A monk strap is the sensible shoe for a man who does not want to think about laces. In The World Is Not Enough, Pierce Brosnan’s Bond wears the Church’s Presley, a black monk-strap shoe with a plain toe, a narrow strap and a single buckle. It looks as good now as it did in 1999, and it is the shoe to copy if you want to wear a suit with no fuss.
In the film
Bond wears the Presley in The World Is Not Enough (1999), notably in the pre-title sequence at the bank in Bilbao, with a Brioni suit, a Turnbull & Asser tie and a Samsonite case. It is a minimal shoe, as a source on Bond’s tailoring describes it, with a plain toe and a narrow strap and buckle. A later scene has him in a light brown monk shoe with a larger strap, which is a different pair. A forum post says Church’s had a product tie-in for the film; we have not confirmed that.
The details
Plain toe. There is no toe cap and no brogueing, so the shoe has one clean line from heel to toe. It is the most formal way to wear a monk strap.
A narrow strap and single buckle. The strap is slim rather than broad, which keeps the shoe quiet. A heavier strap looks more casual.
Wearing it now
This is a business shoe. Wear it with a navy or charcoal suit, a white or pale blue shirt and plain dark socks. It also works with a dinner suit in an informal setting, though a laced plain oxford is the safer choice for strict black tie. A monk strap loses a little formality as the strap gets broader, so the narrow Presley sits closer to a dress shoe than most.
The Presley is out of production as a standard line. A seller of a pre-owned pair says it was available only as a custom order, and quotes the original retail price as £475. Pairs turn up second-hand, so we would search by the name and your UK size, and check the sole and heel. The Presley is not sold new, and we would not claim otherwise.
In the same spirit
These are alternatives, not the shoe from the film. Church’s still makes monk-strap shoes: the Westbury is the closest current style to the film pair, according to one source, and is on Church’s men’s shoes page. From our catalogue, the Crockett & Jones Highbury in black calf is a plain black dress shoe that sits in the same territory.
Specifications
| Maker | Church’s |
|---|---|
| Model | Presley |
| Style | Black monk strap, plain toe, narrow strap and buckle |
| Availability | Out of production as a standard line; found second-hand. One seller quotes an original price of £475 |
Questions
What shoes does Bond wear in The World Is Not Enough?
The Church’s Presley, a black monk-strap shoe with a plain toe, narrow strap and buckle. He also wears a light brown monk shoe later in the film.
Can you still buy the Church’s Presley?
Not new, as far as we have found. It is found second-hand; the nearest current Church’s style is the Westbury, according to one source.
Can you wear monk-strap shoes with a suit?
Yes. A plain-toe black monk strap with a narrow strap suits a business suit well.
For more from the film, see The World Is Not Enough and Pierce Brosnan’s Bond, or browse more shoes.
