I switched to probably 80% boot (dress, service, etc) use instead of dress shoes. A nice boot looks great, feels great and depending which is worn, can be dressed up pretty easily. More practical for commuting (ie walking to train and in city) in winter and rainy weather.
Totally, shoes specially those that have a closed laceing are dreadful, on the other hand a tall boot you lace it to the ankle and your feet are in heaven.
As someone who's worn only hiking boots since the 80's I'm proud to say that since watching this channel 100% of my footwear (still mostly boots) are now goodyear welted, blake stitched or stitchdown constructed and I do wear a few derbies to work now.
Make sure you buy multiple pairs if you’re wearing them regularly, never wear a leather dress shoe two days in a row unless you have to, and condition them regularly. I’d check out a channel called Trenton and Heath, if you haven’t already, to learn more about quality footwear and what goes into maintaining it.
Whilst many people in western societies wear sneakers (or trainers in the UK) as a go-to footwear standard, I'd say the formal shoe is not dead (by 'formal' I'd include deck shoes and loafers as well as oxfords and derbys). In fact, there is a renaissance happening in men's classic/formal footwear. Lot's of new brands produce high quality Goodyear welted shoes (Carlos Santos, Carmina and TLB Mallorca, for example). Long live the dress shoe!
Its getting more popular because of channels like this and IG, online businesses etc. That doesn't mean there arent still problems that are only getting worse such as: 1. Quality cobblers especially outside the US and UK are rare and are rarely experienced in resoling or repairing luxury shoes. Replacing a dainite or JR sole is almost impossible outside countries that have an established history in shoemaking. I, just like most people buy GYW shoes expecting to resole them some day, but the truth is I don't think I'll find a cobbler that can do it. 2. Despite online shopping bringing prices down, leather shoes are still 2-3x as expensive as sneakers or even leather sneakers. Wearing leather shoes also requires a different wardrobe that is usually more expensive - in short the price gap still exists especially as the repair industry is dying. The other side of this is a lot of corner cutting by the "big brands" so they can keep their profits alive. Alden using cardboard in $900 boots and John Lobb using cemented construction for their loafers are just some examples. 3. Quality is the enemy of mass production. For quality leather shoes and clothing in general to exist, it has to be in small-scale production. Fast fashion is giving people a teaser of what they think they want but with a price and supply that can sustain millions of buyers. We in this small community know that leather shoes can last for 5-10 instead instead of 1-2, and we know that a bespoke suit can be worn for 30 years, but that doesn't stop the average person from buying a cheap replica for $50. In the years of growth for this industry there was a cobbler, hatter and tailor on every block, but having that now is simply impossible.
Many comments on this post suggesting that people are moving to things like boots, perhaps as something less formal than dress shoes but less casual than sneakers etc. This is significant and I'd recommend that this channel recognise that going forward. This is the way many of us want to dress now. A bridge between smart and casual. We want to look good but not stuffy.
Boots are more ergonomic, adaptable and have the grip and support to prevent falls or injury. They are the direct improvement to dress shoes by incorporating the advantages of less formal footwear. I can wear polished black leather boots both in the workplace and in the hills.
I have to admit as a kid I loved boots but got made fun of for wearing them. So I stopped. Since then I have hated boots but this channel actually made me love boots again. Now I want to always wear them.
I used to wear high end leather dress shoes. I had two or three pair, and took care of them as suggested. After a year or two, they are broken in, but not all that practical especially when living where there is snow or rain. My Dad would wear boots or goulashes over his dress shoes, which were also a pain. Polishing them daily is part of the routine. Conversely, I wear black Bates work boots to my white collar professional job. They are practical, comfortable and are always good to go. I have one pair, and I wear them 90% of the time. They last four or five years. For a while, I wore a pair of cowboy boots with my suit when I was working a bank job. They were by far the most comfortable pair of footwear that I have owned.
I like wearing my dress shoes, but they just don't breath well enough for extended use. Day to day I wear nice looking hiking or running shoes or my rainbow sandals
For me, I used to wear dress shoes everywhere until my feet were wrecked. I switched to adidas running and trail shoes for most long walks due to comfort. One thing to remember is that all these sneakers are constantly being examined and re-engineered. A lot of dress shoes, on the other hand, are mostly the same with some rare outliers, like Johnston and Murphy's dress shoes with Eva foam. The most comfortable dress shoes I've worn are from the Rockport company. Those can be worn for very long walks without causing pain and injury.
That's more or less the issue. Back when the other shoes people were wearing were leather, dress shoes weren't that big of a deal. But, over the decades there's been tremendous advancements in footwear technology and dress shoes just don't come in a format that's comfortable and safe for the foot. They're fine for a few hours at a special occasion, but often not for much longer.
All that footwear technology is overcomplicating things to fix a simple problem. If shoes are flat, flexible and widest at the ends of the toes, there will be no foot pain as long as you build up to it
@@Tatusiek_1 Good advise. I used to have a job where I was on my feet, active, for many hours at a time (the late 1980's!) and I was getting back pain. Someone said it could be my shoes so I started doing shifts in socks---it was amazing! If shoes are a must it seems simple, flat, flexible shoes with PLENTY of width is the way to go for long-term foot health.
@@antilogism yep that’s the key, all my recent shoe purchases meet this strict criteria of mine. and i haven’t looked back since. no more plantar fasciitis or crammed toes. and if you don’t use your arch (using supportive shoes or inserts) it will weaken like almost anything else in your body.
I continue to wear dress shoes, even though my general dress is more casual. I do segregate athletic clothing from dress clothing regardless of the formality level. I switch from mostly shoes in the summer to mostly boots in the winter, with levels of formality in both approaches. A comfortable pair of brogues or chelsea boot with chinos or jeans looks nice.
I’ll never stop buying dress shoes and boots. Even if it’s just with jeans. They may be a tumbled leather but being a man will never go out of style. Sweats and Nikes … no way.
Perhaps because most dress shoes are not foot-shaped: instead, they are typically too narrow, pointed rather than curved at the toes, with heels that are unnaturally high and soles that are in sufficiently flexible. But, apparently, they look great. In short, form over function.
@@samuelblessum5759 No. Running shoes you say? No. They literally made running shoes so aerodynamic and comfortable they've banned certain types in competition. Dress shoes though nice are too hard. After you start working and develop some corns, you hate a dress shoe.
When I wore suits in the 80s and 90s, I wore dress shoes with leather soles. These soles had to be replaced at least once a year given that walking in the rain softens the leather and it is wears faster. In the large 90s and later, I switched to business casual wear and still wore dress shoes but no longer with leather soles - quieter, lasted longer, were slightly warmer in the cold, and still looked good. Now, I mostly wear hiking shoes or boots as they are better for casual wear.
I was brought up by a father who was something of a stickler for proper dress. "Brown in town!" was an exasperated phrase that would often pass his lips. Brown tweed suits or brown shoes shouldn't be worn in town, though an excuse was made on a Friday as one could be heading to the country after work; not having time to change. He really despaired of me one day when I visited wearing a blue suit & brown shoes, a combination that just wasn't done. Brown shoes just weren't formal in his book. The suit was another matter. He also wasn't keen on the "Bum Freezer" vintage suit I picked up as he thought it a bit caddish. He later admitted that it was well made & suited me though. Funnily enough he got over his suspicion on men in suede shoes whilst stationed in Malaya, I think the heat got to him there. For me these days I find a pair of Blundstone boots; a style of Chelsea boot, make excellent casual wear, very comfortable & still look reasonably smart as well as being a great piece of footwear. Did/do any of these rules apply in the United States at all or is it just a British thing?
“No brown in town” was dropped in America perhaps 50 years ago. Short sport coats weren’t terribly fashionable here in the 20th century, but they were ubiquitous a few years ago. Suede shoes on men have been pretty common for a long time. Partly that’s because a lot of the US can get quite hot in the summer. Folk in the South have been wearing seersucker and suede for quite some time, and it migrated up north over time. Elvis was partly responsible for that. The hatred of blue suits with brown shoes has been oddly persistent in the US, though our “no brown in town” rule has been dead and gone for a while. To this day there are folks who will absolutely refuse to wear brown shoes with their navy suits
Funny that blue suits worn with brown shoes should be mentioned... I have heard of the disdain, but I've also personally seen a lot of "old money" wearing exactly that... Especially on the East Coast. Personally, I think that if the "right" tone of blue is paired with the "right" shade of brown, the end effect can be sublime.
Back in the day when I was a police cadet it Tasmania (where Blundstones originally come from), we were issued Blundstone boots for searches and the like. Most comfortable pair of boots I ever owned.
