Monk strap shoes are the perfect combination of classic and casual. In our Lottusse monk strap shoe catalogue, you will find a variety of models made with the best leather and a standard of craftsmanship that draws on over 140 years' experience.
Raw material: Cowhide leather.
Chrome tanning.
Key features: Plush looking leather with a velvet texture and long grain which changes tone by touching. This leather is very suitable to complement classic sporty looks and styles.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Raw material: Cowhide leather.
Chrome tanning.
Key features: Plush looking leather with a velvet texture and long grain which changes tone by touching. This leather is very suitable to complement classic sporty looks and styles.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Leather sole with a combination heel. Size UK. Goodyear-welted and handmade.
Raw material: Cowhide leather.
Mixed tanning.
Key features: Premium-quality leather, hand-dyed using an artisan process that makes each item unique and unrepeatable. Due to the hand-dyed process some tone variations may be detected, which it's a distinctive characteristic of the uniqueness and exclusiviness of each piece.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
This leather is hand-painted, so the first few times that cream is applied it may remove the colour slightly. This is normal and does not harm the leather.
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Leather sole with a combination rubber heel. Size UK. Goodyear-welted and handmade.
Raw material: Cowhide leather.
Mixed tanning.
Key features: Premium-quality leather, hand-dyed using an artisan process that makes each item unique and unrepeatable. Due to the hand-dyed process some tone variations may be detected, which it's a distinctive characteristic of the uniqueness and exclusiviness of each piece.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
This leather is hand-painted, so the first few times that cream is applied it may remove the colour slightly. This is normal and does not harm the leather.
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Leather sole with a combination heel. Size UK. Blake stitch.
Raw material: Calfskin.
Chrome tanning.
Key features: Aniline leather with a discolored topcoat finish. It's an exclusive leather which confers to shoes an unmistakable classic touch.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Leather sole with a combination heel. Size UK. Blake stitch.
Raw material: Calfskin.
Chrome tanning.
Key features: Aniline leather with a discolored topcoat finish. It's an exclusive leather which confers to shoes an unmistakable classic touch.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Raw material: Calfskin leather.
Vegetal tanning.
Key features: 100% vegetable-tanned leather with a vintage look. Perfect for casual pieces.
Leather cleaning and care:
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Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Leather sole with a combination heel. Size UK. Goodblake welting.
Raw material: Young bull leather.
Chrome tanning
Key features: Semi-glossy look. It stands out particularly for its naturalness and transparency that reveals the natural characteristics of the skin, which is achieved thanks to the quality of the materials and the low chemical treatment it receives. Very common in dress and business shoes.
Leather cleaning and care:
Additional Information:
Prolonged exposure of the leather to direct sunlight can cause some degree discolouration.
Buckle shoes, also known as monk strap shoes, have characteristics that distinguish them clearly from other types of shoes and make them almost instantly recognisable. :
- Fastening system with one or two buckles
- Closer fit due to the fastening system
- A relatively serious and sober look
All this makes monk strap shoes elegant and comfortable. Although initially criticised by the purists, today they have become one of the most widely accepted types of footwear. Today monk strap shoes exist in a wide variety of leathers, lasts and types of construction, including Goodyear construction.
There are two basic types of monk strap shoes, the difference being the number of buckles used :
- Single-buckle shoes (also called single monk strap).
- Double-buckle shoes (double monk strap).
These subdivisions affect the degree of formality of the shoe, the single-buckle being the most suitable for more elegant contexts, given its greater sobriety and pure lines. The double-buckle shoe, although also unquestionably elegant, is considered somewhat more casual. Its combination of style and versatility is probably behind the great popularity it has achieved in recent times. As mentioned above, they come in a wide variety of models suitable for numerous situations.
As we have said, the formality of monk straps depends on whether you have one or two buckles. Single-buckle shoes are perfect for elegant leisure events. They combine especially well with suits, and can also be worn with chinos or jeans, although in this case it is better to opt for shoes in suede.
Double-buckle shoes, which create a more casual effect, combine very well with less formal garments such as turtleneck sweaters or leather jackets. A perfect look for the office, for example.
However, it is important to bear in mind that the buckle of your monk strap shoes should match your belt buckle and even the casing of your wrist watch.
Similar to other types of shoe, the ideal colour option for more formal situations and garments, such as suits, is plain black monk strap shoes. Plain brown monk strap shoes are also a good option for elegant leisure situations.
As we mentioned, if you prefer to wear them in more relaxed contexts, suede monk strap shoes are always a good option, given the greater variety of colour and texture. There are also monk strap shoes that incorporate decorative elements such as fringes, braiding and broguing. Remember the general rule that, in the world of footwear, the greater the decoration, the greater the informality.
The origin of this type of footwear could not be attributed to a more austere setting: the monasteries of England. This undoubtedly explains the great simplicity of this shoe. To begin with, they were not shoes as such but sandals, and served an eminently practical purpose, given that the monks had no need for ornamental details but wanted highly functional footwear.
Monk strap shoes took the form in which we see them today in the early nineteenth century. Since then, their use has spread to all segments of the population, moving away from their undeniably male origins, as evidenced by the development of women's monk strap shoes.