The Style man is back. This time gents, I am here to rescue the carriers of your comfort – your shoes. Touched on these bad boys in the first installment of DD, if you missed that, here’s a link to check out the brief shoe section and some of my other tips to keep yourself looking good this summer.
After socks, shoes are my favorite piece to really bring an outfit together. My love affair with shoes began when I was 7 or 8 years old. I remember trekking my way through the house with my action figures (on some mission, more than likely to stop Magneto or Darth Vader from conquering the universe, bastards never could just do the right thing) when I entered my parent’s room. My Dad was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room with all his dress shoes paired up on the floor. He had a little container of some type of paste and a machine that had two rotating cloth half circles on the end. I asked him what he was doing and he told me shining his shoes. I was incredibly confused. At age 7 (and a half we’ll call it), I had maybe two pairs of shoes at one time. Play shoes and Mass shoes. “Why?” I asked. He said very matter-of-factly, “Because you can tell a lot about a man by how he takes care of his shoes.”
What do your shoes say about you?
Here are a couple of kicks that will send the right message this summer:
*Note: I've attached links to the to wear you can find each type of shoe in the category name*
1. Chuck Taylor All-Stars by Converse
Chucks have the amazing gift of never going out of style. No matter how old you are, rocking a pair of CT’s will always look good. There is something about the classic circular logo with the single stripe running through the white soles and extra-long laces that just goes. Chucks are great with any short: khaki, navy, striped, solid, patterned, whatever you have you can throw a pair of these guys on and go. It’s important to think about your personal preference of high-tops or low-cuts before you buy. I prefer the high-tops even with shorts. It’s unique and not too many people go for it. Just be warned if you do go with high-tops you need to wear no-show socks or footies. It can get cluttered around your ankle if you wear longer socks.
Get whatever color fits your personality. Black with white trim and White with black trim are the classics but a little color never hurt anybody. (Photo 1, Photo 2)
2. Low-cuts
I’m not a fan of low-cuts with a lot of laces. I think there is too much going on in that small of a space. That’s the other reason why I have the high-top converses (also because Barry Allen (above) rocks the hell out of them on The Flash) I would suggest something like Vans or Aldo low-cuts. Discount Shoe Warehouse (DSW) has a great selection of low-cuts to choose from with reasonable prices. Ralph Lauren has a good selection of bright colored lows to try to liven it up.
Take a Saturday and go into a DSW store and look around. Find something comfy and something you like. (Photo 1, Photo 2)
3. The Boat Shoe by Sperry Top-Sider
Sperry Top-Sider pretty much has the market cornered when it comes to men’s summer shoes. I can’t remember when these got big but I do remember the ankle blisters I got the first time I wore them. It’s a rite of passage with these shoes. You do your time and sacrifice your ankle comfort for a week or two, then you have some of the most comfortable and useful shoes you will ever wear.
Need some shoes for semi-formal event: Sperry’s. Need a shoe for Mass on Sundays: Sperry’s. Need a shoe to go to Waffle House at 3 a.m. because you and your friends got hungry as hell: Sperry’s.
I hate that word. I hate that these shoes are called “loafers.” It’s a disgusting and vile word. However, the name is the only thing I don’t like about these shoes for the summer. For those who don’t know what a loafer is, it’s a slip-on shoe that doubles as a great dress shoe. Finding the right kind for you is really important. They are a bit like Sperrys in look and in feel but these shoes aren’t going to lose their shape or shine after a few wears. I’d suggest a light brown leather with optional detail. Now for people with a bit of a larger budget, Cole Haan came out with a loafer/low-top cross last year that are fantastic. Very comfortable and just the right mix of relaxed and upscale.
The Loafer is my choice for the dress shoe this summer. Perfect for classing up your shorts and T-shirt.
5. Rainbows Sandals
The list wouldn’t be complete without a great pair of flip-flops. But I will put a strong caution to all guys out there, there is really only one type to own: Rainbows. The Rainbow Company makes the most comfortable and stylish flip-flops on the market. The genius in their design is in its simplicity. Just brown leather straps and a brown leather sole. Don’t even think about trying to get the wire flip-flops or Chaco’s… just don’t.
Simplicity is key when rocking the flops.
So there they are gentlemen, the five shoes of summer. Comfort and style should always be at the forefront for any shoe you buy. Sometimes it takes a little sacrifice from one to get the other but it’s easier than you think to find both. If you think I missed any drop a comment below or send me a tweet @WDIII_17 on Twitter. I’m always open to new suggestion!
Finally, I’ll leave you with something to think about. The saying goes: “You’ve got to put your best foot forward.” Well, if your foot is the first thing in the door, don’t you want it to make a good impression?
Take care of your shoes guys. It’ll help you out in the long run.
