Recommendations for men's dress shoes?

[navetsea]

double monkstrap still works with leather jacket & jeans, my only formal shoes is wholecut made by local company, yet I very rarely wear it because it doesn't work with everyday style, so to me monkstrap or double monkstrap is the way to go

 

[Tom71]

Best advice: Go to a well-equipped shoestore, get some advice, try as many styles as possible.

As you can see reading this thread, there’s a huge variety of quality footwear in the dress segment.
I’ve been wearing formal shoes as my (literally) daily footwear for almost 30 years now, and there is little that is an absolute “no” for me these days (that would include split leather or glued soles).

They need to wear comfortable, age decently, and you need to like them enough to wear them for the next 10+ years.

 

[GHT]

They need to wear comfortable, age decently, and you need to like them enough to wear them for the next 10+ years.

I would go along with that sensible advice. Colin Johnson ( https://www.colinjohnsonshoes.com/ ) made my dress shoes, and by dress shoes I define "dress" as the kind of shoe worn with dinner suit and bow tie.
They get worn whenever it's posh frock time and they always garner some comment. I love them.

 

[Aloysius]

I would go along with that sensible advice. Colin Johnson ( https://www.colinjohnsonshoes.com/ ) made my dress shoes, and by dress shoes I define "dress" as the kind of shoe worn with dinner suit and bow tie.
They get worn whenever it's posh frock time and they always garner some comment. I love them.
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While I love co-respondant/spectator shoes, are you wearing them with evening dress?

 

[GHT]

While I love co-respondant/spectator shoes, are you wearing them with evening dress?

Indeed I do, but they are a very comfortable pair of shoes and are perfect for teaming up with casual wear.

 

[Fifty150]

I'd say from a few hundred dollars to around $500 or $600.

It's all about timing. Allen Edmonds is having a sale. The same shoes are offered on their Shoe Bank website. Shoe Bank sells factory seconds, and clearance items. You can use a coupon to get an additional 25% off the sale price.

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I was thinking about getting a nice pair of dress shoes, and wanted some suggestions on what shoes to get that fit my criteria.

Are you dressing in white tie or black tie? Will you be wearing tails, or a tuxedo?

Are you wearing business suits for a work environment? Are you wearing party clothes, like dressing up to go out dancing?




My personal preference is to wear boots. They make boots that look like "dress shoes".

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I am an American. I like cowboy boots. Some of our US Presidents were known to wear cowboy boots. I wear cowboy boots with suits.

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The X hates it that I wear cowboy boots. She is completely embarrassed that I wear cowboy boots with tails or a tux. In her world, it's perfectly normal to dress in white tie and black tie, and nobody wears cowboy boots. In my world, nobody knows what it means when an invitation says "formal", "semi formal", "black tie requested", etc. In my world, everyone has cowboy boots.

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One of our compromises. She buys it, I wear it. She paid for these shoes, so that I have an option . I actually like them. They are a sneaker, but nobody could really tell . Someone would have to take a second look, and look close, to know that I am wearing sneakers with a dinner jacket.

 

[Fifty150]

prices that are more reasonable and not designer prices

These set me back about $40. There are nights which involve a lot of alcohol. Bars. Night clubs. Extremely dirty dance floors. Even filthier bathrooms. A fight could break out. Spilled drinks, urine, vomit, blood...... I am not wearing expensive shoes.

 

[Fifty150]

George Costanza turned his Timberland boots into perfectly passable "dress shoes" by spray-paining them black.

Most of the world does not live by rules of etiquette from 15th century England, We don't set our tables with fine China and silver, have High Tea, or observe any of the rules of dress.


I think we should all be able to wear whatever we want. For a lot of us, what we wear is dictated by budget. A lot of guys in the modern world don't actually own a suit. And most of the guys that I know would not be able to distinguish between a suit, or a sports coat and slacks. How many people actually have clothes for Morning Wear and Evening Wear?


Of course, my opinions are not credible, since I'm actually wearing cowboy boots with a dinner jacket. That's not just a lyric from a Country Western song. I did show up in boots, and ruined the black tie affair.

 

[Monitor]

I think we should all be able to wear whatever we want.

That's the thing!

Because...

For a lot of us, what we wear is dictated by budget.

...and...

And most of the guys that I know would not be able to distinguish between a suit, or a sports coat and slacks.

...implies that we don't really wear what(ever) we want but rather what we have to.

That's my issue with the fashion of today which, for the first time since the time of man began, is actually bad.

And yet the hill that our cheap, ugly, badly made, toxic clothes we had no choice but to buy, is actually exactly what we want, is one that we're willing to die on.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

These set me back about $40. There are nights which involve a lot of alcohol. Bars. Night clubs. Extremely dirty dance floors. Even filthier bathrooms. A fight could break out. Spilled drinks, urine, vomit, blood...... I am not wearing expensive shoes.

Patent leather is for semi-formal (black tie) and formal (white tie) dress. They absolutely should not have any brogueing.

 

[Fifty150]

Those shoes cost $40. What do you expect from a brand that is worn by Street Pimps?

 

[Fifty150]

Allen Edmonds got me again with their "Rediscover America" sale. I couldn't resist. These boots are like the uniform duty boots that they issue at work. A single piece of leather for the vamp wraps around the entire foot. This is stronger. As opposed to shoes made up of small pieces of leather, glued and sewn together. I suppose that since it's black, I could polish it and wear it with a suit. It will just look like a shiny black shoe. It will not be "uncouth", which is what The X says when I wear Dr. Martens with a suit.