The issue is: there's been such a shift to casual attire over the past few decades that if you wear a pair of brown suede chukka boots with some chinos and a fairly smart shirt, you qualify as 'dressed up' somewhat. On the shoe matter, most guys I watch on YT or read about on blogs have a liking for the variety of shades of brown leather (patinas etc). I have two pairs of black cap toe oxfords and every other shoe (almost) is brown in all its shades. Brown will never be as formal as black and there is a place for the classic black cap toe oxford - just not with jeans!!
@@lukejohn6139 I was sceptical about them at first but like you I've found the to be the most comfortable footwear I've owned too. They're also really durable & surprisingly waterproof. Usually have a couple of pairs on the go & a new boxed pair in storage in case they get hard to get at any time.
why are you acting like this is a difficult question. Sneakers are just comfortable and unlike women we arent as interested in suffering to look "good" The newer generation does not value pointless tradition and are looking to make their own trends which will become their own traditions. This is how it has always been through history.
@@httohot eh, sorry but the body get used to it and honestly teh difference is not that big. There are always ways to make dress shoes more comfortable for you. And i would say the price of it is definitely worth the a lot better look. I had teh same argument with a friend who used to say "but sweatpants are more comfortable" or they were until he just wore jeans for 3 days at home, than switched through different pants and now sweatpants are not even home clothes for him. Of course the situation with shoes is a lot more specific and different but still... it is not that big of a thing.
I love this series! It reminds me of my History of Fashion class I had to take in college to fill a random credit/timeslot. Super interesting. I wish they made casual shoes more repairable/resolable!
Who says men stopped? I still wear them! Love them! I have five pairs of Allen Edmonds that I rotate through and they are lovely. The only hard part to decide will be which ones I will be buried in one day (and which of the other 4 pairs I leave to my two sons). 😀
I'm a big fan of my dress shoes but sadly I tend to have to limit wearing them mostly to church or a special function since I can't really afford many pairs, therefore what I have would wear out way too quickly.
My man hit the Thrift Stores. Every wednesday, The Salvation Army is 50% off. Value Village is always 50% the day after a holiday. Goodwill is fairly cheap. I've bought numerous higher end dress shoes for less than $10. Just got dome Cole Hahn for $4.00 yesterday. Plenty of videos on TH-cam to restore them to like new. Believe me, I can't afford newer shoes either lol. Good luck!
I was taught to brush my shoes daily, but on Sundays; as the youngest, my job was to polish everybody's shoes for the whole household, then off for a bath. For the daily brush we'd apply the polish before bed the night before & then in the morning buff it up to a shine. When I was relating this to some younger folk who worked for me they looked at me as if this was something out of a Dickensian novel. 👞 Sadly I can sometimes still be found "bulling" [a way of polishing to get a very high shine] some of my footwear. I blame my father as it's a military tradition. It is quite relaxing & cathartic to do though.
Why men stopped is a question I do not have enough data to answer: what I can answer is why _this_ man stopped, and that is because for about a decade now the soft tissue in my feet has been sloooowly decaying between the bones and on the soles. Why remains unknown. Softer specialty sneakers with several inserts are now my footwear of necessity. Except when like this time of year it snows, proper snow boots still have to be worn.
Yeah, it's not hard to fathom why anyone would find a shoe with a rubber sole (and probably several layers of cushioning foam, as well as an insole) more appealing to walk around in than a shoe with a few millimeters of hard leather. Dress shoes look great, but they don't feel great.
I replaced the soles on all of my Allen Edmonds with Vibram lug soles to increase padding, comfort and grip. Also to adjust to the pandemic’s effect on office wear.
I’ve got a couple pairs of chukka boots that have a sense of formality to them and I tend to get compliments on them often. I think society has become so casual these days that even something like chukka boots get peoples’ attention.
He has, what has to be, the smoothest delivery I have heard in a long time. It's a refreshing change of pace on TH-cam: the land of twisted tongues, mispronunciations, and other verbal high-crimes.
I'm a leather boot guy (good weather: Thursday captains, bad weather: bean boots) every season but summer and late spring. Summer I'm either wearing top siders or plain sneakers. Sometimes retro Nike low tops. Nike vulc skates
So I had a fair amount of dress shoes that I would never wear because of discomfort and them constantly coming untied. I then purchased at handful of different colored shoelaces from Fort Belvedere, and I found myself wearing my dress shoes constantly. Not only do they now complement my ensemble, they have now become much more comfortable to wear.
I gave them up because I needed better traction than most dress shoes provided, for my work. Also, my job required I work on concrete floors with little’give’ in them. Needed more comfort and shock protection.
I just bought two pairs of dress shoes. Granted, I used to wear almost entirely sneakers and casual, but that was largely because trying to find large dress shoes that fit well were extremely hard to find in prior decades. Everyone seemed to make size 14 shoes as wide and not narrow. Combine that with having to walk on concrete, sneakers just offered more padding
Such a superb video, very informative. As a 53-year-old guy I recently bought a pair of dress shoes for a funeral, however, around 20 years ago or so I used to buy Chelsea boots to match my dress trousers and shirts for work. Now I wear baggy cargo jeans and Nike Pegasus 37/38 trainers (sneakers) for my new job role. I also remember when I used to go to nightclubs from my 20's to mid 30's, dress shoes were very much the standard here in the UK, no clubs would allow people to wear jeans and trainers (sneakers), how things have changed these days.
I'm afraid modern brand awareness has turned everything on it head. The chinese-made dress shoes that I wear to the office cost less than a quarter of the price of the Chuck Taylors that I wear on the weekend. Sneakers are now a status symbol and the brand is everything whereas the understated branding of dress shoes means that you can get away with a pair of cheapies without getting noticed. And if I'm brutally honest there's not much difference in the quality either - they both last about the same amount of time. I think its time for the big brands to step up and provide a level of quality that matches their price tags....
I just bought my first pair of boots and threw away all my sneakers. I now have one pair of casual leather boots, gym shoes, hiking shoes and my Birkenstocks for home and beach. I'm 21 and what motivated me to dress nicer is the fact that it wasn't long ago that people used to wear shirts with dress shoes everywhere all the time. I'm taking after my grandpa and everyone in my family before the 80's
In some companies, only the people who are required or expected to deal with customers in person are required to dress is typical business clothes. One 'objection' I've had regarding dress shoes is that the leather soles tend to be slippery when walking outside and sometimes on polished floors.
Many of the comments speak to the "what works for me" reasons. This points to lifestyle / where you live. Those of us who don't particularly worry about if our footwear signals wealth, we want a shoe that is built strong, comfortable, and will tolerate a wide variety of conditions from rain, sand, heat and snow, that work for 99% of my needs.
Very good video, as always from this channel. However, I take issue with one statement: that there is now freedom of choice in dress. In reality there is not, since people who dress casually do not like to be around people who do not and therefore ridicule them. It takes a great deal of courage, and risk of loss of colleagues and friends, to really dress the way one wants.
100%. For example, today I am taking one of the managers from my most important client to a classic hamburger spot nearby that I and everyone who knows about it, love, but that the manager has never been to. At the same time, I enjoy wearing suits, ties, dress shoes etc. However, I’m not going to wear that because in 2022 wearing tailored clothing to a burger join for a casual lunch can telegraph a level of stuffiness to a lot of people. Therefor, I’ll dress smart. Also, I absolutely agree about those awful Cole Haan Frankenstein shoes but do think the Loro Piana Open Walks do a better job of creating a more natural-seeming hybrid. Also this video inspired me and I’m going to order those Steve McQueen shoes now despite traditionally despising crepe.
Mr. Schneider has me cracking up. hahaha I'm a fan of pointed toe western boots. Just don't wear them hardly ever, mostly due to specific fit. It costs a lot of money to have a boot fitter build a custom western boot but I've read/heard the results are pretty amazing. Aside form the occasional scuff around the toe, the western boot works for casual and classy.
I think you folks are missing some key ideas in not addressing the fact that dress clothes and shoes are typically based on common wear of the past, whether it started out as formal or casual.
I’ve owned a pair of black Dexter Oxfords for over 25 years. I’ve had them resoled twice. I wear them on formal and dress occasions and are the best, most comfortable, and, over time AFFORDABLE shoes I’ve ever worn! If you’re asking what are Dexters, the company no longer exists.
The problem I face with dress shoes is that I simply don't know what brands offer high-quality shoes in Australia. Can anyone give me some suggestions for brands in Australia to look into?
