Time to Worry Worry

Following my recent feature on Tim Little on the King's Road I received an email thanking me for the post. At the bottom was a note informing me that I could choose a pair of my choice as a gift. Now, I'm not used to receiving gifts. I've always seen it a slippery slope of grey areas and murky waters and avoided it. At the end of the day I only post about the products and collections that truly excite me, I'm not interested in anything else or swayed by offers. However, as you could probably tell from my original post, I was an enthusiastic fan of Tim's shoes and found it incredibly difficult to walk away empty handed after my visit but my lack of funds forced me to do just that. Now, I am incredibly fortunate. Tim's generosity has saved me and my feet. I'd be a fool to turn down such an offer. Having made the decision to snap up the offer, the difficult part came next...which model should I choose..?

The simple result from a difficult decision...Worry Worry

After surveying my shoe collection in light of the recent warm weather, I realised that it was severely lacking in sunshine friendly choices. The Tim Little store is split in to three collections; Blue Sole, Black Sole and Italian but each model is named after a well known Blues song. 'Blue Sole' is the original line and got the label to the position they are today. Beautifully made, the leathers are French calf, full grain leathers from some of the the best tanneries in the world. They are, of course, Goodyear Welted, which means they will last a long, long time and are easy to repair when necessary but I wanted something a little different. The 'Black Sole' range is left to rest on the last for at least thirty days to allow the leather to adopt the perfect shape of the last and hold that shape over many years to come. Utterly beautiful but again, not quite what I wanted for the coming season. Last but not least is the 'Italian Collection' which includes trainers with a difference, boat shoes, driving shoes and wonderfully washed boots. After pin balling my eyes from model to model, I set my sights on Worry Worry. I needed something simple to solve my difficult query. Made in Italy using the softest calf leather these trainers are simple and iconic. This choice might surprise some of you because you might have noticed that trainers are surprisingly absent from the pages of this blog. I have an odd relationship with trainers and I'll tell you why. The tales of a former chav can be read below...

A million miles from Margate. Worry Worry trainers worn with red socks from Uniqlo and suit trousers from J. A Daye.

Having grown up in a certain seaside town along the Kentish Riveria, my youthful pursuits were bound with the latest trainer release from a certain brand with an enticing tick for a logo. They said "just do it' and did just that. After a kickabout in the park most weekends involved a trip to a stretch of amusement arcades on the seafront. This stretch of flashing lights and whirring noises was nothing more than a glorified, albeit rough around the edges catwalk. Very few of us were all that interested in the slot machines or first person shoot'em ups, not least when our money ran out. Most of us had nothing better to do aside from show off our latest purchase. Gangs of prepubescent boys strutted pointlessly about, weaving in and out of the gaming machines. They were all undoubtedly proud of their ensembles but looking back now, more often than not, they would have involved either a Lacoste or Fred Perry polo shirt in a garish hue and something utterly hideous and highly flammable topped off by a ridiculously small Nike cap. However it was what boys were wearing on their feet that really captured the stares. Admiration or abhorrence could be ascertained purely by looking downwards. In terms of my own experience I can recall one particular Saturday afternoon where I put on a particularly exaggerated strut along the strip because I had a pair of Nike Air Max Triax's on my feet. Having begged and borrowed for months I was euphoric that Summer afternoon when I could morph in to a sportswear peacock and receive untold amounts of green eye from my peers. Nothing could top that day, no other pair of trainers could make a chubby little kid feel ten feet tall.

Oh those were the days somehow I fell out of love with trainers. Having grown up and out of this chav cycle my relationship with trainers became estranged. Other than my Lanvin hitops I have not worn a pair of trainers for a good number of years...until now.

Made in Italy using the softest calf leather. Devoid of unnecessary details. These trainers are simple and iconic.

Despite the obvious existence of a new new generation who like their trainers clean, sleek and simple I've been reluctant to dip my toe in to this form of footwear even though I've been a fan. Tim Little's Worry Worry marks a seismic shift in my attitude. As you should all know by now, over the last twelve months I have developed a passion for shoes, an addiction even. It is just impossible to resist elegant, well fitted leather creations. After meeting shoeists like the chaps at Lodger, Grenson and of course Mr. Hare and most recently Tim Little I always knew that their passion would be contagious. It most certainly was. Now I have amassed a collection that I can be truly proud of but my purchases have frequently erred on the side of smart. No longer. It is time to put my feet up and enjoy the comfort of these wonderfully simple trainers...

Worry Worry trainers worn with red socks from Uniqlo.