A man walks into a room full of women and what do they notice first? His smile? His muscles? NO, his shoes! After that, they will draw a conclusion of the type of man he is and determine if he’s dateable or not. Below are a few of my personal favorites that allow you to achieve a classic look with style and comfort.
- Chocolate Chelsea Boot by Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Collection (saks.com) - The Chelsea boot is an elastic sided ankle boot that is often worn by men and women. Its sleek appeal allows it to be dressed up with a cuffed trouser or a pair a selvedge denim. The custom cushioned insole in the entire Saks Men’s shoe collection enabled me to work nine plus hours without my feet hurting, which is paramount when required to walk around for extended periods of time.
- Burnished Cap Toe Oxford by Magnanni (neimanmarcus.com) - Magnanni is a Spanish footwear company whose shoes have a Bologna construction. This means the foot is wrapped 360 degrees with the highest quality European leathers, like a glove for your feet, which yields for extreme comfort. The burnishing technique, an extreme rubbing with a tool to achieve luster, is used to complete the exterior of the shoe achieving this distinct appearance.
- Double Monkstrap by To Boot New York (nordstrom.com) - After working for Saks, meeting Adam Derrick, the founder of the company, and purchasing my first To Boot, my level of appreciation for the $400 shoes reached a new dimension. I have this exact pair and the flexibility and comfort of the shoe is unlike anything I’ve experienced thus far in footwear. There are plenty of shoes with similar price-points and they happen to be some of the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever placed on my feet! So please take my recommendation and make the investment into not only your feet, but your wardrobe.
Now some of you may have noticed that none of the shoes mentioned were black and that was intentional. True story, I actually went three years without wearing a black dress shoe and it’s because there are so many shades of brown and burnished shoes, that black wasn’t a necessity. You may think I’m crazy, but wearing black and brown, the correct way, will showcase your level of style and have people appreciate your ability to achieve a classy and comfortable look, while pushing the envelope.
Ciao,
Ryan Jor El
@FashionConnoisseur
