My first 'proper' shoes I bought myself were some desert boots in cola. Since then I've aways had a soft-spot.
My tuppence about Clarks, most fall to pieces after a while but the odd pair last. Had my new wallebee's since before summer and the heels are still in good condition.
Padmore & Barnes have much better construction but run small & are quite heavy imo, not really a good thing for a summer shoe.
Had about 5 or 6 pairs of Wild Bunch shoes, construction is great and ain't going to break the bank.