Quoddy Blusher Moccasin.

The Ivy League style – also referred to as “Trad”, “Preppy” or lately, “Old Money” – originates from the type of clothes worn by students at the Ivy League universities of America. It was captured in 1965 by the Japanese photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida, in his book, Take Ivy, and since then, it has become a defining style of menswear around the world. It’s the perfect blend of smart, casual and sporting style – but crucially, it’s always comfortable. As for brands, today’s Preppy staples include Ralph Lauren, Brookes Brothers, L.L. Bean, Murray’s Nantucket Reds and the subject of this article, the shoemaker Quoddy.

Quoddy has been hand making shoes in Maine for a long time. In fact, its roots can be traced back to the early 1900s, when Harry Smith Shorey (who used to be a hand-sewer for L.L.Bean) began making shoes of his own. The company itself was not established until 1947, however, after which it quickly gained a reputation for high-quality, hand-made footwear. 

Quoddy still make their shoes by hand in their workshop in Lewiston, with each generation of craftspeople passing on their knowledge to the next generation. It is currently run by Kirsten and Kevin Shorey, who see themselves very much as only the present custodians of the brand and its values. 

The company uses only the finest leathers and its shoes are made to last – in other words, to be repaired (or, as Quoddy puts it, “refreshed”) when necessary. Quoddy shoes are among that elite category of handcrafted products that build a real relationship with their wearers, with each pair developing a patina unique to their owner. 

Unfortunately, we must pick just one product to focus on, so we're featuring their Blucher: a shoe that combines the construction of a classic moccasin with a traditional blucher’s open lacing system, for a shape that cradles your foot in comfort and is easy to step into and take off. The uppers are tooled in pull-up leather or suede and hand-sewn for superior comfort and durability, while the wedged camp outsoles are crafted for superior wet or dry traction underfoot. Finished with pinking around the collar, the shoes also feature lacquered eyelets and rawhide laces. 

Like all Quoddy shoes, they are soft and supremely comfortable, not to mention great value for money. No wonder the Ivy Leaguers adopted them with such enthusiasm.