What Real Men Wear

There are some things that women don't totally understand about men. For instance, women don't think men seriously want to be the Marlboro Man. What they don't realize is that most of us think we already are the Marlboro Man. There are just some things that we identify with, and that cowboy image complete with worn, brown leather (you gotta have the worn, brown leather or else it doesn't work) is who we think we are.

Eponymous Trenchmouth's Olso boots (available at Jeepers Creepers) help men like me who think that, deep down, we're really just cowboys take a step closer to realizing our true selves. These sculpted, worn boots are not full-on "wild west" but they have a weathered look that stops well ahead of the "over-doing it" mark while still giving them an ample, rich character. As it is with the Devil, he is always in the details: Great stitching, buckles, straps, and soles give the Olsos a character so thick that you can almost imagine running your fingers over them and feeling both the grit and the softness of the suede.

What makes these boots particularly attractive to me is that they are a worn boot; not a caricature of one. Trenchmouth could have gone for dirtier, scratched-up, and scuffed-to-hell but, instead, created something that can be worn in a variety of ways. The colors (black, tan, grey, and brown) make it a clear choice with jeans, but they can easily pull off an authentic cowboy look with chaps (if that's your thing) and I've even seen them worn with an Italian suit. At the core, however, the Oslos are always going to bring a refined sense of casual "adultness" to an outfit, and it's the sort of shoe which separates the grown-ups from the boys. You won't see the Olsos on the blinging club kids; this is Daniel Craig's American boot... not Justin Long's.



I have no real issue with the Oslo except that I wish Trenchmouth would make more of this sort of thing; footwear right in that sweet spot that's too old for teens and too young for baby boomers... a boot so male that it should come with a prim cigarette (yeah, anti-smoking lobbyists... I said it).

Oslo boots at Jeepers Creepers.

Other stuff:
Drifter coat and sweater from Etch'd
Glasses from Shibooi
Jeans from Redgrave
Hair from Petrelli