I've found Florsheim Shoes to be a really good shop for dress shoes (Men and women). I bought a pair of Wingtip Derby's from there, and with minimum maintenance e.g. Polishing. They are quite literally the most comfortable thing I own, even putting my sneakers to shame (Not to mention that there was only a $50 difference between my Nike's and FS Derby's.). I walked around the city for 3-ish hours and my feet barely hurt, I seriously couldn't recommend Florsheim Shoes enough.
Although I’m semi-retired and don’t wear them often, I still have half-a-dozen pairs of dress shoes I wore in my career as a lawyer. Most of them are English Church’s (2 black cap toe oxfords, 2 tan cap toe oxfords and a more casual mahogany pair of semi-brogues) and one pair are French Weston black semi-brogues. It was generally considered bad for shoes to wear a pair more than twice in a work week, though the fastidious wore a pair only once weekly. Always shined between wearings, and stored with shoe trees to keep shape. Brogues would be buff-shined only, but pain or cap toe shoes would be ‘spit-shined’ to a very high gloss. Good quality dress shoes last decades with resoling and conscientious care of the leather. \
I like a burgandy dress shoe, but it seems to be going out of fashion. I went to a shoe store and they just about laughed at me, then told me it’s either brown or black.
My go-to footwear is dress boots, mostly Allen Edmonds (I have six pairs), but still wear dress loafers (Bruno Magli) or oxfords. I do own other shoes, specifically made for bicycling, motorcycling, or exercise, but only use them for that purpose. Dress shoes and boots look great with jeans and a tee shirt or business casual cloths. The best shoes are built to be rebuilt ... leather shoes, leather soles. Two things you never skimp on, shoes and tires.
Great video. For whatever reasons, I can't stand shoes, sneakers, dress shoes etc. I always go for boots. For my general flannel shirt, graphic tee and slim jeans ensemble, I go for either timberlands, work wellingtons(which was inspired by watching your video on Beau Brummel) and 8 inch thorogood moc-toes. When I wear a suit two to three days a week, I go for thursday cavaliers. I plan on buying wingtips once I make my own money. I would absolutely love if you made a video on the resergance in dress boots. Much love to you guys.
Guys who wear sneakers all the time will say they 'need to be comfortable'. It's not like you're hiking in your dress shoes bro! And they're not made of spikes.
I think footwear is function over form. When I lived in Indiana, I usually wore dress shoes with a sharp wardrobe when I needed to be out & about. When I moved out West late last year, I found I needed to wear boots most of the time. I still wear dress shoes into town, but when on my fianceè's property, I'm totally in boots when working the land.
How can anybody not love a good Fedora. I have a selection and I don't leave the house without a hat, usually a Fedora. One rarely mentioned point in favor of wearing hats is they protect my face and eyes from the harsh high altitude sun here in Colorado. As a result I look about 10 years younger than my age and unlike my friends I don't need cataract surgery because my eyes are shaded from the harmful UV rays. So in my opinion hats are great although I avoid wearing baseball cap, especially if they're red.
I haven't! But from an ergonomic standpoint, I think I'll switch to anatomical shoes. Elevated heels and round (or even pointy!) tips are generally a bad idea.
Where I work I would say a lot of men are wearing dress shoes the women are not. I think there is a resurgence of classic menswear which I've joined. I have a made to measure suit along with several Charles Tyrwhitt shirts both casual and dress. I own 3 pairs of Beckett Simonon shoes 2 pairs of Oxfords and 1 pair of Double Monk straps all within 4 months. I really like biz/casual although at first I didn't Im trying to embrace the movement lol. Im currently working on getting my first mtm dress shirt.
To wear them back in the day the businessman's feet were destroyed from formal shoes. I have 4 pairs of dress shoes but I cannot wear them all them time because it will ruin my feet
I purchased a pair of well worn brown vintage Florsheim Imperials from a charity shop for $10. After replacing the heel taps and soles, and a good polish, the shoe compliment both my formal and casual attire.
I didn't stop wearing dress shoes. I refuse to wear children's shoes unless a _really_ casual style is called for. I have many, many shoes and keep them clean, waxed on wooden shoe trees. That way they keep their shape and finish. I have some which are 30 years old and look new. And some brands (Church's or Jones for example) you can send back to the factory to be re-soled for a reasonable fee. So what seemed like expensive shoes 30 years ago - are still like new in my shoe cupboard. Subject "brown in town" - black for formal business, brown for informal (or if casual other colours too). Depending on the weather, the style can go from light leather shoes to synthetic grippy soles to Chelsea boots or similar, and for snow hiking boots or similar to even knee-high synthetic depending on the depth.
For me, I rarely wear dress shoes because they just are much less comfortable than tennis shoes. At least every formal pair I have ever worn. The more casual options like Chukka Boots are just fine.
@Axel's DDO Channel I love well polished chukka boots for casual but I wore slacks 80 percent of time when I worked in the office so my preferred shoes were captoe or wingtips.
I used to think that mainly because every formal shoe for church I had growing up was some cheap hard pleather from Sears or JCP and just awful and painful. I didn't discover how different well made dress shoes were till my mid 40's. I found some with buttery supple leather that feel like house slippers.
Six years in a Military Academy followed by 4 years in a military college where I spent quite some time shining and polishing black dress shoes daily especially for inspections is the main reason I avoid dress shoes like the plague now.
This seems to be an American focused video as over here in Europe (Switzerland particularly) you will not find sneakers outside of the gym or casual wear for a drink. If you have to dress for work or an event I have never seen a sneaker in sight.
Unfortunately the sneaker is also very popular in Central-Easter Europe (Hungary). It might not be a sneaker, but some other sport shoe, but sport shoes are the "norm". Sadly.
Could this discrepancy between the Swiss and the rest of Europe be due to the kind of formal banking tradition of Switzerland? I know banks tend to be the only remaining places where one is likely to see a man in a suit at work (even in the US). The UK seems still to have very strict dress codes in their banks.
I will continue to enjoy my C&J oxford and derby shoes when the snow is gone, wearing nice shoes makes you stand out and when you look down on your feet, they fill you with joy
Getting two pairs of dress boots this year, one black and the other brown, so I don't get caught scrambling to get something sub par for a formal occasion at the last minute. Nothing against the dress shoe in principle, it's a comfort choice. I prefer more ankle support, and I noticed that the tongue of dress shoes presses into the part where my shin meets the top of my foot.
Unfortunately true with Thursdays Goodyear Welted boots. I’ve had to have two pairs adjusted by a local cobbler. They cut the top of the tongue by a centimetre. No such problem with Trickers. My cobbler describes Thursdays a ‘entry level’ Goodyear.
Kyle, I love your videos. I don't mean to speak ill of your compatriots, but the rest of this channel can be formal to the point of being off-putting. You always keep formality at heart, but you display a sense of comfort in your own skin that makes watching your videos relaxing and informative. Always glad to see a new Kyle video!
The cause of the loss of dress shoes stems from lack of sidewalks and no maintenance of the remaining sidewalks. I gave up dress shoes as the result of a visit to downtown Cleveland during a heavy downpour in the 1980s. The sidewalks became drainage ditches, and the shoes were badly soaked, and thus ruined. Also, in winter the floors of cars get a lot of salty slush, which also ruins dress shoes. So, I have since worn both logging boots and Arctic pacs. Due to sports injuries I wear orthotic boots in summer. A set of similar problems has forced me to stop buying four-piece Harris tweed suits. Thanks to China not making my odd sizes I cannot even buy sweatshirts and pants. When money is present, I dress out of Cabelas. An added issue is that no one makes quality shoes in the US that are readily available, nor suits. My current plans are to win the lottery, and go to the United Kingdom to buy a wardrobe that fits.
Not gonna happen. Wishful thinking. Ever see the movie "Idiocracy"? Basically, we've gone from Shakespeare to Travis Scott in 500 years. And we just keep heading deeper and darker down the toilet.
@@TheFujiwuji I agree with what you are saying. But I am still wearing my dresses and my heels whenever I can, which is actually on my leisure time, as I work from home, in scruffy pj's. 😂
My job I wear a wool black suit and I use to wear my high end leather dress shoes 👞 but my employer tells me to wear a cheaper shoe with rubber bottoms so I found a great looking shoe made in Israel called NAOT. But I still wear my good leather shoes 👞😇
They have stopped wearing them because many cannot afford them anymore.Spend 200-400 bucks for a good quality shoe or spend 10-40 for sneakers,second-hand shoes or cheaply made ''formal'' shoes?There's an economic crising going on where people can barely afford their bills,we are not in boomer land anymore
I have a wide variety of shoes including about 7 pair of what I would call dress shoes. I love the look of a good dress shoe either formally or even with jeans. However, for any occasion where I'll be walking distances, I have to go with something more comfortable. And hanging out at home or at a friend's in a nice sneaker is hard to beat. As you said, there's room for both kind of shoe.
