Dress Shoes

[MarshallDodge]

I have a pair of Docker Manhattan business casual shoes that have 4 years of nearly everyday use. I will be getting another pair when these wear out.

[Bullwinkle]

Great thread, been looking for a nice pair of dress shoes that are comfortable & look good with a suit.

Almost picked up a pair of Florsheim wingtips, but at $225 that's a tad pricey. Will have to check out Johnston & Murphy, do they have as good of a reputation as Florsheim?

[Gutshot John]

Dead Hands what are wood trees?

A shoe form that fits inside your shoe when you're not wearing it to keep them looking good.

[seb5]

Ah, something I know a bit about, or have an opinion! IMHO Johnson & Murphy, Cole Hann, and Ecco are all the top of the dress shoe chain. Buy whatever you like. Some general observations are that Johnson & Murphy are my favorite. They run narrow, like Danners (also my favorite), Eccos tend to run a bit wide, so I avoid them. Cole Hann are good to go. It also appears to me that Johnson & Murphy and Ecco seem more classic while Ecco seems to try to be more trendy, but they also seem to market to the older guys as well. If you need weather proof Rockport is the way to go. Good solid value, weather resistant, good shoes. If you want made in America you'll need to look hard. Maybe Trasks. I've got 2 pairs and I like them but they are pricey, made from buffalo hide, and are not as classy as the others mentioned. To me they are more of a wear with khakis type shoe.

[ssgjason]

Crocs

If you are going to actually work and stand (trade shows, floor sales), Rockports.

If you are looking for a dress shoe for office work or playing dress-up at the wife's orders, Johnston and Murphy - and frankly buy the most expensive pair that you like the looks of and can almost stomache the price of. The bare minimum is that they be re-sole-able. $100 shoes you can't resole get expensive over time, $150 re-sole shoes can last a lifetime, and if they are going to last a lifetime, you might as well get the $250 pair with the 'trampoline' system.

Be sure to put WOOD shoe trees in them when you aren't wearing them.

What he said, sans the Crocs

They are usually made of cedar and slide into your shoes. They do several things but mostly maintain the proper shape and help remove odor.
Watch out for florshiems and Bostonians. Both make cheap versions that do not last.

[dojpros]

This is a topic that I do have a bit of experience in. I have been an atty for nearly 20 years. Prior to that I was a sales rep for RJR Nabisco and for Dillards/Macy's in high school and college. Shoes are like anything else. Buy quality and buy once.


My education re shoes came in 1980 as a high school sophamore when I spent 99.00 for a pair of black florsheim lace ups when they were still made in the USA. (They now are made in India and China) A wise old Italian haberdasher told, me "Sonny, you only got one set of feet and one set of eyes, NEVER go cheap on shoes or eyeglasses. That a be cash right, Sonny."

Bostonian, and most Johnston and Murprhy are 100ish and off shore made- not italian, not spanish, not even brazilian. They simply do not hold up.

Allan Edmond is USA made, has a full cork bed, can be resoled, and will last a life time with proper care. Chinses and indian made florsheims, bostonians and JM will not. They will not even last half as long which makes them less of a bargain the the AE which can be had for 225 delivered on the net all day long. Indeed if you have 2 pair of dress shoes and rotate between them, they will last much longer if you wear one pair into the ground and then wear a scond pair into the ground.

I fully acknowledge, tht if maximum mobilty is driving the train, Rockport, though off shore made, is a fine choice. Most guys (agents) I have worked with are beyond that and have gone to rubber soled AEs or are exerimenting with the more conventional looking ECCOs and other european shoe brands with mixed results.

Bottom Line- AE is the Colt AR of dress shoes.


david
YMMV greatly,

[MSP "Sarge"]

I looked at the ECCO NY Bicycle Toe in black. I really liked it. Found it on sale for 125 bucks reg 190. Think I might get them.

Thanks for the heads up on the wooden shoe trees!

[BiggLee71]

Mezlan. Handmade in Spain. Some funky styles for sure but there are alot of nice looking conventional style shoes as well. Can get them with exotic hides as well.

[jamess1]

I concur with dojpros. Do not buy cheap! It is like a scope on a rifle.

This comes from a person who has to were dress shoes every day to work. (for the last 20 years (ouch!)

Go to Nordstrom's or Nordstrom's Rack. Try on various shoes and get the ones that feel the best. None of the thought that they will break in. They should feel right, right when they go on.

FYI - I had a pair of Bostonians that the bottoms wore out in a couple of days.

Thanks for all of the forums help in educating me on AR's glad I can finally give back.

[RyanB]

Ecco, Cole Haan. But I really want some Church's English Shoes.