A Man’s Guide to Footwear

Shoes make the man.  Well, they may not make the man, but they sure make the outfit.  You can be wearing the coolest shirt and pants on the planet, but if you picked the wrong pair of shoes, you’ll be exposed for the fashion fraud you are.

Knowing what kind of sneakers and shoes to wear with certain outfits is not rocket science.  But there are some rules you need to follow, which will help you avoid looking like your fashion clueless mother dressed you.

1.  If you’re wearing a pair of jeans or khakis your best bet is to wear simple tennis shoes or a pair of casual Converse. If the occasion is a bit more formal, a pair of brown shoes might work too  Resist the urge to wear the square toed black shoes the guidos are rocking. And sports sneakers like New Balance and most NIkes should only be worn in the gym.

2.  If you’re wearing a suit, your shoes should be as dark as it.  This means black shoes with black suits, black or dark brown with navy suits, black or dark brown with gray.  If its a real casual setting you may be able to get away with wearing a pair of tennis shoes with your suit.  And don’t ruin a nice suit by wearing a pair of shoes from Payless.

3.  If you wearing shorts your best bet is to wear slip-on loafers or boat shoes without socks.  This is best if you’re going for that preppy look. If you’ve got shorts on stay away from sports sandals, boots, or lace up dress shoes. Sneakers are risky unless you pick the right pair out, and wear them with very low/or no socks.  Do not wear a pair of socks that reach anywhere near your ankle.

4.  Treat your shoes like they are your baby. Women notice shoes immediately, and they tell a woman a lot about you.  So take care of them.  If the soles are worn down, take them to a cobbler to get resoled.  Get rid of scuffmarks.  Waterproof suede shoes before you wear them out and get stuck in the rain.  The better you treat them, the longer they will last.  Remember, the less money they cost, the more likely you’ll be replacing them in six months.

5.  If the shoes look like they’ve seen their better days… throw them out.  Sentimental reason is not a good excuse to keep a beat up pair of sneakers.