It is always best to start at the bottom. Upgrade your shoes and walk up the ladder of success. Professional and not only …
Women have tons of shoes, men do not, which does not mean that they should pay little attention to those they have. On the contrary, each specimen, precisely because it is rare, deserves more attention, and each new acquisition should be seen as an investment, because if you buy a good pair, and treat it with care, it can last impeccable for years and years.
It’s for the shoes they most look
As they say, there are no second chances to create a good first impression. Clothes, eyes or a smile are determining factors, but our gaze is also irretrievably drawn to the floor, even if unconsciously.
There are countless essays on the subject, including, on the Internet, a study group that was able to correctly identify socio-economic factors (and even political preferences) by looking only at each other’s shoes. Thus, walking with shabby and poorly maintained shoes, sends a message of carelessness. Wearing sneakers, with a suit, shows that you make the wrong choices. Yes, times are much more relaxed in the wardrobe, but it still doesn’t make sense to take Nikes from the marathon to work. Even because it is a mistake to think that the most elegant shoes cannot be perfectly comfortable. Not to the point of running a marathon, we admit, but to reach the end of the day with your feet rested.
Four weddings and a funeral
Throughout life we will go through countless situations where we want to be at our best. It can be a wedding or funeral, a play, an interview, a business dinner with clients or a romantic dinner. The point is that one pair of shoes will never be enough. They may not be as many as in the case of ladies, but we will need some variety and it will be much simpler to choose if we know a little better about the different types of Oxford shoes. Oxfords are the most classic of formal shoes and, probably, the most necessary too, because their elegant silhouette goes very well with everything, from a suit to a more formal attire, such as a tuxedo, for when the occasion arises. Therefore, if you choose only one pair, choose the black leather option, which allows this versatility, although they exist in all shades and types of leathers. The Oxfords started by being boots, but students from the well-known university – hence the name – preferred to use them in the shoe version, and that’s how it became popular.
Oxford
Oxfords are the most classic of formal shoes and, probably, the most necessary too, because their elegant silhouette goes very well with everything, from a suit to a more formal attire, such as a tuxedo, for when the occasion arises. Therefore, if you choose only one pair, choose the black leather option, which allows this versatility, although they exist in all shades and types of leathers. The Oxfords started by being boots, but students from the well-known university – hence the name – preferred to use them in the shoe version, and that’s how it became popular.
Derby
The “other” classic shoe. Sometimes confused with the Oxfords, due to their very similar shape, but the big difference is that the Oxfords have the flaps sewn and the Derbies are loose, thus gaining a more informal look. They are still perfect to wear with a suit, worse with a tuxedo, and better with a more casual look. Jeans included.
The Derbies also started out as boots, in this case, hunting boots, but at the beginning of the last century they lost the barrel and gained a more urban status. Because of the less attached flaps, they will also be more comfortable for those with the highest instep and, due to their versatility with more informal styles, it becomes easier to choose different colors.
Brogue
They are not quite a shoe style, but a decoration, which consists of a pattern of small perforated dots on the leather. Generally applied to Oxford and Derbies. The peasants invented these small “holes” to better release water (and mud, presumably) in the fields, but today the hole no longer pierces the skin and has a purely aesthetic function.
Loafer
Another type of slip on shoe, without laces, that ends up working well with a suit, giving a slightly more relaxed touch to the costume – and, for a lot of reason, it works well also in a more casual way. The design comes from Indian moccasins, but the original loafer was created as a home slipper for King George VI (father of Queen Isabel II), but it was more successful on the other side of the Atlantic. In the 1960s, American businessmen started wearing loafers with suits and, shortly after, Gucci created their iconic model, with the horse stirrup rivet, popularizing the shoe on both sides of the ocean.
Chelsea boots
And why not? Most classic shoe models started out as boots, and nothing prevents you from wearing them with a suit, especially in winter, where the extra protection is very much alive. With a low barrel, obviously. They cannot look too sporty, and the tip must be curved, no square boots at the front or pointed – rules that are also very valid for shoes. Chelsea Boots, popularized in the 1960s by the Beatles, are a good example: comfortable, easy to put on (they are slip on), but with an elegant and slim look, perfect for wearing with suits or with chinos.
Monk
They got their name because of the monks who used them as an alternative to traditional sandals, especially in the colder months. They can have one or two buckles, and today they are mainly used as a little extra touch of vanity, because those buckles are really a focal point. They fulfill a function very similar to Derbies, perfect to combine with a smart casual suit or look.
