Goody Two Shoes

Are you one of those guys who cannot understand why your girlfriend might need an extra wardrobe for her shoes? How she could possibly go out and spend half her monthly wage on a new pair? How every new dress needs to be matched with different colored stilettos? Take a deep breath!

Have you ever considered that she might be on to something?

I am not suggesting you go out and spend your house deposit on new footwear, however putting a little more thought into these nether regions of fashion can be very effective for your overall look.? It is not a clich? to say that shoes can make or break an outfit. With a little common sense and a bit of variety you can amp up your appearance and get over that sneaker-for-all-occasions-look.

The Glamour Shoe

Be a goody two shoes

Patent Leather Lace-ups are undoubtedly the dressiest shoe a man can wear and are usually the option of choice for black tie occasions, combined with a tux or a black suit.

Don?t be shy though. If you want a little extra glamour, black-lace ups can be worn in less formal settings as well. Try them with jeans for an instant injection of style!

The Work Horse

The workhorses of the family are Oxfords: These classic lace-up dress shoes work for (almost) any occasion. Every man could do with two pairs. They make the daily shoe selection easy as you can wear them to the office as well as with jeans without thinking too hard.

The next big category is the loafers. They can bridge the divide between formal and casual. They are low-cut and sport a broad, moccasin type top and come in a number of styles: penny loafers, moccasin, monk strap (buckle), tassel, etc. For a slightly more casual look you could opt for brown leather instead of black or go for suede for a change.

The Hybrid

Then there is the very popular category of what is called lifestyle shoes. They are a mix between a Sneaker and Oxfords and slightly dressier than a sport shoe. In general they go well with cargo pants, Jeans or shorts and are certainly a comfortable casual option.

Humble Yet Effective

Canvas lace-ups are not to be ignored either. You can get them for next to nothing, yet they are a very handy item to have and look good with almost any outfit. Get a pair or two in black or white and maybe red if that fits your style. If you can pull it off wear them with a suit to more casual occasions. A hoodie and T-shirt worn under the suit jacket would complement that style.

The Sandal

While the simple flip-flop finally has made it onto the red carpet it might not be your way of showing off your style at formal occasions. Worn at the beach or to a casual barbeque with the neighbors they are an acceptable and popular choice.

However you have the option of going slightly more stylish in your choice of sandal and opt for a dress sandal. When made of good quality leather they can look quite sexy.? Just don?t EVER surrender to wearing them with socks. It might mean a reputation of bad style that could potentially follow you around like a bad smell.