They are generally uncomfortable, leather shoes with leather soles …. I stopped wearing them years ago. U can get very smart looking shoes that are Uber comfy and u don’t have to sacrifice on style or that u are dressing down.
Quality dress shoes are only uncomfortable during their break-in period. After that, they should mold to your foot and be very comfortable. Besides, you could always utilize a cushioned insole if more squish is needed. Don't forget that quality GYW dress shoes can last for decades, something that is never true of sneakers or those franken-shoe abominations.
i'd like to disagree, i have a pair of dress shoes, the sole is made of leather wood and some rubber, for a good grip, and to be quite honest, they are really comfortable, sure they are not as comfortable as a pair of new balance shoes, but they are far from uncomfortable
Great video, I remember when I was young every time my father had to fly he wore a suite. I couldn’t even imagine flying in a suite now days! It’s interesting how times change and eventually come full circle.
I still wear them. I opt for boat shoes in the casual summer but for church and work it’s still dress shoes. In the fall/winter months and even spring I still either wear dress shoes or boots.
I loved the look of dress shoes, I had five pairs of Allen Edmonds at one point. Without watching the video, I can tell you that I switched to more comfortable shoes. It's that simple.
agreed. Even though dress shoes do get more comfortable over time when compared to when they were newly purchased, the comfort level will never be matched by sandals, sneakers, and various other styles of shoes. I do prefer the aesthetic of oxford dress shoes though.
@@bustanutist Dude, read, I'm betting I had more high end dress shoes than you have. From 1980-2001. Heels, leather resoles, and a whole lotta shoe shines. Easy way out? Like I said: comfy way out. Polish your comprehension skills!
@@bustanutist OK, back in the day, I had Dan Post, Tony Llama, and Justin western boots. No Lucchese, but great work and hiking boots: Danner, Timberland, Herman, Wolverine and Red Wings. All better a couple of decades ago.
As someone who is pretty young (20 as of now), I am glad that we are moving toward having more options. Formal wear is nice and all, but I personally think suits look worse on me than many clothes which are considered more casual. And as someone who values my comfort, I love how some brands are now making some decent looking form-fitting pants out of softer workout materials.
If you look at a specialty store that sells suits and tailor it to you a suit will no doubt look good on you. You can even buy an off rack suit from Walmart and get it tailored and it will look better than it did in the store
@@tdbone35 Well, yes, I still think I can look good in a suit. I just prefer how I look in more casual clothes. Suits get a little boring after you've seen everyone wearing them for so long. I think we could benefit from having more variety in formal wear.
@@Lily-wd7dz thats where you need to fully investigate different suits they are all similar but there are some that will stand out due its design and still be formal. Give it a try.
@@TheEnigmaticBM39 I think it might be because the majority of the YT content I consume is fabrication welding making engineering This is different and it got me off guard
I'm amazed at people who wear sneakers all the time especially in the winter. Here is can be cold (-10C to -20C) with snow, ice, slush, salt on the ground. Yet people wearing sneakers in the winter are slipping on ice and in obvious pain from the cold since sneakers are not insulated and have a smooth sole.
I think it depends so much on age, profession and lifestyle. For me - a middle-aged lawyer - tennis shoes look like I’m trying a bit too hard to look “current.” To each his own!
Good video! From what I recognize on the internet, most people take off their dress business, work, military and law enforcement boots and/or shoes after they come home from duty and/or work. Most of them slip on a pair of athletic shoes. Most work shoe, military and law enforcement shoe/boot manufactures are trying to produce footwear that is as comfortable, light and as flexible as a athletic shoe. Most work shoe, military and law enforcement shoe/boot are now using Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) soles with a cushioned insole, versus a Goodyear or a Blake stitch with stiff leather welt with no cushioned insole. Some dress shoes and/or boots have a rubber sole that is better than a leather sole if you are a business man on your feet all day. I do know that a rubber sole is not as dressy as a leather sole. I installed cushioned insoles in my dress boots and in my western boots and you not believe the difference! It feels like I am walking on air! Why most dress shoe/boots do not come with a cushioned insole is something I do not understand especially if they are leather sole. Please reply. Dave...
Not all men. I still dress for work: suit, blazer or sport coat (always with a tie) and dress shoes. For me it signifies propriety and also let's my employer know I am serious and focused on my job.
![[FULL EP.16] เซียนพาลุย "เผือก-ฟรอยด์" กรี๊ดลั่น จนปูหนี | เฮ็ดอย่างเซียนหรั่ง | One Playground](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FsqUvwS3b-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
I switched to probably 80% boot (dress, service, etc) use instead of dress shoes. A nice boot looks great, feels great and depending which is worn, can be dressed up pretty easily. More practical for commuting (ie walking to train and in city) in winter and rainy weather.
Same here.. used to be a dress shoe guy, but now owning more boots than shoes. I've got sensitive heel and boots just feel more comfortable there
Same here
Totally, shoes specially those that have a closed laceing are dreadful, on the other hand a tall boot you lace it to the ankle and your feet are in heaven.
I walk a lot and have noticed that most dress shoes are not made made for such a basic activity.
Seems I am in the transition, too. Last three pairs were boots.
As someone who's worn only hiking boots since the 80's I'm proud to say that since watching this channel 100% of my footwear (still mostly boots) are now goodyear welted, blake stitched or stitchdown constructed and I do wear a few derbies to work now.
I love my dress shoes, I'm 17 years old and found them in a thrift shop, they are the most confortable shoes I got
I am 19 and I love dressing shoes too. I wear them basically everyday when I go to library to study
Make sure you buy multiple pairs if you’re wearing them regularly, never wear a leather dress shoe two days in a row unless you have to, and condition them regularly. I’d check out a channel called Trenton and Heath, if you haven’t already, to learn more about quality footwear and what goes into maintaining it.
@@adriansaavedra7923 I'll second the Trenton and Heath recommendation. Those guys are great!
@@adriansaavedra7923 I send them to my shoe cleaner just 2 weeks ago!
That's great. Cuz here in the Philippines, I, an adolescent, get judgy eyes in wearing loafers in a casual environment.
Whilst many people in western societies wear sneakers (or trainers in the UK) as a go-to footwear standard, I'd say the formal shoe is not dead (by 'formal' I'd include deck shoes and loafers as well as oxfords and derbys). In fact, there is a renaissance happening in men's classic/formal footwear. Lot's of new brands produce high quality Goodyear welted shoes (Carlos Santos, Carmina and TLB Mallorca, for example). Long live the dress shoe!
Its getting more popular because of channels like this and IG, online businesses etc. That doesn't mean there arent still problems that are only getting worse such as:
1. Quality cobblers especially outside the US and UK are rare and are rarely experienced in resoling or repairing luxury shoes. Replacing a dainite or JR sole is almost impossible outside countries that have an established history in shoemaking. I, just like most people buy GYW shoes expecting to resole them some day, but the truth is I don't think I'll find a cobbler that can do it.
2. Despite online shopping bringing prices down, leather shoes are still 2-3x as expensive as sneakers or even leather sneakers. Wearing leather shoes also requires a different wardrobe that is usually more expensive - in short the price gap still exists especially as the repair industry is dying. The other side of this is a lot of corner cutting by the "big brands" so they can keep their profits alive. Alden using cardboard in $900 boots and John Lobb using cemented construction for their loafers are just some examples.
3. Quality is the enemy of mass production. For quality leather shoes and clothing in general to exist, it has to be in small-scale production. Fast fashion is giving people a teaser of what they think they want but with a price and supply that can sustain millions of buyers. We in this small community know that leather shoes can last for 5-10 instead instead of 1-2, and we know that a bespoke suit can be worn for 30 years, but that doesn't stop the average person from buying a cheap replica for $50. In the years of growth for this industry there was a cobbler, hatter and tailor on every block, but having that now is simply impossible.
Indeed .. I work in a department store in London west end . And we sell more formal shoes than trainers specially in the last 2, 3 years.
Yes! I think so too. Also I think the quality of the fine shoes is improving very quickly to catch people's eyes. After all we all want great products
'Trainees' in the UK's North West.
Your argumentative prowess is that of a five year old child - it is lacking, basic and debatable.
