Saturday 11/2 Edition: The Men’s Common Sense Guide to Buying Shoes

Shoes can make or break an outfit or the man. One of the best ways to size someone up, is to see what kind of shoes they have on. To this fact, when shoes are wrong, they are really wrong. Scuffed, old, not fit for the attire, whatever the case may be, when the shoe is off, you are off.

So I decided to put together a few simple pointers and a quick buying guide of some great shoes to match any style.

When buying shoes, make sure the sole is stitched onto the shoe, not glued.  Stay away from buckles, and don’t be afraid to embrace suede or pops of color.  Two tone shoes are in as are Chelsea boots and the Wingtip boot.  If I were you, I would stay away from tassels and double monk straps. However, they are popular and when done right, they can work. 

If you are going to spend a little more, your safe bet is to go brown.  Brown goes with everything except black.  Suits, jeans, whatever the case may be.  You will get more use out of them than the standard pair of black shoes.

Once you have the shoe, take care of them. Buy a polishing kit or take them for a shoe shine once in a while, and grab a cedar shoe tree to keep them correct.

I put together a few choices below to help you get started. Just click on the image for more details.