An illustrated how-to guide to our favorite lace ups
Trendy, stylish, sophisticated or cool, there's more than one way to lace a shoe. Find a pattern that fits your personality
Knotted: The Analyst
A lacing style that stands out for its subtle knot details, the Analyst is both studied and focused and is the perfect complement to shoes with perfing and pinking.
Pull the lace straight across and feed up through the first eyelets.
Pull the ends across diagonally, cross the laces and loop each end back to the side it came from.
Feed ends under sides, up through next eyelets, and then repeat until complete.
Ladder: The Executive
Bold, brash, self-confident and a little arrogant, no lacing pattern is more overstated or calls attention to itself and your shoes more than the Executive.
Pull the lace straight across and up through the bottom eyelet.
Run each end vertically up to the next eyelet, then, after going down through the eyelet, criss cross the laces.
Pull the ends over the sides, feed them under the vertical lace sections and then down through the above set of eyelets. Continue pattern until complete.
Double Back: The Architect
Form really does meet function with this lacing technique that adds structure to any shoe and is reminiscent of the lattice work on a modern skyscraper.
Pull the lace straight across and feed up through the first eyelets.
Skip down a set of eyelets, cross the laces diagonally and over the side, and then feed them down through the next eyelet. Repeat down to the bottom eyelet.
Run each end vertically up to the next eyelet. Then, following the same over and down pattern, criss cross the laces through the vacant eyelets.
Diagonal: The Individualist
Sometimes something as subtle as a lacing pattern can speak volumes about the wearer. This one says that you go your own way and make your own rules.
Keeping the ends even, pull one end up through one bottom eyelet, over then under the sides, and up through the other bottom eyelet.
Pull the other end across diagonally, up through the second eyelet, and across and down through the next eyelet on the opposite side.
Repeat the pattern until complete.
Hash: The Innovator
A design that breaks the mold, the intricate pattern has a dizzying effect on the observer and adds levity to any shoe style.
Pull the lace straight across and feed up through first eyelets.
Skip up a set of eyelets, cross the laces diagonally and over the sides, and then feed them down through the next eyelets.
Run each end vertically down to the skipped eyelet. Then, following the same over and down pattern, continue until finished.
Bow Tie: The Sartorialist
Like a fine bespoke suit, each loop of the shoe is perfectly stitched together to form a classic yet fashion forward look.
Pull the lace straight across and feed up through the first eyelets.
Pull the ends across diagonally and down through the next eyelets.
Underneath the sides, lace across diagonally and up through the next eyelets. Repeat the pattern until complete.
Straight Lace: The Thinker
This introspective look is a simple and elegant way to arrive at a lacing solution and looks best with plain toe, dress balmorals.
Pull the lace straight across and down through the first eyelets.
Feed one end underneath diagonally to the next eyelet, then over straight across.
Feed the other end diagonally to the next open eyelet, then over straight across; continue alternately feeding up and across until lacing is completed.
Crisscross: The Traditionalist
Tradition with a twist best describes this lacing pattern which at first glance looks like a basic crisscross pattern but in reality is much more.
Pull the lace straight across and feed up through the first eyelets.
Cross the ends to create an "X," then feed them under the sides and up through the next eyelets.
Repeat crossing and feeding under and up until lacing is completed.
