Swims and the fear of galoshes

Many of us think we live in a relatively enlightened age, especially when it comes to fashion. We look back and laugh at so many of the style choices people made in the past. We pat ourselves on the back at how practical, realistic and down to earth we are. We laugh at affectations like top hats, monocles and walking sticks. They serve no purpose! They are symbols of vanity! Thank goodness we are freed from the conformity and flamboyant nonsense of the past.

Now consider galoshes. No, seriously. Do you have a pair? How often do you see them? And yet, for all the men out there wearing very nice leather shoes in the rain or snow, the lack of galoshes makes no sense. Except when you accept the fact that we are not living in such an enlightened age. Despite the fact that previous generations figured out how to protect shoes from rain and weather, many men won’t wear galoshes. And not for practical reasons, like we have some new, high-tech, water-resistant leather. But because of fear, “I’ll look like an old man.”

Thanks to Swims, however, perhaps we can all agree that it’s time to start wearing galoshes again.

[Full disclosure: I did not pay for this pair of Swims. After the company contacted me, I requested a pair for review as I have always been interested but owned a pair of Tingley galoshes. I have tried to keep this review as objective as possible.]

Swims are not your grandfather’s galoshes and that’s the point. When I first wore my bright orange Swims, a rather stylish middle-aged friend of mine said he’d never worn galoshes because he didn’t want to look old, but he’d consider Swims. Specifically in orange. I’m not sure I would have bought the orange ones myself – they are what the company chose to send me – opting maybe for the more conservative brown or black. On the other hand, I appreciate that the bright orange says, without any shame, “I’M WEARING GALOSHES.” Swims’ founder and creative director Johan Ringdal tells me that while classic black is their best seller, this orange is very popular. In fact, the only time I’ve noticed Swims in the wild was an orange pair – perhaps because they stick out. I will certainly feel safer on a moose hunt.

But galoshes aren’t by nature a fashion statement, they are a practical item and Swims live up to the promise and the price-tag (around $100). Thanks to their slightly fuzzy lining and firm structure, they are very easy to slip on and off, much easier than my rubber Tingleys. They feel very strong and durable where the Tingleys feel rather thin and flimsy. And after a few wears in rather slushy winter weather, my shoes were dry and happy inside my Swims. As to that lining, there is an urban myth that it helps polish shoes as you wear them. From my experience, this isn’t true. In fact, after those first few wears, my shoes came out of the galoshes with a fine dusting of powder. A salesman at Gotstyle told me that in his experience the fuzz wears off after about a season. That said, my shoes looked great otherwise, with no scuffs or marks (I once had a shoe’s polish ruined by loose overboots).

One of the other practical concerns I have is what to do with my galoshes once I arrive at my destination: keep them on in the restaurant or movie? That seems awkward and defeats the purpose of wearing nice shoes. Johan told me they came up with a rather elegant solution: a small bag for your galoshes. The bag comes free with every pair and is very useful for packing your Swims in your luggage, but especially, as he says, “when going indoors, it is good etiquette to remove your galoshes, so with ours you can simply put them in this convenient bag.” I haven’t tried it yet, but I appreciate the option.

Now the big question: are Swims worth so much more money than Tingleys which usually retail around $20-$30? Swims are definitely more substantial and come with better accessories. They slip on and off much easier. And they look better; instead of trying to mimic loafers or dress shoes, they have a sleek, pleasing shape of their own. They also come in many colours, as opposed to just black. However, I think their success might come down to that issue of fear.

I’ve talked before about the evolution of men’s clothing. As much as the classic man’s wardrobe has remained pretty consistent for over 150 years, there has always been change, even if it was subtle. Hats got softer and brims widths changed. Shirt collars got longer, then wider, then shorter. But some items, like galoshes, got put on the shelf with the “Great Male Renunciation” of the 60s and 70s.

That’s what excites me most about Swims. New life is being brought to what I consider an essential, practical item of a man’s wardrobe. There is evolution both in the construction, a “unique rubber compound which we call ‘cashmere rubber’ that is soft, ensures great elasticity and tear resistance” according to Johan, and colour, going well beyond black to even include camouflage. And in the end, if breaking from the past via colour and design is how to get you to take care of your footwear, then I strongly recommend Swims.

Swims are available at a number or Toronto locations, including The Bay, Harry Rosen and Gotstyle.

Related posts

How I dress for spring weather in Toronto My summer shoe wardrobe The winter boot conundrum The tie is dead. Long live the tie.