This week I’ll be making my predictions for the upcoming year, my first prediction is the reemergence of the single monk strap shoe. 2011 may have been the year of the double monk, but it’s only a matter of time before their single strapped brother steps into the spotlight. The monk strap has its origins in fifteenth century European monasteries where the monks wore shoes with a front strap as opposed to laces. According to a popular myth, an English friar came to visit one of these monasteries and was so taken by the monk strap shoes that he was given a pair. Upon returning home, the Englishman began wearing the monk strap and the style was quickly reproduced and disseminated throughout the country. Much like the double monk strap, the single monk has been a popular style within Europe for centuries, but it has only recently begun to gain traction here in the states. While the double monk is a statement of a shoe – distinct, recognizable, and borderline flashy – the single monk is a much more understated option. As opposed to the obvious straps on the double monks, the single monk strap thrives off the subtly of a lone strap that falls crisply onto the quarter of the shoe. By keeping the closure high on the shoe, the single monk is left with an elongated, unbroken vamp. This clean, dignified look will make the single monk a desirable option in 2012, as we begin to search for a shoe that is classy, and confident without being brash.