Dress Shoes for Men
Dress shoes are one of the must-haves in a man’s wardrobe. Aside from the all-important sneakers and everyday comfort sandals, men’s dress shoes are staple footwear for work and formal occasions. Fairly versatile for other more casual events, men’s dress shoes usually define a man’s personality and style by his choice of design. While cheap dress shoes may be tempting, investing on a high-quality pair will prove to be a more worthy investment in the long run.
Most men’s dress shoes are made of leather. But while all leather seem to look the same, high-quality leather differs in a lot of ways from low-quality or imitation leather. An example of good-quality leather is napa, a type of calfskin made from young calf or lamb. It is characterized by smooth, fine grains with high polish, and should feel rich and supple to the touch. High-quality leather also has natural scars or blemishes. While these can be hidden by sealants, it’s best to let its natural appearance show as this is proof of its high quality. Be sure to check the insoles of your dress shoes. High-quality men’s dress shoes should be made of leather inside and out. Leather insoles are not only durable, they also prevent foot odor by allowing the foot to breathe and absorb sweat from the feet. Men’s dress shoes of poor or low quality have insoles made of cardboards.
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The lining should also be made of leather. It should be smooth at the folds and around the seams and edges. Along with this, a fine stitch defines the quality of the men’s dress shoes. Good-quality stitching means that it is as ‘inconspicuous’ as possible. From top to bottom of the shoes, the stitching should be concealed with no exposed knots or loose edges that can cause discomfort and lessen the durability of the shoes.
The soles of the shoes are usually the first ones to wear out. Because of this, investing on a good-quality leather soles will make your shoes last longer. While obviously more durable, leather soles are also undeniably more formal, elegant and refined-looking than rubber soles. Leather soles are usually ‘tanned’ to make them last longer. This avoids cover-ups of the natural blemishes of pure leather as well as covers exposed stitching. Depending on a man’s function and taste, he can choose leather soles made in single, double or even three layers. The soles should be shaped as perfectly as possible to the foot for comfort. Lastly, good-quality soles should be stitched to the shoes. Cheap dress shoes usually have glued soles that tend to come off after a while.
Like almost everything else in a man’s dress shoes, the heels should also be made of high-quality leather placed in several layers and nailed together with brass pins. This gives the shoes a stable support while providing a cushioning effect to the feet. Some heels are reinforced with brass tacks for added support.
Men’s dress shoes reflect a man’s character. Opting for cheap dress shoes says a lot about his style and taste while investing on a high-quality, albeit expensive, pair will help build up his strong and powerful personality.
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