Do people notice your shoes ?

[GuillermoBose]

Thanks for your comments. I thought it might be an interesting discussion. Mr Kirby Allison, in one of his YouTube videos, said that your shoes and your watch are among the first things people notice about you... and I wondered whether that is true. Although he does concede that most people won’t notice the stitch density of your shoes, or whether the soles are closed channel stitched.

People have always noticed my shoes as I have eclectic taste in footwear and wear everything from Trickers to Converse. I also sport button boots, patent leather boots, Sendra and other western boots as well as saddles and spectators from Polo, Churchs, Santoni, Trickers, etc. Those I've known for years expect me to be wearing awesome shoes and likewise great dress clothes (meaning blazers, suits and tuxedos). I'm also a great fan of Tom Ford opera pumps as well Church, Brooks Bros, etc. Lately I'm into Ana Marttin.

 

[GuillermoBose]

Yes they do. Specially ladies and well dressed men.

One of my secret pleasures is knowing that I am one of the best shoed guys in the room and confirming my preception when I catch the quick glances that people give to my shoes.

I agree totally. Sadly most men pay no attention to their shoes or whether they are scuffed or polished.

 

[GuillermoBose]

Yes they do. Specially ladies and well dressed men.

One of my secret pleasures is knowing that I am one of the best shoed guys in the room and confirming my preception when I catch the quick glances that people give to my shoes.

I totally agree.

 

[BoydsShoes]

Women notice, but I doubt men do (I mean, I rarely do). I found this out by comments from random women, but was also rather shocked at work that not only do they notice, they register it in their memory banks.

About two years ago I was in a female colleagues office with another female colleague. One of them mentioned the shoes I was wearing, then the other piped in that there was another pair I wore, then the first one piped in that she had been noticing those as well. .

None of us are exactly fashion hounds, although I obviously have a nice enough shoe collection to warrant this taking up space in their memory banks. This is particularly crazy thinking about how much they are trying to juggle in their minds simultaneously.

 

[GuillermoBose]

I am undoubtedly the best shoed guy in any room. People notice and comment. They also ask where I've gotten my shoes or boots. Most people I know are not willing to pay the price of many of these shoes and boots. I've been a shoe shopper since age 12 or so when I began working and buying my own shoes.

 

[radsag]

I usually get complements on the shine,and nothing else!

 

[ERok32]

As long as you don't wear OXFORDS with casual clothing most people won't notice. I usually go for something sophisticated like these.


View attachment 1590552

I wonder what last these are built on?

 

[thedose]

Interesting your thoughts on San Francisco. I always thought it to be the Best Dressed city on the west coast, especially when compared to Los Angeles or the worst, San Diego.
All things are relative I suppose...

This is a joke, right?

 

[Thin White Duke]

Interesting your thoughts on San Francisco. I always thought it to be the Best Dressed city on the west coast, especially when compared to Los Angeles or the worst, San Diego.
All things are relative I suppose...

It’s very common these days for people to write something like “[insert city / home city] has got to have one of the worst-dressed populations ...” which is all fair enough anecdotal observations. I wonder are there many / any places left on the planet for which someone might say “This city has one of the best-dressed populations ...”

Sorry for drifting off topic but has anyone been somewhere and noticed the gents to be particularly well-dressed as a whole?

 

[Dorsoduro]

Interesting your thoughts on San Francisco. I always thought it to be the Best Dressed city on the west coast, especially when compared to Los Angeles or the worst, San Diego.
All things are relative I suppose...

I compare it to cities globally. Comparing it to San Diego or Los Angeles isn’t saying much. In the city of the blind the one eyed man is king ?

 

[Dorsoduro]

Indeed we are and growing ever more removed from the masses.

Potatoe said:
Trust me on this, a few years ago I felt like I needed a nice watch so I bought a big shiny expensive Omega. No one ******* looks at the thing, like, ever ..."

Bloody hilarious and spot on. 30-40 years ago it was a different story.
I have been faked out so many times myself, that I almost try NOT to look at what one is wearing on their wrist. All too often it would be and exercise in trying to hide my disappointment.

The only time I hear a comment is invariably from another gentleman with some knowledge of shoes.
As pointed out, women are much more keen, but my wife hates that I will wear Brogues with casual (read: jeans). I like well made shoes for many reasons, but primarily, they feel terrific! One can't argue with that, even though she does...

Don’t mind your wife. Be your own man. She will secretly respect you for being strong and she will definitely lose respect for you if you bend to please others including her.

 

[JFWR]

I get compliments on my shoes (mostly shell boots and shoes from AE, Alden, and Grant Stone, with the odd Carmina and Carlos Santos thrown in) 1-2 times a week in the medical office in which I work (read, high exposure to the public). These compliments come from women with a ratio of at least 5:1, compared to men. I also find that African Americans are more likely to comment (perhaps because of the persistence of dress wear in black places of worship?)
When men do comment on my shoes, they often follow up with a comment along the lines of “I really like nice shoes, too.” More often than not this means Cole Haan.
So, ours is a small fraternity. I wear nice shoes because well made shoes are comfortable, and good looking shoes make _me_ happy. Of course I like getting compliments; who doesn’t? But I would wear my nice shoes regardless, because I like them.
I feel similarly about my watches. I get far fewer comments on them, as previously mentioned they hide under my shirt sleeve most of the time. My Christopher Ward “Wild Thing” chronograph gets the most attention, though it far from the most expensive watch in the collection.
But I wear my watches for the joy they bring me. Of course I do not need a mechanical timepiece on my wrist to tell the time. But every time I glance down to admire the artisanship and the technological prowess of these amazing machines, and to contemplate, just for a moment, their beauty, I enjoy a brief interlude from my busy schedule. A reminder to see the beauty of the things, and the people, around me. And savor the moment.

I have noticed the same re: African Americans complimenting me on my shoes. Whenever I wear highly shined black captoes out at night, specifically, I tend to attract two or three comments.

Black folks definitely dress up for church and other formal events. Conversely, white folks seem to have veered way more casual. I know we aren't supposed to be thinking about shoes in church, but when I went for Easter I was one of three men wearing dress shoes.

 

[JFWR]

Yes they do. Specially ladies and well dressed men.

One of my secret pleasures is knowing that I am one of the best shoed guys in the room and confirming my preception when I catch the quick glances that people give to my shoes.

Yeah, it's a point of pride to wear nice shoes for me.

 

[dieworkwear]

Lastly as for people in San Francisco not noticing, San Francisco isn’t exactly a cradle of fashion style or sophistication, quite the contrary, it’s among the worst of them all.

Strange, I live in the Bay Area and see stylish people on a daily basis, at least before the lockdown (things are quieter now). They are rarely in CM type clothing, but they look stylish nonetheless. It's mostly young people and women.

When someone comments on some specific item I'm wearing, it's usually someone that's into clothing. I've had denim guys ask me about my jeans. Someone at the food market once noticed my watch from far away. One person surprisingly asked me once if my sport coat is bespoke. A man in a suit commented on my bag when we were both in the elevator. Sales associates at clothing stores often ask about a specific piece -- a jacket, pair of shoes, etc. But these are all style enthusiasts, and the comments often lead to fun conversations.

From "normal" people, I've only gotten general comments, like "you look nice."

 

[SmoothLefty]

The only shoes that earn regular comments are my Rancourt bit loafers ("Are those Gucci?") and my tassel loafers (suede AE Acheson): "Nice grandpa shoes.".

I once got a "nice mocs!" from a woman in her 60s when she saw my Rancourt camp mocs. That threw me off for a second. New England folks know.