It's no secret that I love shoes. I would say that in the past I bought what attracted my attention and even better if it was on sale. That is to say that I bought shoes with no rhyme or reason and had a collection of shoes that didn't always work well with my wardrobe. Or at least as I began to expand my wardrobe I found holes in my shoe collection. What works for me is that if my wardrobe and my shoes are a collection of items that are basics that go well with each other, accentuated with pieces that are more statement pieces, then I have a pretty much endless combination of looks. If you have an endless budget then you can buy many pieces that are stand alone pieces and work them into a look down the line. Or you can buy outfits where the pieces work well together but don't really go with other things. For me I haven't won the lottery so I focus on buying good quality key pieces that work together and give me options. When I buy a piece I think about how it will work with what I already have and what looks it will give me that I don't currently have. If it doesn't give me multiple new options, even if it is on sale, then it goes back on the rack.
I use the same thought process now with shoes. Not that long ago I had a good friend who's advice and taste I trusted go through my closet and help me purge items that needed to go, help show me what worked with what and in combinations that I hadn't put together, and to identify holes in my wardrobe and what key pieces I could focus on. If you have never worked with a stylist or wardrobe consultant don't think they are only for the wealthy or famous. Many stores offer that service, you just have to find someone that understands you and knows where you want to be stylistically. For me I was fortunate to have my dear friend Jon Stone at The Independent, Little Rock help get me back on my sartorial track. And what's an added bonus, it actually saves you money. If you run around buying things that don't work whether they are on sale or just not you and they end up never being worn then you've wasted money.
I want this piece to help you see where to go from where you are now, identify shoes that will give your wardrobe bang for your buck, or if you want to just start from scratch you can have a road map of how to get there. So here are what I consider your building block shoes, your core pieces, or your bone structure of your collection. I say this because I have found it to be true in my wardrobe. I'll put them in order of what I would buy first if I was doing it all over again and why.
A black loafer. There are many variations on the black loafer...penny loafer, plain slip on loafer, chunky, sleek, tasseled, etc. For me I wanted a simple penny loafer but not your Bass ones but ones with an Italian flair. This is where personal taste comes in and maybe there are some "right or wrong" choices to an extent it really comes down t but you need a black loafer. You can wear them with pretty much any suit, jean, chinos, or trouser. They are the little black dress of the shoe department. I opted for a black Salvatore Ferragamo loafer that is as comfortable as it is stylish. Also Ferragamo puts their shoes on sale twice a year, in June and in December. So on sale and fills a hole in the wardrobe? Yes please!
Another good shoe to have is a great brown lace up. There are endless options here too and it comes down to personal taste. If you can have several, then of course by all means do. But if you had to start with one I would pick something classic for sure. Perhaps a wingtip which can work with suits to jeans to chinos. I had bought my Johnston & Murphy wingtips to go with a suit. Later I added a pair of dark brown lace ups from Scarpe di Bianco. The di Biancos being so dark give me the versatility of going from daytime to nighttime where a black shoe is usually preferred.
Another key shoe to have and one that is extremely versatile is a brown suede loafer. These can vary from a penny loafer to a horse bit loafer or even a driving moc, but for me I wanted a chocolate brown suede horse bit loafer. Classically cool and goes with anything from denim (light, dark, or even white) to nice grey slacks, navy trousers, and of course chinos. There are tons of them on the market but for a combination of style, comfort, and just plain great looks I was happy to find my Salvatore Ferragamos. My best endorsement for them was that the first time I wore them I ended up being in them for about 10 hours and without a blister or a blemish on my foot. That was also without socks, but I did have washable insoles in them which I always suggest doing with loafers.
I also want to suggest a chukka boot. Now chukka boots may have come from WWII boots the British soldiers wore in the desert campaigns in Africa but today's chukka boots are much more sophisticated that combat boots. They come in leather and suede in just about any color you can imagine. While there are occasions for them all I feel the suede ones are a good choice and can give your feet a boost from early fall all the way to the first days of spring. Suede chukkas can be dressed up or down and pair with suits to jeans. I have them in brown, dark navy, and tangerine. I opted to show my tangerine pair which are from Donald J. Pliner and are extremely comfortable.
The next pair of shoes I want to talk about are monk strap slip on shoes. Probably for the sake of versatility a brown pair would work better in most wardrobes. They come in single and double strap versions and can be quite simple or can have wingtip detailing. Anything you would wear brown lace ups with you could wear the monk straps with, but the monk straps look even more at home with more casual attire. I do not have a pair in my wardrobe yet but I am looking for the perfect pair, which of course may take some time but that is ok. The ones I photographed are from Scarpe di Bianco and were borrowed from my friends at The Independent, Little Rock.
Ok so those are the key 5 shoes to have but there are SO many more that can round out a shoe wardrobe. It's great to have a good pair of boots that can handle the rain or slush or just look great while you knock around town. Endless options and style choices but I opted to show these pair of black ones I got from Banana Republic. I wear them with denim or even trousers.
I also love a good pair of driving mocs and again the style choices are endless but a nice pair of brown leather ones will give you tons of options with denim, chinos, and shorts. These are also from Banana Republic.
Now how would you live without a pair of sneakers? Yes you can opt for Nike Air Jordans if that is your style but for me I like to keep it classic with a pair of white leather Converse Chucks. These are the slim versions that also come in black leather, which I also have. I am not as big a fan of wearing them with chinos although they do work that way, so I keep them to denim and shorts.
If you have the basics down and want to branch out to more statement pieces that you might not wear as often but can really give your wardrobe some punch, then color is the way to go. Here is a pair of red Calvin Klein driving mocs and some blue suede oxfords from JD Fisk. I get loads of compliments on them but because they draw attention I keep their appearances down a bit. Actually these shoes have been in my closet from when I was buying without a road map but I am damn glad I have them.
A more recent addition are these suede Gucci loafers that I couldn't pass up even though they weren't on my list of shoes I "needed." However, they are a great example of a shoe that might not go with everything but the things they do go with yield a great combination.
So there you have it, a what shoe to buy if you don't have it already list. Or maybe it gave you some ideas of what to wear with them if you already have them. Don't think you have to go with high end brands but I would always encourage guys to buy the best quality shoe they can afford, especially in the core 5 shoes. With the statement pieces it is ok to go for a look without spending a good bit because those shoes are worn less and are more for fun. But a quality shoe does speak for itself, lasts longer, is more comfortable, and the quality is recognized by men and women. So if you want to put your best foot forward whether it be in business or in the dating world, make sure your feet are clad in something you can be proud of.
So for a review here are the key 5 shoes, 7 shoes, or 9 shoes to have or start with. From there the sky is the limit. And check out the Brian's Style Guide page on Facebook for more style tips and inspiration!
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