Jon Crispin's Notebook

I think Pieper was the first person I knew that wore Walk-Over Bucks.  They were part of the uniform of a small group of us in Ithaca in the 70’s.  Bucks, blue jeans, oxford shirt, and sometimes a tie if you were working or otherwise trying to fit in with people who cared about those things.  I must have owned at least five pairs over the years.  I have a basic wardrobe rule of thumb that you can wear pretty much anything below the belt as long as you have on a clean oxford shirt and a tie, hence the blue jean/bucks combo.  This particular pair was the last I was able to find.  I bought them in the early 90’s at Mathew’s Shoes (long since out of business) in downtown Amherst, and I think that Walk-Over had already ceased to be by that time.  I wasn’t able to find another pair anywhere and assumed that the company was done for.  /  In yesterday’s Times I saw an article about how this type of shoe is making a comeback and was shocked to see a pair of Walk-Overs in a photograph.  Someone has resurrected the brand and they are making them again.  They are now $225.00 but still probably worth the money.  I break this pair out once in a while and I think it is time to take them to the local cobbler to be resoled.