People do, in fact, look at a man’s shoes. If one wishes to dress to impress, he must not neglect his shoes.
A man should, at the very least, own three pairs of shoes. One for formal occasions, one for casual occasions, and one for play. This may be a pair of black dress shoes, brown casual shoes and a pair of sneakers, or it may be a pair of black dress shoes, a pair of brown or ox blood dress shoes, and a pair of sneakers. It may even be a pair of dress shoes, work boots, and sneakers. This depends on the man’s occupation. It does not make one less of a man to own less shoes, but to be properly dressed, one should have a goal of meeting this standard.
A quality pair of dress shoes can be the most expensive part of a gentleman’s wardrobe – but it does not have to be. Look for warehouse stores and end of season clearance to find bargains that give the impression of spending far more on a pair of shoes than one did. However, if a man buys cheap, low quality shoes, he will spend more in the long run as these will not last and will likely need replacing often.
Once a pair of dress shoes have been purchased, be sure to pick up a pair of shoe trees and a shoe horn. Use the horn to save the back when putting the shoes on. Use the shoe trees to protect the shape of the shoes by putting them in the shoes for the first few hours after they have been removed from the feet. The shoes will last longer and fit better.
A man should take the time to learn how to shine his shoes. A gentleman’s shoes are the closeted of his outfit to the ground and get scuffed and dirty easily. Properly polished shoes will speak volumes to the quality of gentleman a man is. One may get them shined for under $10, but a man can do it himself for less.
Also, shining shoes will allow a man find anything that on his shoes that needs repaired sooner and help him appreciate the quality of the shoes (and thus the cost). Remember, if Jesus can wash the feet of his disciples, there is no reason a gentleman can’t take the time to shine his own shoes.
If you don’t know how to shine shoes, here’s a quick video that will help.
Find a local cobbler that can fix or repair your shoes. Proper upkeep is less expensive than buying and breaking in a new pair of quality dress shoes.
When it comes to dress shoes, don’t forget the rules. A gentleman’s shoes should always match his belt as best they can. The more professional dressed, the better they should match.The darker the suit the darker the shoes. Yet remember, save that black suit for funerals. Charcoal is as dark as one should go with his suit. Also, don’t forget that a gentleman is sure to match his socks to his pants, and not his shoes.
Proper lacing is a follows:
A gentleman keeps his shoes clean, polished and treats them with respect. Shoes are like people, do not walk on them, walk with them. Just as one cares for and respects the people around him, a gentleman treats his shoes with care and respect. He polishes them and makes them look good, just as he polishes and shines the people around him. A gentleman should never treat his shoes better than a person and his shoes should be cared for so well that if he ever had to remove them and give them to another man, that man would treasure them as if they were still new, worthy of every penny originally paid for or more.
Image: Bontoni Mens Footwear by Robert Sheie, Some rights reserved.