Shoes
Contents
Foreword
Shoes are the cornerstone of every outfit. Shoes are the most abused pieces in your wardrobe by default. Shoes say everything. You can wear the finest tops and jeans by whomever but it will be worth nothing if you run around in a cheap pair of walmart sandals. Enjoy wear and tear in moderation. There is a difference between signs of age and just looking like shit. More expensive shoes/materials usually age better. Try to avoid shoes from fast-fashion stores.
General Types and Styles of Shoes
Oxfords and Derbies
The two most common styles of men's dress shoes, the oxford and derby are distinguished by their "lacing type," or how the eyelet tabs are stitched in relation to the vamp. Oxfords (variations of which include Balmorals and Adelaides) feature a "closed lacing" style in which the eyelet tabs are stitched underneath the vamp. Derbies (such as Bucks, Derbies, and Bluchers) feature an "open lacing" style in which the tabs are stitched on top of the vamp (see picture for details). In general, derbies are considered more casual and oxfords more formal.
Other Styles
Loafers and Boat Shoes
- Low cut shoes with no or largely nonfunctional laces and typically a moc toe construction. Generally considered more casual than a laced shoe.
Chukka
- An ankle length boot with two or three pairs of eyelets. Worn casually, desert boots are a popular style of chukka.
Monk Strap
- A style of laceless shoe closed with one or two straps and buckles. A monk shoe with two straps may be refered to as a "double monk."
Embellishments
Brogues
- Any shoe or boot with broguing--small decorative perforations, often along with serrations along the visible edges (e.g. along the throat line, toe cap, and tongue). A shoe can simultaneously be an oxford (or derby) and a pair of "brogues". Due to the functional purpose of broguing, brogues were originally considered a casual shoe, but this is no longer true. Brogueing can be found on both casual and formal shoes.
- Additionally, there are different terms for the extent and style of broguing: the popular full brogue (or wingtip), semi-brogue, quarter brogue, as well as the longwing style.
Cap Toe
- A shoe with an extra layer of material covering the toe of the shoe. There are different styles of toe caps, but generally when a shoe is refered to as "cap toed" it will be a simple cap like the one shown to the right. A toe cap can be found on any type of shoe from dress shoes, to boots, and even sneakers.
Moc Toe
- Short for moccasin toe, a construction wherein visible seams run along the toe box of a shoe.
Leather Shoes and Boots (A List of Recommendations)
Dress Shoes and Boots
- Under $200
- Bass
- Chippewa Classics (boots)
- Clarks (boots)
- Florsheim
- Johnston & Murphy
- LL Bean (esp. their Katahdin boot)
- Sebago boat shoes
- Sperry boat shoes
- Thorogood (boots)
- William Lennon (boots, UK)
- $200 & UP
- Allen Edmonds
- Eastland Made In Maine
- Florsheim Imperial
- Grenson
- Loake (UK)
- Meermin
- Oak Street Bootmakers (boots, boat shoes, and loafers)
- Quoddy (boots, boat shoes, loafers)
- Rancourt
- Red Wing Heritage
- Wolverine 1000 Mile
- YMC
- $400 & UP
- Alden (shoes and boots)
- Buttero (boots)
- Church's
- Carmina
- Crockett and Jones
- Danner
- Dayton (esp. Service Boots )
- Harry's of London
- Mark McNairy
- Paul Smith
- Paul Stuart
- Salvatore Ferragamo
- Sebago Made In Maine
- Yuketen
- $700 & UP
- Botega Veneta
- Corthay
- Dolce and Gabbana
- Edward Green
- Gaziano and Girling
- George Esquivel
- Lanvin
- John Lobb
- Maison Martin Margiela
- Prada
- Saint Crispin
- Scarpe Di Bianco
- Thom Browne
- Visvim
Options for Vegans and Ethical Vegetarians
Sneakers
Canvas Sneakers
Converse, Jack Purcell, Pro Keds, Keds, Vans, Sperry, Tretorn, Superga, PF Flyers, Seavees.
Leather and Suede Sneakers
New Balance, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Vans Vault, Common Projects, Seavees, Buttero, Svensson, Maison Martin Margiela
