The First Dress Shoes You Should Purchase

On this blog we have covered what you should look for when buying your first suit, but what about your shoes? People seem to forget that you can have a perfect outfit but if you skip on the 

shoes, it just ruins it completely. But what should your first pair of dress shoes be? 

 There is only one answer to this question, it is the black cap toe oxford. This is the perfect dress shoe and should be what a man's shoe collection is based around. It is the closest thing to a do it all dress shoe. Sadly no shoe actually does it all, and the black cap toe does have its flaws but for your first choice, it should be this one. 

   Because it is black it goes with almost any traditional suit color with the exception of brown. It can be worn with a more casual fun suit, and when polished properly with a tuxedo. It is the simple, understated design that makes this shoe so versatile and that is the thing you want out of your first pair of dress shoes.

When you go looking for a pair there are a few things you need to look for. First and foremost is that you actually get oxford dress shoes as opposed to blutchers or derbys. Most shoes stores use the term oxford to describe any dress shoe with laces and this simply incorrect. An oxford shoe is classified by a leather dress shoe with a closed lacing system. This means the eyelets for the shoe laces are not on a separate piece of leather from the rest of the shoe. 

The shoe on the left is a derby with an open lacing system as opposed to the oxford on the right with a close lacing system

  Next make sure the shoes you are buying real leather shoes. Synthetic materials may appear cheaper on the price tag but that shoe won't last you a year if you wear them even on a semi-regular basis. Real leather is an extremely durable material and will give your shoes a nice long life assuming you take care of them. If you are unsure if the shoes you are looking at are made of real leather or not there is usually a tag on the inside of the shoe that state what it is made of, or if you are buying online just look for a description of the shoes and it should be listed there.

   This one is more of a recommendation than a requirement and that is buy a shoe with real leather soles. I say it is just a recommendation because leather soles aren't necessarily an option for everyone. They usually make a shoe cost more and sadly are becoming harder to find today with most shoes being mass produced in china. But leather soles have some benefits that rubber soles don't. They are more commonly replaceable while some rubber soles can be replaced most leather ones are good year welted which makes replacing them easy for a shoe cobbler. This extends the overall lifespan of your shoes. Also, they offer better traction after they have been worn slightly. It is true that brand new leather soles are slick, after walking in them for about a day, this is no longer the case and they give you better traction when walking. Plus as a little bonus leather soles give a very elegant sound when walking on hardwood floors.

 When it comes to shoe fit there isn't really much to say, most people don't wear shoes that are the wrong size. However be warned when buying shoes online, not all dress shoes fit the same, one brand's 10.5 may be another brand's 9. Make sure they have a good return policy, read reviews on the shoe and look for people mentioning size. Also, if possible, go into a store and try a pair on, even if it isn't quite your size you can use this as a judge to which ones to buy online.

 Finally, when it comes to buying the shoes, stay away from broguing of any kind. Broguing is the hole like perforations that decorate a shoe. This takes away versatility and makes the shoe more casual than a simple cap toe.

Now you know what kind of shoe should be your first, as well as some things to look for when purchasing them. I hope you found this helpful! Have a good one!