Many comments on this post suggesting that people are moving to things like boots, perhaps as something less formal than dress shoes but less casual than sneakers etc. This is significant and I'd recommend that this channel recognise that going forward. This is the way many of us want to dress now. A bridge between smart and casual. We want to look good but not stuffy.
A lot of truth to this, my Thursday Boots chukkas are my go too now.
Boots are more ergonomic, adaptable and have the grip and support to prevent falls or injury. They are the direct improvement to dress shoes by incorporating the advantages of less formal footwear.
I can wear polished black leather boots both in the workplace and in the hills.
I have to admit as a kid I loved boots but got made fun of for wearing them. So I stopped. Since then I have hated boots but this channel actually made me love boots again. Now I want to always wear them.
do you know why? because i was made fun of too for that and never actually understood why
I almost exclusively wear boots. Never were sneakers in public outside the gym.
As a bicycle messenger, i exclusively wore a mailman's oxford for better braking and stability.
I used to wear high end leather dress shoes. I had two or three pair, and took care of them as suggested. After a year or two, they are broken in, but not all that practical especially when living where there is snow or rain. My Dad would wear boots or goulashes over his dress shoes, which were also a pain. Polishing them daily is part of the routine.
Conversely, I wear black Bates work boots to my white collar professional job. They are practical, comfortable and are always good to go. I have one pair, and I wear them 90% of the time. They last four or five years.
For a while, I wore a pair of cowboy boots with my suit when I was working a bank job. They were by far the most comfortable pair of footwear that I have owned.
In NYC, you better have "hárd" shoes! Glass and nails havr been known to pierce sneakers.
Did they stop wearing them? I wear dress shoes every day, and they are really comfortable.
Not necessarily stopped, rather the likelihood of seeing them worn around town has simply decreased.
I like wearing my dress shoes, but they just don't breath well enough for extended use. Day to day I wear nice looking hiking or running shoes or my rainbow sandals
Really comfortable 😂
For me, I used to wear dress shoes everywhere until my feet were wrecked. I switched to adidas running and trail shoes for most long walks due to comfort. One thing to remember is that all these sneakers are constantly being examined and re-engineered. A lot of dress shoes, on the other hand, are mostly the same with some rare outliers, like Johnston and Murphy's dress shoes with Eva foam.
The most comfortable dress shoes I've worn are from the Rockport company. Those can be worn for very long walks without causing pain and injury.
That's more or less the issue. Back when the other shoes people were wearing were leather, dress shoes weren't that big of a deal. But, over the decades there's been tremendous advancements in footwear technology and dress shoes just don't come in a format that's comfortable and safe for the foot. They're fine for a few hours at a special occasion, but often not for much longer.
Rockport belongs to Adidas
All that footwear technology is overcomplicating things to fix a simple problem. If shoes are flat, flexible and widest at the ends of the toes, there will be no foot pain as long as you build up to it
@@Tatusiek_1 Good advise. I used to have a job where I was on my feet, active, for many hours at a time (the late 1980's!) and I was getting back pain. Someone said it could be my shoes so I started doing shifts in socks---it was amazing! If shoes are a must it seems simple, flat, flexible shoes with PLENTY of width is the way to go for long-term foot health.
@@antilogism yep that’s the key, all my recent shoe purchases meet this strict criteria of mine. and i haven’t looked back since. no more plantar fasciitis or crammed toes. and if you don’t use your arch (using supportive shoes or inserts) it will weaken like almost anything else in your body.
It seems to me that sneakers and other 'casual' shoes can cost as much or more than a reasonably priced pair of dress shoes.
That was my immediate thought as well.
That's today...in the 20s-30s a good pair of handmade shoes could cost you one maybe two weeks in wages
You're talking about the hyped up shoes that sell out and to get it you have to pay up resale prices
A good pair of sneakers are more affordable than a good pair of dress shoes, they are also more comfortable and more versatile.
In Virginia we call them tennis shoes.
I continue to wear dress shoes, even though my general dress is more casual. I do segregate athletic clothing from dress clothing regardless of the formality level. I switch from mostly shoes in the summer to mostly boots in the winter, with levels of formality in both approaches. A comfortable pair of brogues or chelsea boot with chinos or jeans looks nice.
I’ll never stop buying dress shoes and boots. Even if it’s just with jeans. They may be a tumbled leather but being a man will never go out of style. Sweats and Nikes … no way.
Tim: Dress shoes and jeans -- *especially* for women is silly.
Sweat pants going out style in the ghetto. We very rarely were sweat pants.
@@vaughnreedjr6592: Why is this?
Being a man doesn't define what shoes you wear, fool,,!!.
I only wear dress shoes and boots - never had a pair of trainers in my life.
Men owning dress shoes has become so rare that I see men wearing suits with some sort of sneaker.
Being a Gentleman is timeless..."Every girl crazy for a sharp dressed Man"...Still True👔👞
I find it mildly ironic how that song was sung by two bearded country men who weren't sharply dressed.
@@saroushen ZZ Top obviously envied the Elite GQ's...lol
Society has become way too casual, not just with clothing but also with manners and etiquette.
Perhaps because most dress shoes are not foot-shaped: instead, they are typically too narrow, pointed rather than curved at the toes, with heels that are unnaturally high and soles that are in sufficiently flexible. But, apparently, they look great. In short, form over function.
Most modern shoes are guilty of this... especially running shoes and work boots!
@@samuelblessum5759 No. Running shoes you say? No. They literally made running shoes so aerodynamic and comfortable they've banned certain types in competition. Dress shoes though nice are too hard. After you start working and develop some corns, you hate a dress shoe.
Running shoes are all about style, you may feel comfortable but they damage your knees and feet.
@@toutlemondesalut You mean tennis/sneakers. "Running" shoes, nah.
I love my Rockport dress shoes!!!
When I wore suits in the 80s and 90s, I wore dress shoes with leather soles. These soles had to be replaced at least once a year given that walking in the rain softens the leather and it is wears faster. In the large 90s and later, I switched to business casual wear and still wore dress shoes but no longer with leather soles - quieter, lasted longer, were slightly warmer in the cold, and still looked good. Now, I mostly wear hiking shoes or boots as they are better for casual wear.
Goodyear welted soles required.
I was brought up by a father who was something of a stickler for proper dress.
"Brown in town!" was an exasperated phrase that would often pass his lips. Brown tweed suits or brown shoes shouldn't be worn in town, though an excuse was made on a Friday as one could be heading to the country after work; not having time to change. He really despaired of me one day when I visited wearing a blue suit & brown shoes, a combination that just wasn't done. Brown shoes just weren't formal in his book. The suit was another matter.
He also wasn't keen on the "Bum Freezer" vintage suit I picked up as he thought it a bit caddish. He later admitted that it was well made & suited me though.
Funnily enough he got over his suspicion on men in suede shoes whilst stationed in Malaya, I think the heat got to him there.
For me these days I find a pair of Blundstone boots; a style of Chelsea boot, make excellent casual wear, very comfortable & still look reasonably smart as well as being a great piece of footwear.
Did/do any of these rules apply in the United States at all or is it just a British thing?
“No brown in town” was dropped in America perhaps 50 years ago. Short sport coats weren’t terribly fashionable here in the 20th century, but they were ubiquitous a few years ago. Suede shoes on men have been pretty common for a long time. Partly that’s because a lot of the US can get quite hot in the summer. Folk in the South have been wearing seersucker and suede for quite some time, and it migrated up north over time. Elvis was partly responsible for that. The hatred of blue suits with brown shoes has been oddly persistent in the US, though our “no brown in town” rule has been dead and gone for a while. To this day there are folks who will absolutely refuse to wear brown shoes with their navy suits
Funny that blue suits worn with brown shoes should be mentioned...
I have heard of the disdain, but I've also personally seen a lot of "old money" wearing exactly that... Especially on the East Coast.
Personally, I think that if the "right" tone of blue is paired with the "right" shade of brown, the end effect can be sublime.
Back in the day when I was a police cadet it Tasmania (where Blundstones originally come from), we were issued Blundstone boots for searches and the like. Most comfortable pair of boots I ever owned.
The issue is: there's been such a shift to casual attire over the past few decades that if you wear a pair of brown suede chukka boots with some chinos and a fairly smart shirt, you qualify as 'dressed up' somewhat. On the shoe matter, most guys I watch on YT or read about on blogs have a liking for the variety of shades of brown leather (patinas etc). I have two pairs of black cap toe oxfords and every other shoe (almost) is brown in all its shades. Brown will never be as formal as black and there is a place for the classic black cap toe oxford - just not with jeans!!
