The first post in this series where we defined dress shoes styles garnered us a lot of feedback regarding the preferences that our readers have when it comes to shoe styles. Part of what they wanted to know was when our second post on selecting the most awesome pair of dress shoes for yourself was going to come. Well, we heard you – and we moved up the release of this article for you. There are four important aspects to consider when finding the perfect pair for yourself. Let’s get to it!
Personality And Selecting Dress Shoes
I could sit here the whole day and wax lyrical about different aspects of dress shoes but this would probably be the most important advice for everyone. The beauty of life is that everyone is unique so it makes sense that each of us has our own styles and tastes when it comes to fashion. Sure, there are a few guidelines to take note of – but it is imperative to remember that the dress shoes you select will ultimately be part of what people use to define you. So be sure to let your personality shine through them. If you’re an outgoing personality – go for something more brash with brogues and monkstraps. For the more subtle fashionistas, a plain cap toe dress shoe with laces would work just as well.
Color When Selecting Dress Shoes
The rule of thumb here is that BROWN goes with everything and your safest bet when choosing your shoes with any outfit you’ve put together (except for a black outfit – only black shoes goes with that). When you’re dressed formally, brown shoes complement well without drawing attention away from everything else you are wearing. If you’re dressed casually, selecting dress shoes that are brown will make your casual get up look more sophisticated. What we’re saying is – brown has great crossover quality and something to consider when you’re selecting your dress shoes. Go crazy with the different shades of brown out there today!
Selecting Dress Shoes Style
We discussed the different dress shoe styles at length in our first article and we won’t iterate here. What we will touch on is to make sure that you get REAL leather shoes. These should be with leather soles that should not be glued to your shoe but instead be stitched – albeit with barely noticeable stitching. These shoes tend to last longer than shoes with soles glued on and getting the soles changed when your original soles wear out isn’t a problem.
If you are only getting one pair, don’t be boring and get loafers (unless they are really dressy) – go for laces or monkstraps and based on your personality, go for either a modern, sleek pair of dress shoes or a pair that has a classy, vintage look.
Selecting Dress Shoes with Quality
There is only one advice here no matter how you twist it – go for HIGH QUALITY. We wrote about getting high quality clothing and the same principles apply here – quality over quantity. A larger up front investment can last you years longer and end up cheaper in the long run so don’t be miserly.
However, preserving quality does not end with selecting and purchasing an expensive pair of dress shoes – you need to take care of them throughout their lifetime. Polishing them frequently is a great idea – use neutral polish that doesn’t spoil the original color of the leather. To keep the leather healthy, use saddle soap. Invest in shoe trees. They pull built-up moisture away from the leather – allowing them to dry and retain their shape while also keeping odors at bay by discouraging bacterial build-up.
So there you have our four important pieces of advice on selecting dress shoes. Have something else to add? We’d love to hear it – drop us a comment or an email.
