Apr
It’s on sale: SWIMS galoshes — At Need Supply for $69.99 in size XXL only (US 11.5-12.5). That’s about 30% off retail.
Previously: My SWIMS review.
Jan
Winter shoe protection: SWIMS overshoes — Today was the first I’ve really seen some substantial snow on the ground here in Chicago and instead of turning toward a pair of boots, I opted to just slip on a pair of rubber overshoes.
Overshoes are a great idea if there’s just a mild amount of rain, snow or slushy ground and you are wearing nice leather-soled dress shoes. I’d recommend them for commuters who aren’t going to be walking unreasonably long distances outdoors in urban areas. For one, they’ll give you extra grip when walking. And they do a decent job of keeping your leather shoes protected against the elements.
Cheap options (aka, Ramen Noodle Budget) would be a pair of Tingley’s. The best deal right now is at Men’s Warehouse where Tingley’s overshoes will run you $19.99 with free shipping. And they’re running a deal where you can buy one and get one free — keep a pair at home, another pair at the office. That’s a pretty good deal for a serviceable solution.
For those of you wanting a more colorful option, I’ve reviewed and recommended SWIMS overshoes. They’re more expensive, typically retailing at $100, but you can find them on sale right now at Shrine Haberdashers ($66.50, above) and Brooks Brothers ($73.50). Despite the price, these are my personal preference.
Functionally, I can’t honestly tell you if these overshoes are 3-5 times more effective at protecting your shoes from rain, snow and slush. I can tell you though that they’re 3-5 times more colorful. I personally don’t wear a lot of black shoes and didn’t like the idea of putting a black overshoe on a brown pair of brogues, so I paid for a pair of SWIMS on sale last year and went with a blue colorway.
Whatever your budget, definitely consider a pair of overshoes. If you’ve invested some serious money in nice footwear, then you should also invest in keeping them in the best possible shape. Salty melted ice water in the winter will ruin your leather if you don’t clean them quickly or protect against it. So, do right by yourself and your shoes.
Oct
For $50 You Can Buy …
By going through this Gilt City sale, you can buy SWIMS galoshes for $50. That’s the cheapest I’ve ever seen them. You can also get some handsome hats for about the same price.
The deal is through Shrine Haberdashers, a store in Chicago that Jesse and I have recommended before. The Gilt City coupon is supposed to only be used in-store, but I talked to the owners and they said they would honor the voucher over the phone if a customer didn’t see the fine print. Nobody will be turned away.
I usually try to avoid reblogging PTO — not because they aren’t great, but I just as well assume everyone who reads my blog is definitely reading PTO — but I feel this is a really good deal.
I’m a fan of my pair of SWIMS and the folks at Shrine are extremely nice and helpful. If you don’t own a pair of overshoes, but you do own some nice pairs of leather-soled shoes you’d like to keep alive as long as possible, then definitely consider a $50 investment.
Be warned though: These aren’t going to fit over your bucks, might not fit over loafers and I’d be uncertain about some brogue boots.
Jul
SWIMS overshoes — This is the cheapest I’ve ever seen them: $62 at Yoox.
May
Review: SWIMS overshoes
This spring has been especially rainy and had me rethinking a lot of my wardrobe in terms of how to best address the puddles and downpours we’ve had in the Land of Lincoln.
My winter solution for snow was to wear L.L.Bean boots to commute and change into a pair of dress shoes at work. For a spring/summer/fall solution to the rain, I decided to finally look into buying a pair of overshoes.
I ended up buying a pair of navy-colored SWIMS from Brooks Brothers during their Friends & Family sale. I’ve had the chance to wear them a couple of times and can say they’ve worked out just fine.
What sets SWIMS apart from other overshoes (aside from the cost)? The company likes to boast the velvet interior that “polishes your shoes” while you walk, but I’m just really partial to the fact they have colors available other than the standard black. I picked navy because it would fit in with my wardrobe and would look nice over either black or brown shoes.
They fit over my Allen Edmonds shoes quite nicely, however, don’t expect to use these to cover your suede bucks. If you have a really thick, chunky rubber sole on your shoes, these probably won’t fit (also, why are you wearing suede in the rain?), so be aware of that. But for any leather-soled shoe, these work just fine.
How well do they keep the water out? Pretty damned well, I’d say. I wore them in a downpour in downtown Chicago around Navy Pier and at the end of the night the leather was fairly dry — even the exposed part of the upper.
In terms of sizing, since I planned to wear them mostly over my Allen Edmonds shoes, I took their sizing recommendations (Medium: 8.5-9, Large: 9.5-10, X-Large: 10.5-11, XX-Large: 11.5-12). Brooks Brothers gives another sizing guideline, but I chose to ignore it. If you find yourself on the lower end of that measurement — like me, I’m a 10.5 — you could consider sizing down. Mine’s a slight bit loose while walking, but not terribly so. I considered swapping it for a size smaller, however, I was slightly worried that a smaller overshoe that would be stretched more might prematurely tear from the stress over time. So, it’s your call on that.
As far as pricing goes, they’re definitely one of the more expensive overshoes on the market, retailing around $100. Brooks Brothers sells them for $98 (black, blue and orange). Allen Edmonds sells them for $95 (black, brown and blue). But the best deal right now on SWIMS comes from Orvis, which has them on sale for $74 (black, brown, orange).
The one minor gripe I have is their excessive branding. It’s all over the sole, on the heel and most discretely on the upper (pictured above). It’s not terrible by any imagination, but I just don’t feel that the branding adds anything.
Regardless, if you’re in an area that rains frequently and you wear dress shoes often enough that you want to protect them on the commute in a mildly stylish way, SWIMS might be for you. Whether or not you think they’re worth $50-80 more than a pair of Tingley’s overshoes is a call you’ll have to make.
Nov
Swims are icy. But every time I see them I think about my philosophy, the @grimyliving philosophy, of never wearing clothes that you have to baby. I never want to walk around worrying about scuffing my shoes or if my cashmurr is getting wet. Men shouldn’t be walking around overcautiously keeping their clothes out of harms way. Be a man. Even if you have $1000 shoes, kick some dudes, stomp some heads, get scuffed, get dirty. If you’re that ballin, it doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s just my humble upbringing, but I’m sure that I’ll own $600 shoes, but I’m also sure that I won’t own a shoe shine kit.
I’m inclined to agree, but I think overshoes are important for another reason beyond trying to keep your shoes looking shiny. Frankly, they’re so you can keep your toes dry and don’t have to walk around all day with wet feet after a morning commute. Also, they provide traction for your shoes when surfaces get slick/icy.
If you hate having wet feet all day and falling on your ass, overshoes are a good idea, in my opinion. The other option is to get a pair of badass boots and change into your shoes at the office.
I’m in between whether I should snag a pair of Bean boots for the Chicago winters or just find a cheaper pair of overshoes (Swims are just too pricey for me, considering they’re just going to get torn up).
(via eyefivestyle)
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