Well Shod
Why shoes matter more than most men think, the styles worth owning, the great makers, and the art of making fine shoes last a lifetime.
There is an old belief, held by tailors and observant women alike, that the first thing worth noticing about a man is his shoes. Whether or not it is literally true, it points to something real: that shoes are the quiet tell of a man's attention to himself, the detail that reveals whether the care taken with the rest of his presentation runs all the way down, or stops at the ankle. Together with a well-cut suit, a fine watch and a signature scent, good shoes complete the picture of the considered gentleman, and of the four they are perhaps the most overlooked.
This is a guide to getting them right. Why shoes matter more than most men suppose, the essential styles worth owning, the great makers who have perfected the craft, and the art of caring for fine shoes so that they last, as the best of them genuinely can, for decades. As with every element of a gentleman's presentation, the guiding principle is quality over quantity, and the reward is out of all proportion to the effort.
Why shoes matter
Shoes carry a weight of meaning that their position, at the very bottom of an outfit, might seem to belie. They are noticed, and they are read, often more carefully than a man imagines, because they are difficult to fake and revealing when neglected. A magnificent suit undone by cheap, tired, poorly kept shoes tells a story of care that ran out before it reached the ground, and the eye registers the discord immediately.
The reverse is equally true, and more encouraging. Fine shoes, well kept, lift an entire outfit and can rescue even a modest one. A good pair of well-polished leather shoes brings a quality and a seriousness to a man's whole appearance that little else can, precisely because it signals that his attention to himself is complete rather than partial. The gentleman whose shoes are excellent has, in a sense, signed his work.
And there is a practical case alongside the aesthetic one. Fine shoes, properly made, are among the most durable things a man can own, capable of lasting decades with care, and growing more comfortable and more characterful with the years. They are, in the truest sense, an investment, and one that repays itself many times over. To buy well at the feet is to buy once.
The styles worth owning
A gentleman need not own many pairs, but he benefits from knowing the essential styles and what each is for.
The Oxford is the most formal of lace-up shoes, distinguished by its closed lacing, and the correct choice for the most formal occasions and for wear with a suit. A black Oxford is the single most useful formal shoe a man can own. The Derby, with its open lacing, is slightly less formal and a touch more versatile, at home with a suit or with tailored separates, and a fine everyday choice.
The loafer, slip-on and elegant, is the shoe of relaxed sophistication, superb for smart-casual occasions and warmer weather, and the mark of a man comfortable in his own style. The monk strap, fastened with a buckle rather than laces, offers a distinctive and characterful alternative for the gentleman who likes a little individuality. And a well-made leather boot serves beautifully in the cooler months and for less formal days.
For most gentlemen, a small handful covers nearly everything: a black Oxford for formality, a brown Derby or loafer for versatility, and perhaps a boot for winter. Chosen well and cared for, these few pairs will meet almost any occasion a man is likely to face, which is, once again, the whole principle, a few excellent things rather than many indifferent ones.
There is an old belief that the first thing worth noticing about a man is his shoes. Whether or not it is literally true, it points to something real: shoes are the quiet tell of whether a man's care runs all the way down.
The great makers
For the gentleman drawn to the finest, shoemaking is a craft in which Britain genuinely leads the world, and the town of Northampton has been its heart for centuries. The great English makers are revered internationally, and knowing a little about them rewards both the choosing and the wearing.
Church's is perhaps the most famous name, maker of superb English shoes for well over a century. Crockett & Jones is beloved for offering genuinely fine, Goodyear-welted shoes at a relatively accessible price, and is for many the ideal introduction to quality footwear. Edward Green and John Lobb sit at the pinnacle of English shoemaking, their shoes objects of real craftsmanship and lasting beauty. And Gaziano & Girling represents a newer generation of English makers producing shoes of exceptional elegance.
What unites the great makers is a method as much as a name: the Goodyear welt, a construction that stitches the sole in a way that allows it to be replaced when worn, so that the shoe may be resoled again and again and last, in effect, a lifetime. This is the difference between a fine shoe and a disposable one, and it is why the great makers' shoes, though a real investment, are in the long run the more economical choice. A cheap shoe is worn out and thrown away; a fine one is resoled and worn for decades.
Quality, care, and a wardrobe that lasts
Owning fine shoes is one thing; making them last is another, and the care is simpler than many men suppose.
Rotate them. Shoes should be rested a day between wearings, so that the leather can dry and recover, and a man who owns a few good pairs and alternates them will find each lasts far longer than a single pair worn daily into the ground. Rotation alone dramatically extends a shoe's life.
Use shoe trees. A wooden shoe tree, inserted after wearing, absorbs moisture and holds the shoe's shape, preventing the creasing and collapse that age a shoe prematurely. It is a small investment that pays for itself many times over.
Polish them, and have them resoled. Regular polishing nourishes the leather and keeps it handsome, and a fine, Goodyear-welted shoe can be resoled by the maker or a good cobbler when the sole wears through, returning it to service for years more. Cared for this way, a good pair of shoes becomes a decades-long companion rather than a seasonal purchase, and grows more comfortable and more beautiful with age.
A practical guide to a gentleman's shoes
For gentlemen who would like the principle rendered as practice, this is our plainest guidance.
Buy quality, and buy few. A small number of excellent, well-made shoes outlasts and outshines a cupboard of cheap ones. Invest at the feet, and buy once.
Own the essentials. A black Oxford for formality, a brown Derby or loafer for versatility, a boot for winter. These few cover almost every occasion.
Insist on Goodyear welting. It is what allows a shoe to be resoled and to last a lifetime. It is the difference between an investment and a disposable purchase.
Care for them properly. Rotate your shoes, rest them a day between wearings, use shoe trees, and polish regularly. Simple habits that dramatically extend a fine shoe's life.
Resole rather than replace. When the sole wears, a good shoe is returned to the maker or cobbler and made new again. Cared for, a fine pair lasts for decades.
The foundation of it all
Good shoes are, quite literally, the foundation a gentleman stands on, and they complete his presentation from the ground up. They are noticed, they are read, and they lift or undermine everything worn above them, which is why the care taken with them matters out of all proportion to their humble position. Fine shoes, well chosen and well kept, signal that a man's attention to himself is complete, and they reward that attention by lasting, beautifully, for years.
Together with a well-cut suit, a watch chosen for love, and a scent that is unmistakably his, good shoes finish the picture of the considered gentleman, the man who looks well not through expense but through care, all the way down. It is a small thing to attend to, and a telling one, and the gentleman who gets it right stands, in every sense, on a firm foundation.
Should you wish for an occasion worthy of being well turned out, in the finest company, our team is always glad to arrange it, with the same care for the details that fine shoes so quietly reflect.
