Paul Evans Shoes: American Energy & Italian Quality

We realized there was something special about Paul Evans oxfords the moment we put them on.  OTC tests products in a somewhat unique way, taking longer to assess a brand than most other blogs or websites.  We make the products we review part of our daily lives.

That means we wear the clothes, carry the bags, write with the pens, and use the gadgets.  We also walk miles in the shoes and boots and throw stuff in the wash whenever we can.  In many cases, we continue to use and carry the items you read about here – testament to our long-standing goal of recommending products and brands we ourselves actually use long after the review is posted.  We strive to provide our readers with a comprehensive assessment of the products and brands we recommend.

To that end, slipping on those Paul Evans Grant oxfords was a departure from the many other shoes we have tried out.

Paul Evans’ Grant is built on a European last that among other things, provides a distinctive and noticeable arch support.  It’s an immediate sensation that signals to the wearer that he is experiencing something different.  Good different.

It holds the foot at a stronger angle and provides greater heel stability.  It prompts the wearer to assume a more formal stance and mature posture.  Not at all uncomfortable, simply different and, in a way, compellingly confident.

Combined with outstanding Italian construction, and beautifully soft calfskin uppers burnished to a soft glow, these shoes are, in a word, exceptional.  Fully leather lined and Blake stitched, they are light, flexible, and sturdy.  These shoes are also simply beautiful to look at; lean and elegant but also firmly masculine and substantial.  Even paired with trim jeans and an odd sport coat, they make you look great.

The Grant is a dress shoe in the best of ways, meaning that its balance of elegance and construction create something that both attracts attention but defies explanation.  We constantly had people comment on and compliment these shoes, often without calling out a particular feature.  Typically, it was something to the effect of, “oh my gosh – what shoes are those? They’re gorgeous.”

What truly impressed us was the fact that the substance lives up to the style.  For the price, this degree of refined style and exceptional construction is simply not found in other dress shoes.  In addition, as a small company, the Paul Evens team is personally committed to maintaining the quality of their products in a way that larger companies cannot.  They are shoes guys obsessed with making world class footwear at a fair price and building a loyal following that appreciates those values.

OTC thinks they are off to a great start.  Oh, the suede loafers and chukkas look killer too.