I have GOT to go on record here . . .  I have stayed silent far too long.   I have watched the disasterous footwear out there for so long, I have admitedly grown partially complacent over the bad desicions and ingnorance out there, mostly from men, on what they should put on their feet.

NO MORE!!  Be warned.  The fashion police are coming to get you!!!  Men, Listen up!!

Just because this world has grown more casual, and in many cases lost respect for appropriate dress, does not mean that when a man wears a suit he can neglect his foot wear.   Something I do not understand:  if you are going to spend good money, or even medicore money, on a man’s suit . . .   why would you not carry your attention down to the detail of your footwear?  Don’t just look in the mirror from the waist up.  What about your shoes?

The choice of footwear is just as important as the choice of hemline, pant style, and the width of your tie.  Things that have also started to slip, if you ask me  . . .  YES, people do look at your feet.  You can tell a lot about somneone by their shoes.

There are many things to consider in a shoe and when it is appropriate to wear certain shoes.  There are fine details of a shoe that make or break it in the formal department.  There is a difinitive scale from casual to most formal.  Pay attention to the upper, the quality of the leather, the shine.  AND POLISH YOUR SHOES!!!   A general rule to remember: the higher the shine, the more formal the shoe.  Patent leather is very formal. 

Pay attention to the laces, how close they are, and for all that is holy in fashion, DO NOT lace them cris-cross like one does with sneakers.  A dress shoe with a suit should be staright-laced (yes that is wear that comes from), as in laced horizontally.  If you do not know how, look it up!  Ian can help you.

The distance between the laces is also a determination of how formal the shoe is.  The distance between the laces is called the crossover.  A wider crossover is a less formal shoe.  That said, a formal shoe has laces!!  A slip on shoe is less dressy.  Now I am a sucker for sexy, modern shoes with a smooth upper, no laces.  And in some environments they work perfectly.    The same goes for a loafer.  A loafer is decidedly casual wear.  You can wear them with a suit, but be selective on the occasion.  The office, maybe a meeting, never dinner.  Add a tassle to that loafer and it just moved down a notch on the casual wear.

Wingtips:  famous, highly common shoe known by the rest of the world as Brogues, that made its way into the everyday scene here in America during the mid 20th century. The wingtip is a semi-formal shoe.  Zappos.com weighs in, “It’s appropriate for a business casual or suited office look, but not for a formal dinner or with a tuxedo. In such circumstances the Oxford is required, although this distinction is often lost in an increasingly casual society.”  A sentiment I highly agree with.

Cap toes are more formal than a wingtip.  A tradition Oxford is the more formal option.  Another easy to remember tip: the less embelishment on the shoe, the more formal the shoe.  If you do not know what these terms and shoes are AskMen.com has a great easy to understand guide to the five most common dress shoe.

As plush as suede might be, as a shoe material, suede is very casual and should NEVER be worn with a suit.  I will repeat this:  Suede shoes should NEVER be worn with a suit.  Wear them as much as you like with trousers and a sport coat . . .   NEVER a suit.

And the big thing that really gets me . . .   the thing that actually spurred on this tutorial: THINK TWICE BEFORE GRABBING YOUR BROWN SHOES!!!!

Brown is not the new black.  It never will be.  Black is always black.  And black is always the more formal shoe.  And the most versitile.  Hogwash to the idea that you cannot wear black with a navy suit.  My father put me straight before I was ten years old.  That saying applies to women, not men, and according to Donna Karan, it doesnt apply to women’s fashion anymore either (though I will be a tough convert).   Black is for most of you men who own three pairs of shoes, is your BEST choice.   

The darker the shoe, the more formal.  If you have a navy suit, get a pair of shoes that REALLY look nice with them.  If you do not want to go black, try a dark burgundy, or an oxblood.  Leave the brown at home.  There are people out there that will tell you a dark brown is ok.  It would have to be REALLY dark, like an espresso.  General rule #3: The shoe should always be darker than the pant.

Leave your brown shoes for brown and tan and olive suits. 

The most ignored aspect of a shoe?  What is the bottom of the shoe made from?  Look at the heal, the arch, and the thickness of the sole.  A rubber soled shoe should never be warn with a suit.  Do I need to repeat that one, or is that common sense enough?  Men all over where clunky, ugly, heavy soled shoes with their suits.  No.  Actually, just get rid of those . . .

No matter what shoe choice you make, solidify it with a matching belt.  Your belt should be as close to the color of your shoes as humanly possible.  In the world of men, you can find a match.  Your color options are not that extensive!

And then when you have the right shoe and matching belt, pay one more ounce of energy to the attention of your socks.  Your socks should match your pant, unless you are wearing a tan suit, or lighter suit, in that case, match your socks to your shoes.

I am sure I have left some things out.  But over all, this should help make your entire look a polished one.  And women, don’t leave it up to your men!  They have no idea what is going on.  Their dad’s didnt teach them, their mother’s didnt teach them.  It is your job.  Don’t you want him to look nice when he’s trying to look nice?

Again, if the effort is being made to put on a suit, make it count.