Gentlemen, you may be beginning the New Year with a new fitness regime, a new diet or you might be feeling like you just need to reinvent your wardrobe a bit...or maybe the wife is nagging that you need to do this! What's more, if one thing is going to reinvent your wardrobe it's a pair of shoes/boots and with British model, Daisy Lowe, recently claiming that she judges a man on his shoes, its proof that you need to keep it sharp when it comes to your footwear.
Speaking to MrPorter.com, Daisy Lowe, gave this answer when asked what the first thing she notices on a man is; “Shoes, you can always judge a man by his shoes. I couldn't tell you what makes a bad pair of shoes, but if I saw them I would just know.” And she's right. Shoes aren't just a practical item of clothing, they can create the whole style of your outfit, walk out of the door in a smart suit with scruffy shoes...you immediately ruin your overall look.
Granted, it is incredibly easy to keep wearing those comfortable old pair of shoes, those ones that you know have seen better days but they're just too comfortable to get rid of. However, stop right there, because it's time to get out of the comfort zone and into the stylish one...which we think you'll find surprisingly comfortable! We've got some simple items of footwear that can change your entire outfit without the need for a completely new wardrobe.
Casual Boots
If you treasure those comfortable walking boots that you wear to walk the dog every morning then this category is for you; but let's ditch the walking boots for casual, everyday occasions and go for something just as comfortable but much more stylish. There is a fine line between looking scruffy and smart, but equally a boot that intertwines comfort with practicality and style is more than obtainable.
Timberland is a brand that continues to successfully merge all of these qualities, using their traditional working men's boot styles and giving them modern, stylish twists, e.g. white soles, canvas detail, distressed uppers and so on. Equally, the brand is dressy enough to be worn for smarter occasions as well on a daily basis for casual wear with jeans.
Now, for the unique look, lets take a look at the Western influence of cowboy boots; with their quirky, distinguished look they are ideal for bringing an outfit to life and certainly ooze style. Furthermore, you can go truly Western with the traditional cowboy boots with Western stitch or opt for the more biker style harness boots; both styles of which will be ideal for both smart and casual wear.
Another fantastic casual/smart men's boot company is Red Wing, who offer a range of boot styles that are ideal for both casual and smart/casual occasions. Distinguished in their details such as unique white soles, stitch detailing and Red Wing emblems these boots are a must if you really are looking for something with a quirky, edgy touch, suiting wear with both smart and casual trousers.
Australian brand, R.M.Williams are a more traditional, classic style of boot maker, with the brand being renowned for their smart Chelsea boots. Perfect for either casual, everyday wear or smarter occasions, these full leather boots are exceptionally high in quality and style, ideal if you're looking for a style of boot that will retain it's timelessness both in it's hard-wearing properties and classic style.
Smart Shoes
This is another style of men's shoes that are essential, and not just for work wear but for those dressy occasions too. You'll probably have a smart pair of shoes in your wardrobe, but just how stylish and classic are they? Particularly when you're buying a pair of work shoes it's easy to settle for a cheaper pair, but when it comes to buying a pair of classic smart shoes, a high-quality pair is a worthwhile investment.
Smart shoes don't have to be boring, they can be stylish too with many classic brands introducing contemporary twists into their designs. Thus, it's important you find a style you love within these traditional shoes, allowing them to become a staple item of footwear in your wardrobe for many years to come. The types of shoes that will rarely date is the brogue or loafer, ideal for smart wear, but with the ability to be given unique twists and style in different colours, patterns and additions.
The brogue can be found in it's traditional form of a lace-up shoe with brogue detailing to the toe, but many brands have taken these traditional qualities and added quirky twists. The Barker Woody is a clear example of this with it's traditional brogue detail put in a swirl up the side of the shoe as opposed to to on the toe.
Joseph Cheaney also add contemporary twists, giving some of their shoes a unique twist; for example, the Humphrey has a buckle to the top of the shoe, giving it a modern edge without removing any of it's classic qualities. Both styles show just how versatile the traditional brogue can be, with a style to suit every taste, whether you choose the brogue or moccasin or even a brogue style boot.
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