 

[Fifty150]

yet the hill that our cheap, ugly, badly made, toxic clothes we had no choice but to buy, is actually exactly what we want, is one that we're willing to die on

I did some work in the yard. Cooked some food for NFL Sunday viewing. Went to Costco. I had a ball cap, flannel shirt, hoodie, jeans, and cowboy boots. I am rarely in a shirt & tie, sports coat & slacks, suit, semi formal, or formal. I am the guy walking down the street with a coffee cup.

 

[大馬伕]

Patent leather is for semi-formal (black tie) and formal (white tie) dress. They absolutely should not have any brogueing.

We all run in different circles.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Just buy a pair of trickers and don't over complicate things.Ffs it's a pair of shoes,

 

[Tom71]

Just buy a pair of trickers and don't over complicate things.Ffs it's a pair of shoes,

The whole raison d´etre of TFL is to overcomplicate things... .

 

[Edward]

Just buy a pair of trickers and don't over complicate things.Ffs it's a pair of shoes,

I do like Trickers, but their price is a killer... one day.

For black or dark brown Oxfords, I find Sanders more than do my job. https://www.silvermans.co.uk/products/sanders-officers-shoes These have a tiny crown somewhere, usually, but it's not visible unless you a] really look for it, and b] know to look for it. Not obvious military dress, but markedly cheaper than a lot of stuff that is.

I've had pretty good luck over the years finding Sanders on eBay in excellent used condition. Last year I bought a pair of their Braemar brogues for £25. Really solid, lovely shoes. Compare well to Trickers, and the better Grenson, Barker, Loakes. Limited in choice if you're buying the military ones (and as pricey as the other otherwise), but as good as any shoe at double the price when you're buying the milspec items.

 

[gekej]

US makers are not known for sleek lasts or pointy toes. For that you’ll likely have to look else where, like Italy and Spain. Unless you’re looking for cowboy boots.

All GYW RTW & MTM shoes are basically made the same using the same materials, regardless of whether you pay 200 or 2000. Hand lasting does not produce better quality or longevity, hand welting will not last appreciably longer then GYW while being far more expensive to resole (as it needs to be done by hand). It’s really all mostly marketing and some elitism. Truly bespoke shoes are a completely different ballgame, but even here mostly because of fit & customisation, not so much durability.

You are really looking at pretty minor details like stitch density, consistency in selecting good quality pieces of hide with few undesirable marks or scratches, as highlighted in Sundance Catalog, sole & heel finishing, leather board vs celastic toe stiffness etc.
None of this is all that important & much of it is purely personal preference and aesthetics.

I’d say don’t use any sleep over it. I’d say the last is the most important thing. Make sure they use an actual veg tan insole and a natural filler like cork or leather. Once you get to that level they’re basically all the same.

I find Carmina uses very sleek and elegant lasts that fit what you are looking for. Plus they offer a broad selection of models and lasts.

I have a few pairs of leather dress shoes that I wear regularly for work and occasional formal events, and I really like their style. However, since I walk about two miles daily in them, they usually last only 4-6 months before showing significant wear and about a year before becoming completely unwearable. These shoes are typically in the $50 price range. I’m willing to spend more if it means significantly improving their durability. Do you have any recommendations for longer-lasting options?

 

[MrProper]

they usually last only 4-6 months before showing significant wear and about a year before becoming completely unwearable. These shoes are typically in the $50 price range.

I felt the same way until my early 20s. Then I bought my first good shoes made of horse leather for five times the price of my usual shoes and, lo and behold, they lasted for many years. Over time, this was a much cheaper purchase than the cheap shoes of the past. But it's not for nothing that "if you buy cheap, you buy twice" or "cheap doesn't equal good value"

 

[scurvyfreedman]

I have a few pairs of leather dress shoes that I wear regularly for work and occasional formal events, and I really like their style. However, since I walk about two miles daily in them, they usually last only 4-6 months before showing significant wear and about a year before becoming completely unwearable. These shoes are typically in the $50 price range. I’m willing to spend more if it means significantly improving their durability. Do you have any recommendations for longer-lasting options?

For $50 you are buying corrected grain leather, so the upper will crease and look like crap after it bends. I can't even imagine what the sole is made from.

A leather sole, particularly a double leather sole will last a long time. Also, you can add sunken metal toe taps, because the toe is where the most of the wear occurs for most people. Goodyear welted soles can be replaced multiple times before the welt needs to be replaced. Even then the repairs are reasonably priced compared to the costs of the shoe.

Also, a full grain upper will look good as long as you brush it down periodically and polish it once every 6-12 months (although not when first new b/c the leather needs to breath at first). Keep shoe trees in them when unworn to help prevent creasing and to keep the sole flat.

I would check out theshoesnobblog.com for recommendations in certain price ranges. Personally, I like Alden for made in America shoes. Allen Edmonds still has some made in the US models too and is at a lower price point. There are a host of brands made in Portugal and Spain that deliver good quality at a reasonable price. The Shoe Snob has a brand he has made in Iberia that gets good reviews and is good quality for the price.

For wearing with a suit Oxfords (closed uppers/laces) are appropriate. For odd pants Bluchers (laces on open flaps) are better.