Cool Table: The Triumphant Return Of The Boat Shoe...That Never Really Left.

Over 7 decades ago, in 1935 Paul Sperry invented a shoe for the man who loved the thrill of sailing on the open water and named them Sperry Top-Siders. With a white rubber sole for stability and to help avoid scratching the deck of a boat. Paired with a leather upper and leather shoe strings, the original boat shoe was very practical for sailors; So much so that even today Sperry Top-Siders are part of the US Naval Academy's casual uniform.

But much has changed since then and in the past 2 years we have seen a big resurgence of the "boat shoe" and its not just for boats. Other brands like Tods, Lanvin, Converse and Rockport have come out with their own version of the boat shoe which has taken off amongst the wealthy and the casual buyer alike.

I actually had this pair a few years back

The best thing is that you don't need a boat to own a pair anymore. "Deck shoes" as they are sometimes called can be seen on the feet of young urban dweller all over the country. They are made in a simple silhouette and doesn't take much more than a well fitting pair of jeans/pants to make it look good.

Boat shoes now come in either high or low top, a wide array of colors and are made out of various materials all while staying true to the rubber bottom, or a variation of it. Recently the well known fashion brand Band of Outsiders has gone back to the roots of the boat shoe and has collaborated with Sperry Top-Sider for their own twist on the boat shoe. Being made in a wide array of colors and materials the boat shoe is on its way to becoming the new sneaker. There isn't a color that you wouldn't be able to find and Band of Outsiders is making your search for the perfect outfit just a bit easier.

Band of Outsiders x Sperry Top-Siders Spring/Summer 2010 collection has a lot of gems including this very very nice pink nylon/suede colorway that caught my eye immediately. Normally I probably wouldn't be too interested in a pink shoe but the choice of materials and contrasting colors drew me in so much so that it made me write this post. The grey pair made from sweatshirt material is not too shabby either. Very Cool.