Shoe Lacing - Have I Finally Gone Too Far?

In the last year or so since I've joined B&B, I've taken up a lot of new interests. I've spent a lot of time researching (and too much $$ purchasing) shaving supplies, fountain pens and ink, shoes, coffee, etc. My wife has taken it all with good humor, knowing that I do get obsessed interested in some strange unique hobbies.

Anyway, with my recent purchase of some new shoes, I realized that there are actually many different ways to lace shoes and that some actually look better than others! Who knew? This morning, my wife walks in and sees me staring at my phone with my shoes unlaced in my lap. I try to explain to her that these nice shoes will actually look even nicer if I use "Straight Bar Lacing", but that there are an odd number of eyelets, so I have to figure out how to implement the workaround. After 14 years of marriage, I think that I've finally found the limit of her patience!

I tried to explain to my kids that there are 43 cool different ways that you can tie your shoes (http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacingmethods.htm), but they weren't interested either. Well, at least I have you guys to share my excitement with!

That's...
I don't...
But....
Hmm...

Excuse me while I go check my laces.
Add in lace material color coordination we could start a new sub forum to rival The Nib.

To solve the odd/even problem, you can skip the bottom eyelets. This is what I do on my work shoes, where the laces are too short.

Yup, I've done that. And then gone back to "normal" lacing. Then back again. My wife doesn't understand.

Either this will mess with your head or it'll just get added to the list as number 44...

http://www.patrolstore.com/Magnum-Boot-Lace-in-8-Eyelet-Zipper-p-11453.html

I wear pull-on boots, so odd lacing is of no interest

dpm802 said:

To solve the odd/even problem, you can skip the bottom eyelets. This is what I do on my work shoes, where the laces are too short.

Click to expand...

There's a workaround on the website where you run the lace twice on the second set of eyelets. Seems to be working great so far today!

In the early 80s there was a fad for wide fat shoe laces for your sneakers. We called them New Yorkers laces around here. The laces usually had patterns on them of some sort and then you laced your shoes in different configurations. Kids were changing their shoe laces every day or two. This was around the time the checkered slip on vans were all the rage mostly due to Fast Times at Ridgemont High's Jeff Spicoli, at least at my school.

Fiend606 said:

In the early 80s there was a fad for wide fat shoe laces for your sneakers. We called them New Yorkers laces around here. The laces usually had patterns on them of some sort and then you laced your shoes in different configurations. Kids were changing their shoe laces every day or two. This was around the time the checkered slip on vans were all the rage mostly due to Fast Times at Ridgemont High's Jeff Spicoli, at least at my school.

Click to expand...

My new sneakers aren't in style anymore?

Back when I was talking about like 1 in 3 or 4 kids in most middle schools or high schools were wearing those style of vans. The stores at the mall couldn't keep them in stock.

I must admit that I am also somewhat interested in shoe lacing. It started because I hate what the web site you shared refers to as "shoe shop lacing" (the default factory lacing for many brands) and began looking for alternatives.

Cool lacing patterns. Thanks for posting.

I use variations of straight across lacing in my dress shoes.

Wait... I need laces for my shoes?

Haggises said:

...we could start a new sub forum to rival The Nib.

Click to expand...

This would be impossible.

Having recently become interested in shoes, I appreciate the lacing info. Cheers for that, David!

-Andy

I couldn't sleep last night so I took a good look at that lacing site. I ended up re-lacing my sneakers with the Army Lacing and tying them with the Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot. It made a difference in the feel of the shoes today. They were more comfortable and I didn't have the constricted tight feeling over the top of my feet. I may try out some of the others but I like the lacing and knot so much I'm keeping it for awhile.