Many of us have purchased an excellent pair of shoes only to later realize that it does not go well with the majority of our wardrobe. This is because not every dress shoe style being sold is multipurpose, plus it also depends on the events you’ll mostly be attending in these shoes. So, it goes without saying that some styles are obviously better suited for certain events than others. Now because buying quality dress shoes can set you back a few hundred dollars the below guide should help you find the right style by taking out all the mystery surrounding each of these popular designs.
The famous Oxfords
These are also called Balmorals, are leather shoes which have a very low instep, non-rubber sole and closed laces. Some modern variations consist of ones made from suede or some other synthetic material. However, regardless of what material is used to make these formal shoes they often seem to be plain with very few embellishments.
Oxfords are mostly available in black, burgundy, brown, oxblood, cordovan and chestnut color. However, some latest oxfords also come in white which adds to their versatility. If you need a pair of elegant shoes to wear to the office then these in black will be perfect, they will also work well for contemporary and semi-formal events too. That said formal affairs should be attended with just black oxfords with a shiny finish.
The loafers
This particular style made its debut during the early 20th century. These shoes can either be semi-formal or formal depending on what you wear them with. The most laidback feature of loafers is the fact that they do not have buckles or laces. These were traditionally made mainly from leather and meant to be semi-formal slip on type shoes a lot like moccasins but these differ in their heal style. However, an increasing number of loafers available today have beautifully textured tassels. A variation called the Penny Loafers have straps right across the top portion of the shoe. This variation was originally designed to hold ornaments and change.
Cap toe shoes
Cap toe dress shoes have now become one of the most popular variations of traditional Oxfords. These are popular mainly with people around thirty because it gives them the chance to use embellishments in a number of different ways. Unlike oxfords that have no superfluous characteristics cap toe shoes have a lot more character and mainly try to bridge the gap between a shoe that is hardcore formal and one that is semi-formal. This means that these shoes can be worn with both jeans and your tux.
Dress boots
These are something that have just entered into the market and catching on pretty quickly. At first they look like ladies boots without the swirl of colors and feminine design. However, in reality these are some of the most beautiful ankle length formal boots you’ll ever wear. The slight heal and the foot hugging style of the shoe makes it feel comfortable yet does not go overboard in terms of formality. This means that they look great on formal dresses like suit & tie, tuxedoes as well as on regular Levis jeans and a t-shirt.
Monk Strap formal shoes
These dress shoes are a lot like loafers but they do not have laces. Loafers are usually plain or have tassels, these monk strap shoes can be recognized by their metallic buckles and a thick leather strap that goes across the top portion of the shoe. This also helps to distinguish these from regular cap toe formal shoes in which the leather strap is on top of the toe.
If you are looking for a great quality dress shoes then expect to shell out around $400 at the very least according to Lowes. Footwear that’s originally designed and made by the manufacturer is a lot more expensive than ones sold as unbranded or generic designs. However, if you’re going to wear something formally you’ll want it to look good for as long as you have it and so spending extra will help to add that extra mileage. The thing you need to check for is that good dress shoes will be made from soft and smooth leather with a sleek shape.
Manu Alias has been a fashion designer almost all his life. He lives and breathes men’s fashion and guest posts fashion advice for men on a number of blogs and magazines in Australia. In addition he also comes up with fresh and trendy dress show styles for men and women.
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