Not Your Dad's White Shoes ...

But they just might be your grandfather's white shows. The days of the white belt and loafers from the 1970s and ’80s are gone with the leisure suit they complemented (not complimented because that would be too kind).

The white shoes that have made a roaring comeback for business and casual wear this summer are the white oxfords, including the bucks, wingtips and cap toes favored by grandad. The white bucks made popular in the 1950s by Pat Boone have lived down that legacy and are perfect summer footwear with jeans or a seersucker suit, especially in the office. Sometimes sneakers just won't do. G.H. Bass offers the classic Buckingham White with the red soles for $79.

A more formal look finished off with a pair of white buck wingtips from Pearl & Company at Brooks Brothers. These beauties list for about $480 but have been on sale for $366 for a while. A equally sharp alternative that represent a real value are the cap toe bucks offered by Re-Mix Classic Vintage Footwear. These shoes sell for $162. Wow! These are also available with a brown, black or a black suede cap toe for a real 1930s vibe. I personally think the all white is a classic look that is understated and enduring.

The Silly Season in Milan

The Milan menswear shows finished up several weeks ago and they were interesting, amusing and were not really significant for most men looking for clues on what to add to their wardrobes. Above you will see one of the models from the Armani show in typical leather-boy outfit the likes of which haven't been seen since the 1980s on Castro Street or in Greenwich Village. Just under that are several selections from Thom Ford's Milan show. Only the bravest fashionista would dare wear these outfits on the street. Unless your name is on the door, you won't be wearing this to the office, and even then your heirs may have a case to become the guardian of your affairs.

In all fairness, these shows have never been about what your will be seeing on the street in the months ahead. While I don't know any man in the Midwest who owns a Thom Ford suit, I know and see many young sartorial men wearing the skinny suit. Ford is largely credited for introducing (or bringing back) this slimmed down silhouette. It is not a look for the chunky middle-aged man, but can look quite elegant on the a young man with a lithe build.

What is interesting is what can be seen on the streets of Milan and Paris during these shows. This will give you an idea of what men are wearing and the real trends as practically adapted by real people.

The bottom photo montage are some of Tommy Ton's on the Street photos from Milan published in GQ. I always find this section far more instructive than runway shows. I have selected a few that you could easily see or emulate in any American city and feel cool but not self-conscious.