So there's been a sort of anti-trend in the higher end of the men's shoe market for some time now. Whilst the man on the street has steadfastly refused to relinquish the pointy-toed shoe, the fashion industry has been urging us to look beyond the point. Their answer is invariably the 'almond', which is not rounded at the toe - that would be a conceptual leap too far - but kind of more rounded in the approach to the toe and generally shorter and more foot shaped (see example pictured).
So well done the fashion industry, well, a tempered well done. Most designers appear to be hedging their bets somewhat with at least one pair of (increasingly patent leather) sharp ended shoes. Also, as I've said before, the kids are way ahead of this particular curve (you won't see anyone under 21 wearing a pointy shoe unless they work in an estate agency), so none of it's particularly groundbreaking. Of course Prada continue to plough their own furrow with another collection of mind bendingly ugly men's footwear, but I'm sure they're not bothered: idiots will buy their shoes whatever they look like.
I'm drifting off message here, and the message is this: it may be that even my skeptic's brain has been softened by the sharper-toed shoe, as I find myself struggling with the almond. I look at them and think if I was wearing those, they'd be bound to lose their shape in the most unflattering way: they'd flatten out at in the middle, as if the front of my foot had deflated. I'd end up looking like I was wearing giant spades.
You see, my suspicion is always that makers of designer footwear are trying to work out just how much they can take the piss before people turn round and say "I'm not wearing that, it looks ridiculous." Right now, their gander must be up, as many many men have spent the last few years wandering the streets looking like they've borrowed their footwear from pantomime jesters. In these circumstances you can understand why designers might think they can get away with just about anything.
Of course there's every chance that I am just paranoid in my outlook and hopelessly conservative in my tastes, but so what, why shouldn't a shoe look like a shoe? In their defence, almond shoes do look more like a shoe (or at least a trainer - see the picture for reference Cons). Maybe I'll risk it an try a pair. Or maybe I'll just get another pair of classic brogues.
