The Garmentor - The Fashion Manual for Style-Minded Men

Velcro shoes don’t exactly call to mind visions of high style or sophisticated taste. Why would they, though?

Tried. Tested.

“I own Creative Recreation’s Torrio Velcro in black and can confirm that they are comfortable, stylish, and best of all, easy to put on. Also, they help dress up an outfit when I’m headed out for the night. A polishing sponge will keep them looking new for a long time.” Adam Polselli

For a long time, Velcro was shunned to the cartoon world of children’s shoes. In fact, I can still remember fastening and ripping my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Velcros to pass time in music class (much to the teacher’s disapproval, of course). In 2008, however, brands like Clae and Creative Recreation—a Garmentor favorite—are pairing Velcro with swanky leathers, wingtip-style perforations, and a hip, young design aesthetic to show the world that, in this day and age, Velcro can be just as stylish as its hooks and loops are sticky.

For this issue of The Garmentor, we hand-picked nine of the coolest Velcro shoes we could get our hands on, ultimately settling on a variety of great designs from shoemakers Clae and Creative Recreation. Their combinations of color and texture strike the perfect balance between the retro feel inherent to Velcro and a modern vibe for today’s twenty-first-century man.

Our first three selections show Creative Recreation staying true to their name by matching uber-shiny patent leather and incredible textures not typically found paired with Velcro. If you’re looking for a pair that you can wear after the sun goes down, the Torrio in White Patent, Black Patent, and Gold (yes, gold) are sure to hold up to the dim lights and blur of a night on the town.

Next are three from Clae, whose textures and use of Velcro are more subtle, making these the perfect shoes to wear all day. Their elegant stitching and simple lines give them a polished, even dressy, appearance compared to your everyday sneaker. Pick one of these if you want a shoe that is one part fun, one part professional, and comfortable all around.

Rounding out our Velcro collection is another threesome from Creative Recreation. All three feature Creative Recreations’s signature three-strap closure and shiny, chrome logo. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite pair and get rrrriiippin’!