@@lukejohn6139 I was sceptical about them at first but like you I've found the to be the most comfortable footwear I've owned too. They're also really durable & surprisingly waterproof. Usually have a couple of pairs on the go & a new boxed pair in storage in case they get hard to get at any time.
❤️ answered this question perfectly. I think the “kids” will bring back high fashion like dress shoes in rebellion against sneaker wearing adults
why are you acting like this is a difficult question. Sneakers are just comfortable and unlike women we arent as interested in suffering to look "good"
The newer generation does not value pointless tradition and are looking to make their own trends which will become their own traditions. This is how it has always been through history.
What's that saying: whatever is old has become new again?
@@httohot eh, sorry but the body get used to it and honestly teh difference is not that big. There are always ways to make dress shoes more comfortable for you. And i would say the price of it is definitely worth the a lot better look. I had teh same argument with a friend who used to say "but sweatpants are more comfortable" or they were until he just wore jeans for 3 days at home, than switched through different pants and now sweatpants are not even home clothes for him. Of course the situation with shoes is a lot more specific and different but still... it is not that big of a thing.
That already happened in Japan. Most Japanese teenagers do not like Jeans, because their parents like them 😜
One can hope, but I think the "convenience trumps EVERYTHING" is contagious. Who will teach the next generation?
Basically America became WAY too casual. Why, because less respect for tradition.
I still prefer dress shoes. Old school is best. Never gets old. Be gentleman.
Why did I quit wearing dress shoes:
1. Comfort.
2. Fit.
3. Cost.
4. Retirement.
End of discussion!!!
I love this series! It reminds me of my History of Fashion class I had to take in college to fill a random credit/timeslot. Super interesting. I wish they made casual shoes more repairable/resolable!
Who says men stopped? I still wear them! Love them! I have five pairs of Allen Edmonds that I rotate through and they are lovely. The only hard part to decide will be which ones I will be buried in one day (and which of the other 4 pairs I leave to my two sons). 😀
I wear Allen Edmonds all the time.
@@phillipmillman3290 They're great!
I get judging eyes when I try wearing my loafers in a regular day 😅
@@oliverdelica2289 Hey you do you buddy! Nothing wrong with looking good.
I'm a big fan of my dress shoes but sadly I tend to have to limit wearing them mostly to church or a special function since I can't really afford many pairs, therefore what I have would wear out way too quickly.
Try getting lightly used dress shoes from eBay. I have 4 pairs of Allen Edmonds I got for $100 each that way, and they'll last me 30 years.
My man hit the Thrift Stores.
Every wednesday, The Salvation Army is 50% off. Value Village is always 50% the day after a holiday. Goodwill is fairly cheap.
I've bought numerous higher end dress shoes for less than $10. Just got dome Cole Hahn for $4.00 yesterday.
Plenty of videos on TH-cam to restore them to like new.
Believe me, I can't afford newer shoes either lol.
Good luck!
Sadly many people are too lazy to brush or polish their shoes. And of course the use of training shoes in almost every situation including weddings!
I see the way people dress for funerals on the news. Tee shirts & hoodies.
@@samanthab1923 First of all this hoodie culture is should be kept aside for cold casual wear, not for everyday wear, looks like you are a "dealer".
@@samanthab1923 sad
I was taught to brush my shoes daily, but on Sundays; as the youngest, my job was to polish everybody's shoes for the whole household, then off for a bath.
For the daily brush we'd apply the polish before bed the night before & then in the morning buff it up to a shine. When I was relating this to some younger folk who worked for me they looked at me as if this was something out of a Dickensian novel. 👞
Sadly I can sometimes still be found "bulling" [a way of polishing to get a very high shine] some of my footwear. I blame my father as it's a military tradition. It is quite relaxing & cathartic to do though.
Why men stopped is a question I do not have enough data to answer: what I can answer is why _this_ man stopped, and that is because for about a decade now the soft tissue in my feet has been sloooowly decaying between the bones and on the soles. Why remains unknown. Softer specialty sneakers with several inserts are now my footwear of necessity. Except when like this time of year it snows, proper snow boots still have to be worn.
Yeah, it's not hard to fathom why anyone would find a shoe with a rubber sole (and probably several layers of cushioning foam, as well as an insole) more appealing to walk around in than a shoe with a few millimeters of hard leather. Dress shoes look great, but they don't feel great.
I replaced the soles on all of my Allen Edmonds with Vibram lug soles to increase padding, comfort and grip. Also to adjust to the pandemic’s effect on office wear.
I’ve got a couple pairs of chukka boots that have a sense of formality to them and I tend to get compliments on them often. I think society has become so casual these days that even something like chukka boots get peoples’ attention.
For a fast-paced speaker - I think your voice is the best and clearest I've ever heard. Great job.
I still wear dress shoes to work. Not with a suit these days though.
He has, what has to be, the smoothest delivery I have heard in a long time. It's a refreshing change of pace on TH-cam: the land of twisted tongues, mispronunciations, and other verbal high-crimes.
I'm a leather boot guy (good weather: Thursday captains, bad weather: bean boots) every season but summer and late spring. Summer I'm either wearing top siders or plain sneakers. Sometimes retro Nike low tops. Nike vulc skates
So I had a fair amount of dress shoes that I would never wear because of discomfort and them constantly coming untied. I then purchased at handful of different colored shoelaces from Fort Belvedere, and I found myself wearing my dress shoes constantly. Not only do they now complement my ensemble, they have now become much more comfortable to wear.
I wore dress shoes for 37 years at my job. Now retired, I enjoy the occasional opportunity to again wear a pair of my cap toe shoes.
I gave them up because I needed better traction than most dress shoes provided, for my work. Also, my job required I work on concrete floors with little’give’ in them. Needed more comfort and shock protection.
I just bought two pairs of dress shoes. Granted, I used to wear almost entirely sneakers and casual, but that was largely because trying to find large dress shoes that fit well were extremely hard to find in prior decades. Everyone seemed to make size 14 shoes as wide and not narrow.
Combine that with having to walk on concrete, sneakers just offered more padding
Such a superb video, very informative. As a 53-year-old guy I recently bought a pair of dress shoes for a funeral, however, around 20 years ago or so I used to buy Chelsea boots to match my dress trousers and shirts for work. Now I wear baggy cargo jeans and Nike Pegasus 37/38 trainers (sneakers) for my new job role. I also remember when I used to go to nightclubs from my 20's to mid 30's, dress shoes were very much the standard here in the UK, no clubs would allow people to wear jeans and trainers (sneakers), how things have changed these days.
For me, it's the opposite! My wardrobe is full of dress shoes / Boots and I only have one pair of sneakers haha
me too!
Like most men I chose comfort over astetics. The decline in upscale dress shoes is simply that most are very expensive and very uncomfortable....
I'm afraid modern brand awareness has turned everything on it head. The chinese-made dress shoes that I wear to the office cost less than a quarter of the price of the Chuck Taylors that I wear on the weekend. Sneakers are now a status symbol and the brand is everything whereas the understated branding of dress shoes means that you can get away with a pair of cheapies without getting noticed. And if I'm brutally honest there's not much difference in the quality either - they both last about the same amount of time. I think its time for the big brands to step up and provide a level of quality that matches their price tags....
I just bought my first pair of boots and threw away all my sneakers. I now have one pair of casual leather boots, gym shoes, hiking shoes and my Birkenstocks for home and beach. I'm 21 and what motivated me to dress nicer is the fact that it wasn't long ago that people used to wear shirts with dress shoes everywhere all the time. I'm taking after my grandpa and everyone in my family before the 80's
In some companies, only the people who are required or expected to deal with customers in person are required to dress is typical business clothes.
One 'objection' I've had regarding dress shoes is that the leather soles tend to be slippery when walking outside and sometimes on polished floors.
Many of the comments speak to the "what works for me" reasons. This points to lifestyle / where you live. Those of us who don't particularly worry about if our footwear signals wealth, we want a shoe that is built strong, comfortable, and will tolerate a wide variety of conditions from rain, sand, heat and snow, that work for 99% of my needs.
Very good video, as always from this channel. However, I take issue with one statement: that there is now freedom of choice in dress. In reality there is not, since people who dress casually do not like to be around people who do not and therefore ridicule them. It takes a great deal of courage, and risk of loss of colleagues and friends, to really dress the way one wants.
Agree. Stick to yourself. Think you're on the right path.
There are also many of us who quietly think people who go around in sweats and sneakers have no self-respect.
@@clemdane quietly?! Lol.
