Thread: Shoes!

I've never owned a truly nice pair of dress shoes. I've been wanting a pair of Johnston & Murphy's for a long time, and haven't gotten any yet. What are your favorite kinds of shoes? As men, we typically only have a few pairs separated by their function, so they should be quality, right?

Just a few random findings, paid for over 25 years in blisters, blood, and copious amounts of money.

• Comfortable shoe are not.
• Shoes fit or do not.
• Shoes require more time in care than razors.
• Shoetree, polish, wax, brushes, and polishing cloths can be more expensive than shoes.
• Brand names are meaningless unless the brand is carried by supermarkets.
• No brown or brogues after 5pm.
• Have your feet checked. If you do not need a last, do not get one. If you do, get one.
• Get a rotation, or your shoes will rot. Minimum is 3 pairs, unless your shoes get wet.
• Horse hide is desirable, but expensive, and often of mediocre quality.
• This is a useful forum out of many.

That would be all, I think. The rest is down to your local customs ("I last wore shoes like that when I was 15") and taste ("You do not really intend to wear petrol green shoes to work, do you?"). Happy hunting.

Crokett & Jones - dress
Sebago - casual
Plastic flip flops - the beach

Originally Posted by Ditch Doc

As men, we typically only have a few pairs separated by their function, so they should be quality, right?

Speak for yourself! I wear a suit every day, so I have numerous pairs of dress shoes, and I do try to buy quality when I can. Allen-Edmonds is great, but their shoes tend to be a bit heavy and are expensive (though not markedly more so than Johnston & Murphy). The better Florsheim and Bostonian shoes are good as well.

I have, hrm, two pairs of brown wingtips, two pair black, a pair of black cap toes, oxblood wingtips and cap toes, and two pair of spectator shoes (white/black and tan/brown).

Originally Posted by JerseyLawyer

Speak for yourself! I wear a suit every day, so I have numerous pairs of dress shoes, and I do try to buy quality when I can.

I would like to second that, if I may. Well looked after shoes can easily last 8-10 years. However, that requires diligent care, and quality products. Incidentally, Allen Edmonds has a very nice range of shoe care products at reasonable prices.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are products like BURGOL Feinpolierbürsten aus Yakhaar. A bit on the pricey side, but worth every ¢.While we are at it, Burgol shoe polish cannot be beat (picture on page 6 - impressive).

Originally Posted by JerseyLawyer

Allen-Edmonds is great, but their shoes tend to be a bit heavy and are expensive (though not markedly more so than Johnston & Murphy).

Personally, I find them rather inexpensive by comparison. AE offers a quality similar to that of Alden, or Church, but at much more reasonable prices. However, whatever leather they use for their soles is not quite what I would expect. Having brass tips added helps a lot, though.

Originally Posted by JerseyLawyer

I have, hrm, two pairs of brown wingtips, two pair black, a pair of black cap toes, oxblood wingtips and cap toes, and two pair of spectator shoes (white/black and tan/brown).

A rotation of 6 black wing tips in various shapes and forms; oxblood loafers; patent leather shoes for the tux and morning coat; and some other random stuff. Hm. Looks like my favourite dealer still does not have a website. Too bad. Any road, time to get off my shoe box...

Originally Posted by Ditch Doc

I've never owned a truly nice pair of dress shoes. I've been wanting a pair of Johnston & Murphy's for a long time, and haven't gotten any yet. What are your favorite kinds of shoes? As men, we typically only have a few pairs separated by their function, so they should be quality, right?

I have to wear dress shoes to work as well.

The best advice I can give is:
- The fit is way more important than the price. Each manufacturer has their own 'lasts' that have subtle dimensional differences. Find a manufacturer that fits, first. Then pick a style.

- Black goes with almost everything.

- Wingtips are usually nice shoes, but suit the right suit/clothes/situation. This is my opinion.

- Use shoe trees to store your shoes.. even if it is for a few days. Buy the wood ones and not the plastic. The wood will absorb the excess moitsture inside the shoe and keep it newer..longer.

- A high shine on the shoe is usually reserved for something formal or higher end positions in companies. A flat finish is perfectly acceptable in social situations or standard business applications.


Good luck !

... and remember, you dont have to spend a fortune on a good pair of shoes

Allen Edmonds.... VERY nice shoes! I still have the pair of wingtips I bought in 1993 at Nordstrom's in Portland, Oregon.

They've been refreshed by Allen Edmonds just once and they still feel great and look good.

I have had good luck with Johnston & Murphy and Allen Edmonds.

For a work boot I like boots from White Shoe Company in Spokane, Washington. They make the boots that are popular with the Smoke Jumpers.

In 1974 when I went to work as a Railroad Policeman I soon learned that the ballast on the track would destroy a good pair of boots quickly.

I ordered a pair of the Smoke Jumper boots and have had them for 17 years, sent back to the factory several times for soles and heels.

These are custom made boots made to your particular foot pattern and are wel l worth the money.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

I would like to second that, if I may. Well looked after shoes can easily last 8-10 years. However, that requires diligent care, and quality products. Incidentally, Allen Edmonds has a very nice range of shoe care products at reasonable prices.

And I, for one, will second that. Men's shoes basically never go out of style, and last for a very long time. I have a pair of shoes that I've had resoled at least five or six times (though they aren't AE, and are probably ready to be retired at this point. But still, they lasted seven or eight years).

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Personally, I find them rather inexpensive by comparison. AE offers a quality similar to that of Alden, or Church, but at much more reasonable prices. However, whatever leather they use for their soles is not quite what I would expect. Having brass tips added helps a lot, though.

Yes, I've noticed that the factory soles on the AE shoes wear out rather more quickly than I would think proper. That is probably the only downside I've noticed with their work. And I suppose compared to Alden and Church, they are downright cheap, but compared to, say, Florsheim, they're expensive. The quality is apparent, though. I mean, if you're a grownup, and wearing a suit, don't ruin the look with payless pleather wingtips with rubber soles.

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

A rotation of 6 black wing tips in various shapes and forms; oxblood loafers; patent leather shoes for the tux and morning coat; and some other random stuff. Hm. Looks like my favourite dealer still does not have a website. Too bad. Any road, time to get off my shoe box...

Oh, we were counting other than business shoes? I won't even go into it.

at one point, I had 27 PAIRS of shoes in my closet. I have since cleaned a few out, but I have 16 or 17 pairs, easy.

it's true that rotating shoes causes them to last much longer, and also smell much fresher

my oldest pair of shoes is 14 years old, some OneSport hiking boots, they are on their second set of soles, though, I wore the first ones clean off.

as far as dress shoes, i have 5 or 6 pairs to match different outfits