While we’re fans of quality product, all this austerity is a real drag. We always thought an interest in style and design was supposed to be enjoyable. Why so many sullen faces?

One product that always puts a smile on our faces is the driving shoe. This is a real marmite style of footwear, you either love them or hate them. We’ve yet to meet someone who’s simply indifferent to them. There must be something about brightly coloured suede that really elicits a response. And the Eurotrash jibes belong to the same school of dumbfuckery as sailing and lumberjack taunts about boat shoes and work boots respectively.

For us the real draw is that driving shoes seem so contrary to most of what is being championed in footwear right now. Admittedly there’s a seasonal consideration to that point, but even things like camp mocassins, desert boots and dirty bucks seem rather earnest in comparison. Driving shoes can be considered a luxury for luxury’s sake, but when they look so good we’re struggling to see a downside. They might not quite as long as a double-soled brogue, but putting a smile on your face and a spring in your step is money well spent.

This market is dominated by two of the biggest Italian names in leather goods and craftsmanship. If you’re buying your driving shoes from anyone other than Tod’s or Car Shoe you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Car Shoe from Matches. Tod’s from tods.com