As men we often neglect the importance of the shoes we wear. Women will spend a month’s wages on a pair of heels to make a statement but the typical man will settle for a £30 leather pair similar to the shoes they wore at School.
I’m not saying we need to overdo it, I’m just trying to stress the importance of the shoes you wear.
We did a video about a year ago where we hit the streets of London and asked women what they liked on a man and over 90% of them said ‘good shoes’.
A good pair of shoes can really dress up an outfit I recommend you check the elevator shoes. Throwing on a well fitted white tee with some dark denim jeans may be casual when worn with sneakers, but wear it with a Derby Shoe or a Brogue and immediately your outfit is suitable for a bar visit or casual dinner date.
Even if your day to day style doesn’t require dressing up, it’s still important to own at least one of these 5 dress shoes I’m about to recommend. Whether it’s to dress up a casual outfit for a night out or to wear with your suit at a wedding, I highly recommend you have at least one of the below in your wardrobe.
In a nutshell, if you’re reading this and you still think you don’t need to own a good pair of dress shoes… you’re wrong. Re-read the first few paragraphs.
What Makes A Good Shoe?
Before we dive into the 5 dress shoes every man should consider owning it’s important to understand what makes a good shoe.
Shoes are an investment piece. They’re something I’d always recommend spending more money on than you normally would. Why? It’s simple. Cheap shoes look, well, cheap and they also wear a lot quicker.
You could head out after reading this and buy yourself a pair of Brogues for £40 ignoring what I’m about to tell you.
The £40 pair of brogues are made with cheap leather, they’re mass produced and the quality of the stitching and sole makes a Shoe Shiner squeal.
Because of the poor quality this cheap pair of shoes you thought were a bargain quickly wear and after 8 months of weekly wears they’re simply unwearable. You head out and buy another pair for £40.
Over the space of a few years you’ve probably spent £250+ on dress shoes alongside having to go through the hassle of shopping each time.
On the flip side a stylish man knows that a well-made, quality pair of dress shoes can last them up to 10 years and sometimes beyond. A Goodyear Welted Construction means they can be resoled when worn, and hardwearing leather will withstand all weather conditions.
You could invest £200 in a good pair of shoes that last you years from now or you could spend a little amount to begin with knowing that you’ll be shopping for a new pair soon.
I know what I’d rather do…
Here are a few things to look for in a good pair of shoes.
The Leather
Make sure it’s 100% leather. Pay attention to the thickness of the leather as well, with thicker leather often meaning it will be a more hard wearing shoe but may be less flexible. Try to avoid bonded leather which is typically made from leftover scraps that are glued and bonded together.
Comfort
Don’t neglect comfort in return of the shoe being hardwearing. More modern shoes and typically ‘ready to wear’ shoes are often more flexible and take less time to ‘break in’. If you want to wear your dress shoes with more outfits it’s important to pay attention to the comfort.
Timeless
Investing in a good pair of shoes typically means you’ll wear them for years to come, therefore concentrating on a style that will outlast the trends is important. All of the 5 shoes I recommend in this article are ‘timeless’, they’re shoes that have been around for centuries and will continue to be stylish in centuries to come. Investing £300 in a pair of blue suede shoes because they’re on trend right now will typically lead to you hoarding them away in the wardrobe once the season passes.
Well Crafted
Paying attention to how the shoe is made is highly recommended. I always recommend a Goodyear Welt Construction which can easily be resoled if they start to wear. Other construction methods such as the Blake may be cheaper and will make the shoe more flexible but it’s often less resistant to water damage and repeated wear.
Shoemakers
Another thing to consider is buying directly from Shoemakers. There are a number of brands that focus solely on shoes and some of them have been producing high quality dress shoes for centuries. There reputation is built around the shoes they produce and they don’t just include them in a collection to boost sales.
I personally only buy shoes from specialised shoe brands such as John Lobb, Grenson, Crockett & Jones and Loake.
So let’s dive in, here are the 5 dress shoes I recommend every man to own.
