Why Don’t You… Find the Perfect Commute Shoe?

10 Nov Why Don’t You… Find the Perfect Commute Shoe?

‘Why Don’t You’ is my weekly tribute to legendary editor Diana Vreeland who penned a column of the same name for Harper’s Bazaar for 26 years begging, “Don’t just be your ordinary dull self. Why don’t you be ingenious and make yourself into something else?”

The perfect commute shoe — a designated pair that will take you from your apartment to the train to work, out for drinks after and home again —is, ideally, stylish enough to wear once you reach your destination.

I was at a dinner with Marshalls and celebrity stylist Brad Goreski. I took advantage of the opportunity to find out once and for all how a professional shops such an overwhelming amount of merchandise and what the perfect commute shoe looks like.
“You have to have the idea of what you’re looking for,” Brad told me at Gabriel Kreuther’s eponymous Midtown restaurant. “The way that I work is I a lay of the land— where the men’s section is, where the shoes are — then I do a scan, and see what my eyes are naturally gravitating to, and then I try on that stuff and then I go back through, growing the nooks and crannies which is where I end up finding the gems like the Marc by Marc Jacobs blazer I’m wearing, try things on right in the aisle. It’s a great place to be able to play with the trends and get great designer clothing at really great outfits.”

And perfect fall outfit, according to Brad, is “denim, fresh white sneakers, a flannel, a fringe jacket, a tote bag and maybe a beanie. That’s how I’m seeing the New York girl. It’s a little Canadian, a little trendy, but it’s an outfit that could switch a pair of boots or heels for the night, add some jewelry. I’m all about transitional dressing. We’re all so busy.”

That brings us back to my original point: a commute shoe that is stylish enough to wear all day.

“A good boot,” Brad said. “There is so much variety, whether a high boot, an ankle, a midi, but definitely, a boot for fall is the way to go, it looks great with skirts, pants, jeans, you name it.”

And there you have it. What’s your strategy for shopping Marshalls and T.J Maxx? Have you found your perfect commute shoe?