While many menswear designers continue to rethink heritage workwear styling, others are returning to the classics to find inspiration in formal footwear. Recent dress shoe design toys with tradition with daring moves toward bold soles and contrasting patterns. Pioneered by the likes of Mark McNairy, many designers have offered their take in new collections, promoting a playful side of menswear. Here are five of our favorite styles from the Fall 2012 collections.

Florsheim by Duckie Brown

A new design from the Fall/Winter 2012 collection set to debut at New York Fashion Week, the Wedge Brogue blends current trends with mountaineering style eyelets, an exaggerated PU sole and warm color for a truly contemporary take on the classic longwing style. The standout design aims to bring a bit of life to the onset of winter next season.

Mark McNairy

Straying from the neon Vibram sole that's become synonymous with the McNairy name, these suede longwings still manage the signature flair without the overwhelming color palette. Traditionally a rather formal design, the classic silhouette is dressed down nicely here with a platform sole and contrasting green suede upper for a strong look.

Caminando

Similarly tackling the full brogue, the Tokyo-based brand Caminando injects significant aesthetic impact into a simple idea. Although the colors are a bit tame compared to the rest, the jagged sole on the Wingtip Ripple makes them an a key piece in dressing up an understated outfit.

Swear

Bright without being ostentatious, the simple Lou 4 features a brilliant blue PU sole in contrast against the perfectly clean black leather upper. The resulting aesthetic exudes easy confidence.

GRAM

The 380g insjön runner takes its distinct look from fabric woven by Insjöns Väveri, the sole fabric makers for the Swedish Royal Court. Woven on 1930s-era looms, the heavy-duty cotton and linen blend makes the collaboration shoe an elegant, fun and extremely durable choice.

Seattle-based Vim Beget makes jewelry and accessories with a vaguely antique aesthetic, blurring the barrier between past and present. Each piece of burnished silver is finished with rusted steel, affording it its own unique look and feel—the upshot of hours spent in the hands of sole designer Billy Bartels.

Deeply rooted in the process, Bartels believes a hands-on approach makes the the end result worthwhile, and cuts each link separately before hand weaving them into a chain for bracelets and necklaces. "It's a lengthy process but something that can't be matched by a machine," he admits.

Materials are central to the process, and the designer takes a thoughtful approach to selecting the right combination. "The metals we use are very specific to the function as well as the aesthetic," says Bartels. "We use German silver not only because it's stronger and holds the weave better, but because the weave we do is a dated art and German silver is closest to the type of metal used traditionally when it was made hundreds and even thousands of years ago."

Similarly, the rings are first hand-carved from wax then cast in sterling silver. From there the finishing process involves sanding, forming, blackening and polishing to give the metal a distinct texture. Bartels has produced spectacular custom pieces as well, like the pair of nesting rings he recently cast in Shibuichi, an ancient Japanese alloy of fine silver and copper originally used for decorative elements on Katana swords.

In addition to their sterling silver rings and handwoven bracelets, Vim Beget also makes a number of fine leather goods crafted with the same attention to detail. With prices ranging between $95 and $295, Vim Beget is sold online as well as at a number of boutiques in the U.S. For a deeper look at the process behind the brand and the jewelry check out the Vim Beget blog.

On a recent trip to Vancouver, British Columbia we were pleased to discover Alex Fairbairn's line of finely made leather goods, Wülf Work at the new shop Much & Little. The Swedish hardware on buckles and fasteners complemented the fine leatherwork, all of which is crafted under the company's philosophy of sustainablity and innovation.

The young brand foregoes traditional machine-stamping methods and opts instead to laser-cut their leathers, which lends each product a clean, precise edge. Each item is hand-sewn and burnished to enhance the personalized aesthetic, during a process that's closely monitored to keep production local and minimize material use. The brand fit well with the simple and solidly designed wares at the similarly focused boutique, which also carries Matteo bedding, Small Trades striped cotton shirts and whale knives by Japanese government-certified sickle-maker Tetsu Yamashita.

Besides Much & Little, Wülf Work is available in-store at the Vancouver boutique Crome Yellow.