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Men's Shoes |OT| The Official Guide To Walking the Walk

Mathaou

legacy of cane
If you mention shoes, include a picture and a link to buy if you'd be so kind.
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Welcome to the official thread of men's shoes! This comprehensive guide will give you tips on dressing for any occasion and shoe types!
Questions are encouraged and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
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Save brown oxfords or men's leather shoes with lug (thick) soles for your less formal clothes.
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Dress pants, business suits, sport coats, and sweaters all work well with loafers and similar men's casual shoes.
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Works well with suits when the weather is cold and wet.
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MC
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The shoes you can slide into quickly are the shoes you'll love when you're in a hurry or when you just don't need to make too much effort. Usually very comfortable, and if you get a nice leather pair, they will last a long, long time.
Athletic & Athletic-inspired
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Sneakers and running/ tennis shoes and the like. Zappos has a wonderful selection of athletic shoes, for those who are active or want constant comfort and support.
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Flip-flops and sandals are comfy, and especially liberating if you live in a warm climate.
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Credit: xxracerxx
Work boots, cowboy boots, rain boots, etc..
Credit: mike0dude
The ultimate going-to-the-supermarket-to-pick-up-a-few-thigs shoe. Very comfy, very durable. Never wear these unless you are grocery shopping or lounging in your house.
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This chart will refer to your shoe size and it's width - measure to the nearest 1/16 of an inch.
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Black Dress Shoes
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There are conflicting opinions of black shoes going with Navy suits, but I personally think black shoes should be kept to blacks and greys. Never wear this with a brown suit.
Tan Dress Shoes
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Looks good with all shades of brown and grey and is perfect for a business casual look. Avoid sporting tan shoes with black suits as the contrast is, at best, flashy.
Brown Dress Shoes
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In formal settings, brown shoes should be avoided when wearing black or charcoal suits.
Oxblood or Burgundy Shoes
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They complement all shades of grey, most navy blues and can even be worn with black.

Shoe care and good websites for online shopping
Since a whole 'nother thread could be made on shoe care, check out GQ's great shoe care guide.
Many department stores have very good online services for shoes, but I personally recommend:
Zappos: Zappos also caters towards Mens shoe sizes 4-18. Godsend for those of you who can't find shoes in stores.
Amazon
Overstock
For exceptionally large feet: 2bigfeet.com
 
Nice. Quick question. What style shoes do you guys usually wear with some casual chinos? I wear lots of Khaki and Charcoal color slim fit chinos and usually just wear some converse.
 

Mathaou

legacy of cane
Nice. Quick question. What style shoes do you guys usually wear with some casual chinos? I wear lots of Khaki and Charcoal color slim fit chinos and usually just wear some converse.

Remember, unless you're going to a funeral, try to avoid clashing pant and shoe colors.
I'd recommend black loafers for a brown/tan khaki and tan/brown loafers with a charcoal chino pant.
 

lupin23rd

Member
Great thread idea.

Going to throw this one out there early and hope someone else is in the same situation as me...

Anybody know some good brands that would carry some dressier shoes and boots down to a size 6 (US)? I'm a 6 in one foot, and somewhere between a 5.5 and 6 in the other foot, and finding it hard to buy something nice. I see some size 6 shoes in local stores but they seem to be of the longer toe variety and consequently look like clown shoes on me. Feel like this is a common theme when I'm out looking. I think I'm going to look into Allen Edmonds as they have some shoes in my size, but not hopeful they will actually fit...
 

Mathaou

legacy of cane
Great thread idea.

Going to throw this one out there early and hope someone else is in the same situation as me...

Anybody know some good brands that would carry some dressier shoes and boots down to a size 6 (US)? I'm a 6 in one foot, and somewhere between a 5.5 and 6 in the other foot, and finding it hard to buy something nice. I see some size 6 shoes in local stores but they seem to be of the longer toe variety and consequently look like clown shoes on me. Feel like this is a common theme when I'm out looking. I think I'm going to look into Allen Edmonds as they have some shoes in my size, but not hopeful they will actually fit...

At that point, pretty much your only option is to buy online, where you can specialty order things. Mismatched feet can be a pain, but the rule of thumb is to buy shoes in the size of your bigger foot. If you tie your shoes snug enough, then jostling and looseness should be minimal. If the difference in shoe size is drastic, then a special type of rubber made by Dr. Shoals (can be bought at a super market) can be inserted into the shoe to correct this.

This is a nice Allen-Edmonds dress shoe in your size - the only one I could find at Zappos.
Heres a list of every size 6 mens dress shoe found on Zappos for other options.
Nordstroms has a very accommodating selection of shoes for smaller and bigger feet.
Boots, however, are going to have less options when it comes to special sizes. Not many boots are that small.
 

purg3

slept with Malkin
My favorite shoes right now (these are my pictures)

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Chippewa Homestead Boot in sundance riptide
Link ~$270

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Alden Indy 405 (jcrew version)
Link ~$523

I would recommend Chippewa hands down, great boots for the money. I've been wearing both of these during this winter and they are holding up exceptionally well.
 

Enron

Banned
Good thing about Chippewas is that they frequently end up in JCrew 40%/50% off clearance sales. Like the one that's been running on and off since January.

For the poster who was asking for good winter boots that you can get away with wearing in the office - i'd also suggest Wolverine 1000 mile or perhaps a Red Wing of some sort.

Please note that any decent pair of boots IS going to cost you upwards of 200 dollars (unless on clearance/sale) but will generally be worth it. I have a pair of Alden x Epaulet Indys that set me back 400 bucks back in 2011, but will last me 10+ years easy. It's 2015 and they still look new, minus the creases.
 

purg3

slept with Malkin
Good thing about Chippewas is that they frequently end up in JCrew 40%/50% off clearance sales. Like the one that's been running on and off since January.

