These shoes' durability made them the top choice for monks as their signature work shoes.
Originally, it was difficult for the monk strap to be placed in the shoe-wearing spectrum 's formal or casual ends. For many casual environments, it is considered too casual to wear with a suit and too formal. This is the complete opposite, moving right to the present day. The double monk strap in menswear stores is now considered to be highly versatile and the stylish man's shoe of choice.
Monk Strap Shoes Types
Single Monk, Double Monk & More Traditionally, the single monk strap was the only shoe until the double monk strap appeared. Some designers have adopted unusual variations with three or more straps with the popularity of two buckled shoes. Really, the three or more strapped shoes are probably nothing more than a short-lived fashion that will disappear in a couple of years. If you want to invest in a sustainable wardrobe that can be worn for 10 years without looking dated, you can go with a single monk strap or a double monk strap.
Single vs Double Monk Strap Construction
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The only difference between a single and double monk strap is the number of straps used to attach the shoe to the wearer's foot, defined by the single broad strap that closes across the instep and fastens with a saddle buckle on the outside.
The monk strap is a traditionally designed, low-fitting strapped shoe with a top made of three pieces of leather. The monk strap uses a wider tongue compared to other shoes to help secure it around the ankle to give the wearer a more comfortable fit. This is necessary because no laces are used and the only attachment is the strap. Double monk straps offer an additional strap, which in theory allows a better fit-especially for smaller or narrower feet-although this seems questionable in practice.
How Do You Define The Double Monk Strap?
First of all, lack of lacing is the most noticeable feature. Replacing the laces is a distinct combination of a double strap and an enclosing buckle that protects your feet. The Double Monk strap gives the shoe once again in more detail, resembling a derby-style shoe based on the upper quarters overlapping the shoe's tongue. Of course, the main difference is that the Derby has laces and the Double Monk Strap does not.
Color Selections
Color plays an important role in what you wear and how well you look. The double monk strap is available in a variety of colors that really enhance its appearance. In conjunction with the shoe material, you can create a look that can stand the test of time:
Brown
-A versatile color ranging from light to dark shades. The great thing about brown is that if you take black tie settings out of the picture, you can wear it in almost any environment.
Oxblood / Burgundy
-This shade pairs with a navy blue suit extremely well. With a pair of blue jeans, the oxblood and Burgundy colors look great-not as popular as they once were.
Black
- Black is great on formal and semi-formal occasions. If you don't already own them, I would recommend adding a black pair of double monk straps to your collection.
Material
We would recommend only two types of material for the double monk strap shoes and they are:
Leather
-The top choice for the double monk strap. Stick with leather made in traditional European countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom or France. If the leather is high quality, your shoes will improve with age and care. There's nothing like a pair of shoes that show these subtle age lines as the years pass.
Suede
-My second recommendation to consider buying is the suede double monk straps shoes. Although they are still considered to be leather, mainly made from the underlying lamb skin, they should be listed in a different category. The durability of suede shoes is one thing to watch out for. Suede shoes shoe defects and very easily absorb liquid. Keep this in mind if you are living in a harsh climate.
Wearing The Double Monk Strap
You can wear the double monk strap shoe in any environment. If you should wear double monk straps with socks or no socks, the first piece to cover is. Both can be acceptable depending on the environment:
Socks
: If you are in a more formal environment, wear socks, especially if you work in the corporate world, meet with customers or attend a gala event. When wearing brown and oxblood, stick with black socks if wearing black monk straps and charcoal or gray.
No Socks
: In addition to the black version, wearing no socks works well in casual environments with double monk strapped shoes. The only thing you have to ensure is that at the end of your pants you have a slight break. This gives a slight hint of your sockless sale when you walk and doesn't look out of line when you sit.
Double Monks With A Suit?
In the most popular formal costume, the man's suit, the double monk strap can work well. This assumes that you wear a more formal double monks style, and that the occasion is not an interview or an extremely formal event. Only consider leather black double monk straps when it comes to the black suit, as any other color will not match well and suede will take away the black formality. Leather is still an acceptable form of wearable material, but suede is an acceptable alternative.The navy blue suit finally works well with colors of brown, burgundy and oxblood. Pair them with a matching watch strap and belt and you're on the way to look sharp. Look for something that's shiny to help your shoes stand out.
Business Casual & Double Monks
Remember when we mentioned how it difficult it was to fit in formal or casual settings with the double monk straps of yesteryear? Well, make no mistake that these shoes were casual in both cases and right in the middle.
Favorite Combinations
Classic Chinos and a navy blue cardigan over a shirt in white dress. You'll be the best dressed in the office once you throw a pair of brown double strap monks. With or without a tie, this combination goes well.
If the weather begins to heat up, lose your cardigan and tie and you look completely new while you look great. Put a gray V-neck sweater over a white dress shirt and a pair of blue dress pants and you've got a great match for your double monk strap. The formality of this look can be upgraded by including a tie Light blue dress shirt and navy blue dress pants with no tie as an extra sharp look with double monk straps.
Casual
Feel like going out with some friends and not dressing up in the mood, but still want to stand out from the crowd? Together with these casual combinations, wearing some double monk straps will make this a reality for you: A white V-neck t-shirt, blazer and blue jeans combination works well with a pair of double monk straps. Advise that the blazer fits your unique body type to make this look the most impressive. If you're in a casual mood, lose the blazer and wear the classic white t-shirt / blue jeans
Leather jacket-This casual staple with double monk straps for menswear jacks. In particular, a black leather jacket and black double monk strap shoes work together very well. If you want to wear black but don't seem formal, this is a great option. Coordination and color matching with your hair and skin tone is the key to all combinations. If you can nail it, there are endless options.
