Man shoes.

I'm obsessed with clompy shoes. Proportionally they look perfect with dainty dresses or mini skirts, paired with socks. Adding a tomboyish charm to an otherwise feminine ensemble. 

It's one of the things I've always admired about Marni and the way Conseulo Castiglioni is an advocate of this look. It creates an effortless approach to something which may look a little too dressed or gentle. Almost as if you have just risen from within the layers of your bed and slung on the dress from the evening before and without a second thought, popped on your boyfriend's shoes. It's being the Cinderella, who wasn't too fussed about getting her glass slipper back. 

If I really consider the array of evening/party dresses I have hung up in my wardrobe, I know I could never really get away with wearing them out during the day. Be it to work or just for a browse round the shops. I would feel too elaborate, overdressed. 

However, if I re-imagine the contents of my closet, knowing I was planning to pair it with the footwear the lady above is embracing, I'm pretty sure I would have no qualms about stepping foot outside my door at 9am in the morning. 

Dr Martens would be the easiest way to fulfil these dreams but I know they are on the extreme end of clompy and therefore, be a bit daunting. They do make a lot of their designs in T-bar and Mary Jane styles now though, meaning a little bit more foot is on show, so you can rest assured that people won't mistake you for a victim of the Mafia with cement blocks for shoes. Loafers are also an excellent substitute and are pretty much my dream shoe. I would pick a loafer with a higher front, not the kind you get evil beings have created for women. These loafers have a lower front with the tongue ending just past your toes and therefore, are hard to pair successfully with socks.

Thankfully, male fashion often plays on the classics. They work with what they know and trust when it comes to design. Men tend to not like perusing the shops for hours on end, they want to be in to get what they need and then straight out. This means that their items are quite often timeless pieces, not all men want to hang around long enough to experiment with new looks (I'm not speaking of all men, as I know, in recent years, men's interest in fashion has risen). Due to this, they are then just reworked, or adapted from season to season, whilst keeping their original structure. 

All of this is important as well as wonderful for those of us who enjoy incorporating typically masculine elements into our lives as they are good investments. They pass the test of time and they are more comfortable and hardwearing meaning they can be worn over and over again.