For the poster who was asking for good winter boots that you can get away with wearing in the office - i'd also suggest Wolverine 1000 mile or perhaps a Red Wing of some sort.

Please note that any decent pair of boots IS going to cost you upwards of 200 dollars (unless on clearance/sale) but will generally be worth it. I have a pair of Alden x Epaulet Indys that set me back 400 bucks back in 2011, but will last me 10+ years easy. It's 2015 and they still look new, minus the creases.

Yeah and I'm pretty sure the Chippewa GQ/Apache boot goes on sale on amazon from time to time too. I think my next boot is going to be either the Redwing Moc Toe or Chukka. I would spend as much as you could on a good boot, take care of them and they will last forever. My Indy's will probably outlive me.
 

Enron

Banned
Yeah and I'm pretty sure the Chippewa GQ/Apache boot goes on sale on amazon from time to time too. I think my next boot is going to be either the Redwing Moc Toe or Chukka. I would spend as much as you could on a good boot, take care of them and they will last forever. My Indy's will probably outlive me.

Shoe trees and a jar of Sapphir Renovatuer is all you need to keep Indys looking good.

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purg3

slept with Malkin
Shoe trees and a jar of Sapphir Renovatuer is all you need to keep Indys looking good.

damn, those look brand new lol. I keep mine in trees and try to rotate them often. It's hard because now that they are broken in, they are so damn comfortable. Makes me want to wear them every day. I haven't treated mine yet with anything, I'm waiting for spring and I'll probably hit them with some Venetian shoe cream. I generally wipe them down with a damp cloth/dry and then brush. Look good as new after that since CXL is naturally oily.
 

Enron

Banned
damn, those look brand new lol. I keep mine in trees and try to rotate them often. It's hard because now that they are broken in, they are so damn comfortable. Makes me want to wear them every day. I haven't treated mine yet with anything, I'm waiting for spring and I'll probably hit them with some Venetian shoe cream. I generally wipe them down with a damp cloth/dry and then brush. Look good as new after that since CXL is naturally oily.

well...those pics are from early in 2012. Creasing more prounounced now, but no gouges or scratches or anything like that. But still, if you take care of them (shoe trees VERY important) it slows down the aging process. So take heed, everyone. Get trees for your nice shoes.

I went on a boot spree the past month or so, ordering a ton of shit dirt cheap from the jcrew clearance. I am now up to like 15 pairs of shoes, mostly boots. The JCrew Kentons are pretty good value for the 75 bucks i paid for each pair - decent enough quality suede, shitty brick sole, but goodyear welted and look great. The Kentons retailed for $250 (and are really about a 150ish value) so for 75 bucks it felt like a steal, even with their warts.

Also picked up a pair of blue suede chukkas for 40$ that im not quite sure what to do with, but hey 40 bucks.
 

purg3

slept with Malkin
I picked up the suede kenton's for $34 lol. They are actually pretty damn comfortable and are near indistinguishable from Alden's. Not much a fan of the sole, but I can always take them to my local cobbler and put a vibram on them. I plan on beating the shit out of them though.

My current boot rotation

And another shot of the Indy's


I love me some boots lol. And my addiction is only getting worse.
 

Enron

Banned
I picked up the suede kenton's for $34 lol. They are actually pretty damn comfortable and are near indistinguishable from Alden's. Not much a fan of the sole, but I can always take them to my local cobbler and put a vibram on them. I plan on beating the shit out of them though.

My current boot rotation


And another shot of the Indy's



I love me some boots lol. And my addiction is only getting worse.

Same here. Love boots.

How the hell did you get them for 34? Damn.

I got those same ones, the Pacers in acorn. Also got a pair in sahara, and got the plain toes in sahara as well. The first pair of Pacers i ordered smelled like gasoline for some reason, and jcrew CSR refunded me and told me to just keep them. So i gave them away to someone and 3 days later the smell was gone. Free boots, lol!

A good way to dress up your Kentons is to order alden flat waxed boot laces for them. I cleared out Need Supply Co. out of all their alden 54" boot laces, black and brown for my Kentons.

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purg3

slept with Malkin
Same here. Love boots.

How the hell did you get them for 34? Damn.

I got those same ones, the Pacers in acorn. Also got a pair in sahara, and got the plain toes in sahara as well. The first pair of Pacers i ordered smelled like gasoline for some reason, and jcrew CSR refunded me and told me to just keep them. So i gave them away to someone and 3 days later the smell was gone. Free boots, lol!

A good way to dress up your Kentons is to order alden flat waxed boot laces for them. I cleared out Need Supply Co. out of all their alden 54" boot laces, black and brown for my Kentons.

I work there a day or so a week part time. Fun diversion from my normal job, and discounts... Sadly no discount on the Indys though, paid full retail for those.

Shit, those look nice with the laces changed out, I need to order a few pairs from amazon. I want to pick up the some red benjos for my indy's but I think they were sold out last time I checked.
 

Enron

Banned
Heads up - bunch of Chippewas and Red Wings (including Iron Rangers) hit the jcrew sale today at an extra 30% off. Trying real hard not to spend a bunch of money, lol.
 

Enron

Banned
the regular kenton pacers in Brown leather hit jcrew clearance again for 79 bucks. decided why not. Pretty pleased. I like these more than the suede pacers and the plain-toe suedes that I have.

Sure, they aren't Alden but they look really nice. I can wear these when the weather makes me think twice about putting on my Indys.

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So that makes these, the pacer suedes (both colors), and the Kenton plaintoes out of the fall/winter style clearances. Get out of my wallet jcrew.
 
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