100%. For example, today I am taking one of the managers from my most important client to a classic hamburger spot nearby that I and everyone who knows about it, love, but that the manager has never been to. At the same time, I enjoy wearing suits, ties, dress shoes etc. However, I’m not going to wear that because in 2022 wearing tailored clothing to a burger join for a casual lunch can telegraph a level of stuffiness to a lot of people. Therefor, I’ll dress smart.
Also, I absolutely agree about those awful Cole Haan Frankenstein shoes but do think the Loro Piana Open Walks do a better job of creating a more natural-seeming hybrid. Also this video inspired me and I’m going to order those Steve McQueen shoes now despite traditionally despising crepe.
Mr. Schneider has me cracking up. hahaha
I'm a fan of pointed toe western boots. Just don't wear them hardly ever, mostly due to specific fit. It costs a lot of money to have a boot fitter build a custom western boot but I've read/heard the results are pretty amazing. Aside form the occasional scuff around the toe, the western boot works for casual and classy.
I think you folks are missing some key ideas in not addressing the fact that dress clothes and shoes are typically based on common wear of the past, whether it started out as formal or casual.
I’ve owned a pair of black Dexter Oxfords for over 25 years. I’ve had them resoled twice. I wear them on formal and dress occasions and are the best, most comfortable, and, over time AFFORDABLE shoes I’ve ever worn! If you’re asking what are Dexters, the company no longer exists.
The problem I face with dress shoes is that I simply don't know what brands offer high-quality shoes in Australia. Can anyone give me some suggestions for brands in Australia to look into?
I've found Florsheim Shoes to be a really good shop for dress shoes (Men and women). I bought a pair of Wingtip Derby's from there, and with minimum maintenance e.g. Polishing. They are quite literally the most comfortable thing I own, even putting my sneakers to shame (Not to mention that there was only a $50 difference between my Nike's and FS Derby's.). I walked around the city for 3-ish hours and my feet barely hurt, I seriously couldn't recommend Florsheim Shoes enough.
Although I’m semi-retired and don’t wear them often, I still have half-a-dozen pairs of dress shoes I wore in my career as a lawyer. Most of them are English Church’s (2 black cap toe oxfords, 2 tan cap toe oxfords and a more casual mahogany pair of semi-brogues) and one pair are French Weston black semi-brogues. It was generally considered bad for shoes to wear a pair more than twice in a work week, though the fastidious wore a pair only once weekly. Always shined between wearings, and stored with shoe trees to keep shape. Brogues would be buff-shined only, but pain or cap toe shoes would be ‘spit-shined’ to a very high gloss. Good quality dress shoes last decades with resoling and conscientious care of the leather.
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I like a burgandy dress shoe, but it seems to be going out of fashion. I went to a shoe store and they just about laughed at me, then told me it’s either brown or black.
My go-to footwear is dress boots, mostly Allen Edmonds (I have six pairs), but still wear dress loafers (Bruno Magli) or oxfords. I do own other shoes, specifically made for bicycling, motorcycling, or exercise, but only use them for that purpose. Dress shoes and boots look great with jeans and a tee shirt or business casual cloths. The best shoes are built to be rebuilt ... leather shoes, leather soles. Two things you never skimp on, shoes and tires.
Great video. For whatever reasons, I can't stand shoes, sneakers, dress shoes etc. I always go for boots. For my general flannel shirt, graphic tee and slim jeans ensemble, I go for either timberlands, work wellingtons(which was inspired by watching your video on Beau Brummel) and 8 inch thorogood moc-toes. When I wear a suit two to three days a week, I go for thursday cavaliers. I plan on buying wingtips once I make my own money. I would absolutely love if you made a video on the resergance in dress boots. Much love to you guys.
Guys who wear sneakers all the time will say they 'need to be comfortable'. It's not like you're hiking in your dress shoes bro! And they're not made of spikes.
I think footwear is function over form. When I lived in Indiana, I usually wore dress shoes with a sharp wardrobe when I needed to be out & about. When I moved out West late last year, I found I needed to wear boots most of the time. I still wear dress shoes into town, but when on my fianceè's property, I'm totally in boots when working the land.
At 81 I'm still wearing dress shoes and a Fedora hat. Women often say "I love your hat". Guys say "That's a nice hat, I like it".
How can anybody not love a good Fedora. I have a selection and I don't leave the house without a hat, usually a Fedora. One rarely mentioned point in favor of wearing hats is they protect my face and eyes from the harsh high altitude sun here in Colorado. As a result I look about 10 years younger than my age and unlike my friends I don't need cataract surgery because my eyes are shaded from the harmful UV rays. So in my opinion hats are great although I avoid wearing baseball cap, especially if they're red.
...Yeah, I need to get a new pair of dress shoes😅
My neighbor used to wear dress shoes, khakis, leather belt, and a short sleeved button up, to mow his lawn. Classy.
I haven't! But from an ergonomic standpoint, I think I'll switch to anatomical shoes. Elevated heels and round (or even pointy!) tips are generally a bad idea.
The answer is simple. The dress shoes lost the innovative touch and didn't address customer pain points of pain, comfort etc.
Where I work I would say a lot of men are wearing dress shoes the women are not. I think there is a resurgence of classic menswear which I've joined. I have a made to measure suit along with several Charles Tyrwhitt shirts both casual and dress. I own 3 pairs of Beckett Simonon shoes 2 pairs of Oxfords and 1 pair of Double Monk straps all within 4 months. I really like biz/casual although at first I didn't Im trying to embrace the movement lol. Im currently working on getting my first mtm dress shirt.
To wear them back in the day the businessman's feet were destroyed from formal shoes. I have 4 pairs of dress shoes but I cannot wear them all them time because it will ruin my feet
I can count on Gentleman's Gazette to give me way more than I expect when I seek out information on dress and style. Thanks.
I really appreciate you ideas on fashion!
Such a sad thing bc those fancy shoes are so classy and sezzay 😁😍
I purchased a pair of well worn brown vintage Florsheim Imperials from a charity shop for $10. After replacing the heel taps and soles, and a good polish, the shoe compliment both my formal and casual attire.
11:03 Raphael is killing it again :D :D :D
🤣
I didn't stop wearing dress shoes. I refuse to wear children's shoes unless a _really_ casual style is called for. I have many, many shoes and keep them clean, waxed on wooden shoe trees. That way they keep their shape and finish. I have some which are 30 years old and look new. And some brands (Church's or Jones for example) you can send back to the factory to be re-soled for a reasonable fee. So what seemed like expensive shoes 30 years ago - are still like new in my shoe cupboard. Subject "brown in town" - black for formal business, brown for informal (or if casual other colours too). Depending on the weather, the style can go from light leather shoes to synthetic grippy soles to Chelsea boots or similar, and for snow hiking boots or similar to even knee-high synthetic depending on the depth.
For me, I rarely wear dress shoes because they just are much less comfortable than tennis shoes. At least every formal pair I have ever worn. The more casual options like Chukka Boots are just fine.
@Axel's DDO Channel I love well polished chukka boots for casual but I wore slacks 80 percent of time when I worked in the office so my preferred shoes were captoe or wingtips.
Long live the dress shoes
I used to think that mainly because every formal shoe for church I had growing up was some cheap hard pleather from Sears or JCP and just awful and painful. I didn't discover how different well made dress shoes were till my mid 40's. I found some with buttery supple leather that feel like house slippers.
Comfort is more important to me than well any thing, damaged feet are forever.
@@flouisbailey Exactly!
Six years in a Military Academy followed by 4 years in a military college where I spent quite some time shining and polishing black dress shoes daily especially for inspections is the main reason I avoid dress shoes like the plague now.
This seems to be an American focused video as over here in Europe (Switzerland particularly) you will not find sneakers outside of the gym or casual wear for a drink. If you have to dress for work or an event I have never seen a sneaker in sight.
Europe is not Switzerland. In many other european countries, people mostly wear sneakers, even in an office and there is nothing wrong with that.
Lol what is this
Well I'm from Europe and everybody wears only sneakers
Unfortunately the sneaker is also very popular in Central-Easter Europe (Hungary). It might not be a sneaker, but some other sport shoe, but sport shoes are the "norm". Sadly.
Could this discrepancy between the Swiss and the rest of Europe be due to the kind of formal banking tradition of Switzerland? I know banks tend to be the only remaining places where one is likely to see a man in a suit at work (even in the US). The UK seems still to have very strict dress codes in their banks.
I will continue to enjoy my C&J oxford and derby shoes when the snow is gone, wearing nice shoes makes you stand out and when you look down on your feet, they fill you with joy
Getting two pairs of dress boots this year, one black and the other brown, so I don't get caught scrambling to get something sub par for a formal occasion at the last minute.
