A Man’s quick guide to shoes

Having a superb pair of shoes is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Even sneaker and hoodie guys will occasionally need to suit-up, and opportunity favours the prepared. How many pairs of shoes do you own right now? And be honest with yourself – it’s no longer a secret that us millennial gentleman like to take a little more care of our appearance.

Many men suffer from a general lack of knowledge when it comes to fashion, and in particular luxury shoes for men. For example, although we own all the right shoes, we often mistakenly pair them with the wrong weathers, environments, and clothes; think of the guy wearing socks and sandals in the middle of a really wet winter.

A man should care about his footwear if for no other reason than the fact that it constitutes the very foundation he stands upon.

Ideally, you want to choose footwear that is both functional and stylish–by following these footwear selection principles this goal can be easily achieved.

Wear the right shoe for the occasion – this is the most common mistake men make when it comes to footwear.  Running shoes have a purpose; they protect your feet while running.  Steel toe work boots have a purpose; they protect your feet while working. 

And wearing these shoes outside their prescribed function is fine as long as they are still appropriate; however, many of us take this to an extreme and have abandoned the middle ground between formal and ultra-casual. Just look at the formal shoes for women, they’re clearly designed for office occasions and can’t be worn for jogging. Treat your shoes likewise.

Invest in quality – Not everyone can afford to spend lots of money to buy luxury shoes for men; however, many of those who can instead choose to waste money elsewhere and buy new inferior shoes every few years.  This is never a winning strategy, as low-quality footwear is held together with glue and made with cheap raw materials such as cardboard and paper that does not age well.

You can save money in the long term by buying more expensive shoes that last for decades. To buy quality, you will have to save and budget for the purchase.  This isn’t a bad thing–in fact, it can instill a respect for the quality of the product and encourage you to take better care of them when purchased.

Take care of your shoes – What’s the one stereotype that is definitely true for men – the inability to maintain or conserve a thing with proper care, we’re too lazy. But if you take care of your shoes, they’ll take care of your fashion statement and of course your feet. When you consider luxury shoes for men, they seem to require little maintenance because of their superior quality. But that doesn’t mean they don’t require care.

Clean your shoes with proper utilities – don’t just immerse them in water. Rotate through a few pairs to allow them to dry between wearing and ALWAYS use wood shoe trees that will quickly soak up perspiration.  This is especially important for leather shoes, as the interior of a dress shoe has often not gone through the harsh chemical treatment of the upper and is more susceptible to rot.