On the eleventh day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Eleven pipers piping….. But the more salient question for shoe lovers like us is But what shoes did they wear? Well, traditional bagpipers wear brogues or wingtips, untanned leather shoes with a series of small holes in the toe cap to allow bog water to drain. Today, brogues are dress shoes which may have hole patterns ranging from a “full brogue,” or complete W shape, to a “half-brogue” and so forth.  To complete the piping ensemble, add a kilt and high dress socks.

But unless your man is planning on stomping through a swamp, your dress shoe gift choices are unlimited.  Why not think outside the dress shoe box and choose Ryan Rowe’s Crofton?  The blue suede detailing will set him apart at this season’s swankiest holiday shindigs, as will the slightly contrasting stitching in a full wingtip pattern.