I’ve always heard that when looking for (and in my case, buying) Men’s shoes, you want a shoe that a guy can look at and say “well, there’s nothing wrong with it.”  This does not give guys a lot of credit, and I don’t know that I want to commit to this shopping habit.  I know lots of dashing men who have great taste in footwear.  It can be frustrating for men and women, but please, do not pick a shoe because it is safe.  I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be hard to find your style.  I know plenty of guys in different walks of life that do a great job of keeping their footwear stylish and situation appropriate.  Meet a few of my friends; learn about their lifestyle and what shoe-style fits their needs.

Chris: Sr. Coordinator of Marketing & PR

Style: Sleek Alternative – loves his denim with a side of Chuck Taylors, topped with a band influenced tee
Needs: Shoes for a tailored suit that will transition to a night out or a casual Friday

Chris is a PR guy through and through.  He is driven by creativity and problem solving.  He needs shoes that mix and match well with his whole closet.  He keeps his look simple, but his style is effervescent.  He picks suits with subtle color and slim tailoring.  His weekend uniform starts and ends with Chuck Taylors.  Ben Sherman is a great brand for Chris.  This brand’s styles keep their shape and are slim to the foot.  Chris is 6’2” so his height balances out a pointed, longer toe shape well. Ben Sherman also includes quirky details in their shoes… adding in the much-needed creativity that reflects Chris’s personality.  Another great men’s shoe brand that compliments Chris’s style is Calvin Klein.  Their shoe shape is clean and understandable.  They do a great job of getting smart details such as perfing, and burnished leather, on a basic style…. Giving it an edge that anyone can wear.

For a Suit: Reporter from Ben Sherman – Great soft pointed shape with a fun blue rub off color on the toe

For Casual Friday: Eamon from Calvin Klein – The wingtip is done on a nontraditional slip-on, the burnished leather makes this funky, and the toe shape keeps this classic.

Jeff: Inside Sales Rep

Style: Classically Clean with a hint of Jock
Needs: Stylish black and brown shoes that transition from work to everything else.

Jeff’s style is one that a lot of guys can understand.  He takes inspiration from what he sees in the media and in the stores, and he interprets it to fit his needs.  His needs are big.  Jeff is 6’5” and he wears a size  15 shoe.  You can usually find him in khaki pleated slacks and an athletic-cut dress shirt.  A great toe shape for a longer foot is a square toe.  This does not add any un-needed length and more efficiently fits the toes.  Because he has a larger foot, he can potentially be limited in shoe options.  Jeff does not let these barriers get in the way of his style.  There are a lot of great brands that service the larger foot with style.  Zengara has a large line with lots of great style options, and a bonus: it’s affordable.  I like the Z30165, this bike toe does a great job of looking sleek, and breaking up what can be a large width in the toe. J&M also does a great job with contemporary styling in larger sizes.  This brand has great comfort features and usually comes with removable orthotics.  They have a wide range of classic styles that become sophisticated because of the great leathers they use.

For Slacks and a Dress shirt: Z301661 from Zengara – Easy slip on style with a great bike toe

For a Suit: Dawson Moc Toe from J&m – This almond toe has a great seam at the toes that softens the point , making it great for any size guy

Matt: Service Consultant

Style: Contemporary Prepster – Wears preppy details with slimly tailored suits and denim
Needs: Dress black and brown shoes that will go with every apparel option in the suitcase

Matt is a consistent traveler.  He is on a plane at least twice a week.  It is very important that he keeps a sharp appearance, and has dual-purpose shoes.  He puts on a tailored dress shirt and needs a pair of dress shoes that compliments his fashion, but transitions to any event.  Since he likes to travel light, his shoes need to go with everything in his suitcase.  On the weekends, you can find him in a pair of boat shoes and an easy, yet trendy v neck.  His style is sharp, subtle, and on-trend.  Kenneth Cole is a great brand for Matt.  They offer great leathers on all of their many styles.  They have been taking care of Men’s feet for a long time, and do a great job of designing for a lot of different tastes.  Between the two lines; Kenneth Cole and KC reaction, they offer a lot of great pricing options as well.  Another great preppy brand for Matt is Frye.  They have superb brand heritage, and the look is very Americana.  Not only do we love them for their harness boots, they do a great job with sandals, and loafers.

For Slacks and a Dress shirt: Dot Plot from Kenneth Cole – The shine on this shoes keeps it sharp, the details are very modern, but it can be worn with a suit or your favorite pair of jeans

Kenneth Cole Dot Polt

For Happy Hour: Manny Chukka from Frye – This boot can be worn with anything in your closet. The shape is easy and the leather looks very luxe.

Stay tuned while I talk to the guys in the office, and help them out with their shoe issues.

Questions or request… write me!