Getting a fresh pair of kicks as a kid was the best feeling, right? Inside that future diorama vessel was one’s status. A new pair of Nike Air or Adidas shell tops (Airwalks once) would always impress your classmates.
As an adult, nothing will make a man more impressive than a pair of proper footwear—the true anchors of men’s style.
After this column debuted in February (I’ve noticed a lot more pocket squares around town, nice job!), a lot of guys asked questions regarding shoes. What color goes with what color suit? Wingtips or double monk-strap? And, if you can’t name one men’s shoes designer other than Nike, we’re in trouble.
Basics. Men’s shoes are broken down into four main food groups: oxfords, loafers, casual and athletic. Oxfords are any variety of dress shoes with laces; loafers are without laces. Casual can be boots, boat shoes or sneakers, but not running shoes—that’s athletic. Think Converse’s iconic Chuck Taylors vs. Reebok ZPump Fusion—a ‘90s comeback!
Any man should have at least a pair of black and brown dress shoes, any variety. Match your shoes with your belt—always! Black shoes work best with navy, gray, charcoal or black suits. Brown shoes pair well with navy, tan, coffee and even some medium-gray suits. Wanna go further? Oxblood-colored shoes work best with blue suits and walnut plays nicely with light gray. For better visuals, there are plenty of shoe-and-suit combo charts online and on Pinterest.
Fellas, they might be comfortable, but please stop wearing the square-toed, thick-soled Dockers or Rockport slip-ons that come in wonderful shades of matte Tootsie Roll. Stop it. You helped kill cobblers. If there’s one thing to splurge a little on, let it be shoes.
A well-dressed, professional man should have polished, hard-soled dress shoes. Think about it: Our eyes are attracted to the shine and quality. Take a close look at Jimmy Fallon’s shoes next time.
Remember: clean, simple details truly matter.
If you can afford it, choose Allen Edmonds ($250 to $385). Me? I try to fit my 12E feet at shoe outlets like DSW or online. eBay will even have discounted off-season styles.
You’ll never go wrong with a classic pair of wingtips with broguing (tiny holes). These often showcase a shoemaker’s well-stitched leatherwork. Style fact: the holes were originally designed for Celtic countrymen to allow bog water to seep out. Choose a lighter brown pair with a deep burnish at the toe. You can also achieve this look yourself with dark shoe polish.
If you want something a little trendier, the double-monk strap is top choice. Pick up a pair without broguing for a streamlined look. Double monk-straps are great versatile anchors for work and play. You can wear ‘em with chinos or jeans with either a blazer or button-down.
Want to really stand out? Spectators are great wingtips for summer. They’re the two-tone, bone-and-biscuit shoe that’ll impress anyone at that wedding or garden party.
If you already have decent dress shoes, I have one easy and affordable tip that’ll set you apart—colored laces. You may have noticed this style creep up in out-of-the-box kicks, as well. Swap out those brown or black dress shoelaces for your favorite color. You can get a four-pack for $7 on Amazon. This is especially great for your casual leather boots and suede chukkas.
“Boat dockers” are another great staple for summer. Try rocking a colored canvas pair instead of the brown leather Sperry’s. Canvas shoes are more breathable and infinitely better looking than sandals with socks—or Crocs.
Once you’ve plopped down a pretty penny for your penny loafers, you must invest in shoetrees. They are usually made of cedar (to defeat stinky feet) and fit inside your shoe to help keep its form and shape. This decreases unwanted creases where your toes flex.
Since the cobbler closed downtown, your best bet is to head to Top Shelf Menswear in New Cumberland. I’ve noticed Dave Wise has a forest of shoetrees and will prune your bad habits with his extensive knowledge on this stuff.
Wise would even tell ya, “Keep ‘em shined!” No Internet banana-peel tricks. Just use some good, old-fashioned shoe polish, an old T-shirt and elbow grease. Women may still have our closets beat with quantity of shoes, but we should at least battle back with quality. Remember, it always feels good to upgrade your anchors.
Our Sharp Press Man, Dave Marcheskie, is a reporter for abc27 News. If you’d like to ask Dave a question, please email it to info@theburgnews.com. He may use it in a future column.
This column is sponsored by and the shoes were provided by Top Shelf Menswear, 300 Bridge St., New Cumberland, 717-770-2080. www.topshelfmenswear.com.
