Dressing for Success

Footwear

The State of Men’s Shoes• The majority of shoes seen on the feet of men today are not quality products created with top

grade materials and designed to last. Sadly, many of the shoes offered combine poor quality with high prices. A tragedy indeed.

• For men’s business attire, good shoes provide the foundation of a professional look.

Why quality shoes• They will last as long as you take care of them. Having a pair last 20+ years is not out of the

question.

• They can easily be repaired. Here is a pair of shoes that were re-crafted by a cobbler.

What is a quality shoe• Leather. A quality shoe is made using grain leather,

that is, leather where the fur is removed, tanned and that is all. Many of the shoes available readily today are made using corrected grain leather. Corrected grain is where the leather is sanded to remove imperfections and then dyed and filled to color the leather. Often this type of leather looks ‘plastic’ or has a very high shine, reminiscent of patent leather.

• Construction. A quality shoe is sewn together. There are a few different methods. Goodyear welting is the most popular but Blake, Bologna, Norwegian and some other forms are also used, most notably by many Italian makers. Most shoes readily available today are glued or cemented. This method does not allow for easy repair of the shoes.

What do you want in a business shoe?

• Quality leather

• Sewn Construction using one of the methods discussed before

• Leather sole

About shoe styles

• For dress shoes the biggest distinction is how the ‘quarters’ relate to the ‘vamp’.

• ‘Closed Laces’ – more formal

• ‘Open Laces’ – less formal

Shoe Shapes

• Shoes are made on shapes called ‘Lasts’. The last determines the shape of the shoe. Some lasts are taller, wider, longer, thinner. The affect the fit and appearance of the shoe.

Formality

• The Cap Toe Balmoral is the dressiest men’s shoe. They are appropriate for interviews, funerals, weddings and can even been worn with a tux if you lack evening shoes.

• More decoration decreases the formality.

Formality

• The same rule applies for ‘open lace’ shoes. Sometimes known as ‘Derby’ shoes.

What of other styles

• Monk Strap• Dress boots• Chukka Boots

• These can all be worn in a business environment given the right shoe and situation.

Things to avoid

• Square toe shoes. You have feet, not flippers.

• Rubber soles. If you must have rubber on the bottom, have your cobbler put a rubber ‘topy’ on the front portion of your quality shoe.

• Bicycle toe shoes are considered by most a mis-step but that could be considered a personal taste choice.

Color

• Darker is more formal. • However, dark brown and burgundy are

appropriate for formal business attire as well. (unless you are in England)

• In summer you can wear lighter colored shoes.

What of other materials

• Suede is great. With gray flannel it is considered classic. Fred Astaire was known for this combination.

• Cordovan – is actually made from horse, not cow. More durable and warmer than leather this is a great material. The burgundy, also known a no 8 is the classic ‘Cordovan’ color. Alden is the classic maker of cordovan shoes.

But what of the ‘slip on’?

• Loafers were designed for leisure activities. American’s have made them “OK” for business wear.

• Traditionally, the tassel loafer is as casual a shoe as you can get. Seeing it with a somber solid suit is pairing items from the opposite spectrum of business wear.

• If you must wear slip ons, look for high vamp designs that look like regular oxxfords at first glance.

The basic business shoe collection

The business casual shoe collection

Shoe Care• Always use shoe trees. They help the shoe

retain it’s shape and keep from breaking down.• Rotate your shoes. Do not wear the same pair

two days in a row. Shoes need a chance to dry out between wearings. This will increase their lifespan more than anything else.

• Polish your shoes often. And use a leather conditioner each time. This will keep the leather soft and will also help develop a better ‘patina’ to brown shoes over time.

• Use a shoe horn. This prevents you from breaking down the heel cup of the shoe.

• Avoid the ‘polish sponges’. They contain chemicals that are not good for your nice shoes. Use real shoe polish or visit a quality shoe shine person.

Shoe Brands – High End

• Edward Green - English• John Lobb - English• Gaziano & Girling - • Vass - Hungarian• Santoni – Italian• Polo Purple Label – Made by Edward

Green• Sutor Mantellassi - Italian

Shoe Brands – Mid Range

• Crockett & Jones - English• Martegani – Italian• Alden – American• Ferragamo – Tramezza line• JM Weston• Polo Blue label from England – Made by Crockett

& Jones• A. Testoni - Italian

Shoe Brands – Entry Level

• Allen Edmonds – American• Alfred Sargent - English• Loake – their 1880 line - English• Trickers – English• Yanko - Spanish• RM Williams – Australian• Brooks Brothers – Peal line (actually made

by Alfred Sargent or Crockett & Jones)• Grenson – esp. their Rose collection –

English• Paul Stuart – made by Grenson