Nothing against the dress shoe in principle, it's a comfort choice. I prefer more ankle support, and I noticed that the tongue of dress shoes presses into the part where my shin meets the top of my foot.
Unfortunately true with Thursdays Goodyear Welted boots. I’ve had to have two pairs adjusted by a local cobbler. They cut the top of the tongue by a centimetre. No such problem with Trickers. My cobbler describes Thursdays a ‘entry level’ Goodyear.
@@clothyardshafts
Thank you for the tip.
Kyle, I love your videos. I don't mean to speak ill of your compatriots, but the rest of this channel can be formal to the point of being off-putting. You always keep formality at heart, but you display a sense of comfort in your own skin that makes watching your videos relaxing and informative. Always glad to see a new Kyle video!
The cause of the loss of dress shoes stems from lack of sidewalks and no maintenance of the remaining sidewalks. I gave up dress shoes as the result of a visit to downtown Cleveland during a heavy downpour in the 1980s. The sidewalks became drainage ditches, and the shoes were badly soaked, and thus ruined. Also, in winter the floors of cars get a lot of salty slush, which also ruins dress shoes. So, I have since worn both logging boots and Arctic pacs. Due to sports injuries I wear orthotic boots in summer. A set of similar problems has forced me to stop buying four-piece Harris tweed suits. Thanks to China not making my odd sizes I cannot even buy sweatshirts and pants. When money is present, I dress out of Cabelas. An added issue is that no one makes quality shoes in the US that are readily available, nor suits. My current plans are to win the lottery, and go to the United Kingdom to buy a wardrobe that fits.
I'm half Indian so only footwear I know are sandals
Excellent video. Thanks again for all you guys do!!
I never fail to find these videos interesting. Thank you for this
I work at a court facilty...routinely see shorts, sweats and t-shirts. Dirt bags, peasants and ruffians.
We need to bring the dressing up back.
Not gonna happen. Wishful thinking. Ever see the movie "Idiocracy"? Basically, we've gone from Shakespeare to Travis Scott in 500 years. And we just keep heading deeper and darker down the toilet.
@@TheFujiwuji I agree with what you are saying. But I am still wearing my dresses and my heels whenever I can, which is actually on my leisure time, as I work from home, in scruffy pj's. 😂
Caraca, você tem o mesmo nome da minha amiga.
@@AM-gx3dy 🧐 quem ela e, onde mora, quem e voce? Sou eu, a sua amiga?
@@grazsts3005Muitas perguntas. >.<
Mas ah, ela é de Fortaleza shshhshzhshs.
My job I wear a wool black suit and I use to wear my high end leather dress shoes 👞 but my employer tells me to wear a cheaper shoe with rubber bottoms so I found a great looking shoe made in Israel called NAOT. But I still wear my good leather shoes 👞😇
They have stopped wearing them because many cannot afford them anymore.Spend 200-400 bucks for a good quality shoe or spend 10-40 for sneakers,second-hand shoes or cheaply made ''formal'' shoes?There's an economic crising going on where people can barely afford their bills,we are not in boomer land anymore
I have a wide variety of shoes including about 7 pair of what I would call dress shoes. I love the look of a good dress shoe either formally or even with jeans. However, for any occasion where I'll be walking distances, I have to go with something more comfortable. And hanging out at home or at a friend's in a nice sneaker is hard to beat. As you said, there's room for both kind of shoe.
They are generally uncomfortable, leather shoes with leather soles …. I stopped wearing them years ago. U can get very smart looking shoes that are Uber comfy and u don’t have to sacrifice on style or that u are dressing down.
Quality dress shoes are only uncomfortable during their break-in period. After that, they should mold to your foot and be very comfortable. Besides, you could always utilize a cushioned insole if more squish is needed. Don't forget that quality GYW dress shoes can last for decades, something that is never true of sneakers or those franken-shoe abominations.
i'd like to disagree, i have a pair of dress shoes, the sole is made of leather wood and some rubber, for a good grip, and to be quite honest, they are really comfortable, sure they are not as comfortable as a pair of new balance shoes, but they are far from uncomfortable
Great video, I remember when I was young every time my father had to fly he wore a suite. I couldn’t even imagine flying in a suite now days! It’s interesting how times change and eventually come full circle.
I wear shined penny loafers every single day. I wear wingtips, oxfords, captoes, Balmorals, bluchers, etc. to church.
All styles can be made properly - but leather dress shoe manufacturers won't address the same market until 'entry level' models retail for $1.
I love wearing sneakers, especially in these times where we can work from home but Dress shoes are irreplaceable.
In the times of home-office, even pants are optional...
@@vast634 That´s true.
I still wear them. I opt for boat shoes in the casual summer but for church and work it’s still dress shoes. In the fall/winter months and even spring I still either wear dress shoes or boots.
I loved the look of dress shoes, I had five pairs of Allen Edmonds at one point. Without watching the video, I can tell you that I switched to more comfortable shoes. It's that simple.
agreed. Even though dress shoes do get more comfortable over time when compared to when they were newly purchased, the comfort level will never be matched by sandals, sneakers, and various other styles of shoes. I do prefer the aesthetic of oxford dress shoes though.
@@bustanutist Dude, read, I'm betting I had more high end dress shoes than you have. From 1980-2001. Heels, leather resoles, and a whole lotta shoe shines. Easy way out?
Like I said: comfy way out.
Polish your comprehension skills!
@@bustanutist OK, back in the day, I had Dan Post, Tony Llama, and Justin western boots. No Lucchese, but great work and hiking boots: Danner, Timberland, Herman, Wolverine and Red Wings. All better a couple of decades ago.
Now I have rubber boots from brands like Muck, Lacrosse, and God forgive, Crocs, and misc.
Nice to see a well dressed presenter!
As someone who is pretty young (20 as of now), I am glad that we are moving toward having more options. Formal wear is nice and all, but I personally think suits look worse on me than many clothes which are considered more casual. And as someone who values my comfort, I love how some brands are now making some decent looking form-fitting pants out of softer workout materials.
If you look at a specialty store that sells suits and tailor it to you a suit will no doubt look good on you. You can even buy an off rack suit from Walmart and get it tailored and it will look better than it did in the store
@@tdbone35 Well, yes, I still think I can look good in a suit. I just prefer how I look in more casual clothes. Suits get a little boring after you've seen everyone wearing them for so long. I think we could benefit from having more variety in formal wear.
@@Lily-wd7dz thats where you need to fully investigate different suits they are all similar but there are some that will stand out due its design and still be formal. Give it a try.
I don't know why but I was surprised how well spoken this man is
Why would that be a surprise?
@@TheEnigmaticBM39 I think it might be because the majority of the YT content I consume is fabrication welding making engineering
This is different and it got me off guard
Who stopped? Did someone stop?
I'm amazed at people who wear sneakers all the time especially in the winter. Here is can be cold (-10C to -20C) with snow, ice, slush, salt on the ground. Yet people wearing sneakers in the winter are slipping on ice and in obvious pain from the cold since sneakers are not insulated and have a smooth sole.
Dress shoe killed my feet due to the leather sole. Plus it also hurts the bank.
Nike, Addidas are now love ❤️
I think it depends so much on age, profession and lifestyle. For me - a middle-aged lawyer - tennis shoes look like I’m trying a bit too hard to look “current.” To each his own!
It easier to clean dress shoes than it is to clean trainers. M.
Indeed!
Absolutely!
Good video! From what I recognize on the internet, most people take off their dress business, work, military and law enforcement boots and/or shoes after they come home from duty and/or work. Most of them slip on a pair of athletic shoes. Most work shoe, military and law enforcement shoe/boot manufactures are trying to produce footwear that is as comfortable, light and as flexible as a athletic shoe. Most work shoe, military and law enforcement shoe/boot are now using Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) soles with a cushioned insole, versus a Goodyear or a Blake stitch with stiff leather welt with no cushioned insole. Some dress shoes and/or boots have a rubber sole that is better than a leather sole if you are a business man on your feet all day. I do know that a rubber sole is not as dressy as a leather sole. I installed cushioned insoles in my dress boots and in my western boots and you not believe the difference! It feels like I am walking on air! Why most dress shoe/boots do not come with a cushioned insole is something I do not understand especially if they are leather sole. Please reply. Dave...
Not all men. I still dress for work: suit, blazer or sport coat (always with a tie) and dress shoes. For me it signifies propriety and also let's my employer know I am serious and focused on my job.
Ability and intelligence have superceded image. This is a good thing. I like to dress sharply but it's always on my terms.