Have two shoes--where to go from here?

[thewral]

Hi all,

New to the forum here (though have been lurking for a few weeks). You gents seem like a great resource and I wanted to ask your opinion on getting a few additional pairs of shoes.

Some background (not sure if all of this is relevant):
-Age: 25
-Typical dress: Business casual, may wear a suit with or without tie roughly once per week (e.g., to meet with clients)
-Location: NYC
-I have flat/wider feet
-Current shoes: 1) Ferragamo LO black cap toe blucher--EE size (http://www.ferragamo.com/webapp/wcs...551#/product/27661/6148914691233337725/448496)

2) Silvano Sassetti brown cap toe balmoral (http://www.neimanmarcus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0272.jpg)


I am looking to pick up some additional shoes to add to my rotation--in varying colors/brands. Any suggestions on where to go from here?
-Budget: $500 - $600 (or less) per pair
-I've taken a look at AEs (albeit briefly, and only a few times) but didn't find anything that immediately struck my fancy
-I am thinking additional non-black shoes (e.g., another brown, a slate similar in color to this: http://theshoebuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Magnanni-Whiteney-Oxford.jpg)

Thanks in advance for your perspectives!

-----------------------------------
Edit: Ended up here. Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions, folks. Cut from a post further down...

• Santoni captoe with some broguing--blucher--in a merlot (reddish brown). I kind of regret this purchase.
• C&J Chadwick 2 single monk--in Chestnut (like a merlot). It's a cool shoe and I'm getting more into monks. Might look into a double monk later on.
• EG Malvern 82 last in Dark Oak
• G&G St. James TG73 last in Vintage Cherry
• John Lobb Hutton in Parisian Museum Brown
• G&G Cambridge DG70 last in Vintage Rioja

 

[msulinski]

If your budget is as high as $600, and you don't like AE, take a look at Alden. They will be around $450-500 for non-shell. You can also take a look at Carmina brand and Crockett and Jones brand. They are in your price range and highly regarded on this forum. I believe all 3 of these lines have their own threads.

I would definitely go with a brown or burgundy of some sort; you probably don't need another black or even a "slate" color shoe. It sounds like your environment is casual, so you can go with something lighter (walnut/light brown) and more detailing.

 

[Tropicalist]

1 pair of black shoes ought to be enough for anyone. I would definitely go for burgundy next, and then a dark brown

 

[repp_fink]

Shoes, In Chronological Order of Purchase : A Completely Personal and Biased List With Which Others Will Undoubtedly Find Fault

1. Black calf, captoe or non-. These will be your go-to shoes for business and (somewhat less so) casual wear.
2. Dark brown calf. Fills the casual-wear gap while still being business-proper.
3. Light brown, in calf or shell cordovan. Expands your casual profile while being useful for those occasions when the "casual" part of "business casual" is emphasized.
4. Another pair of black calf. If 1. was captoe, then non-, or vice versa. Because you'll be wearing the hell out of your 1. shoes and you should really give them alternating days off. Black cordovan? Why not.
5. #8 shell cordovan. Because everyone apparently loves that stuff, but seriously you have to know when to wear 'em.
6. Whatever the heck you want. Now is the time for those slates you were looking at, but you've got 5 pairs of really good shoes now, so go a little wild. Pick up some gators, big spender.

Oh, and if 500-600 is your price range, Aldens are the sweet spot. You might also look at Crockett & Jones mainline for (a bit above) that range, as well -- they're excellent shoes.

 

[PipersSon]

I would buy socks next.

 

[repp_fink]



I would buy socks next.

Well, if we're being snarky, I'll admit I had trouble suppressing the urge to respond "put one on one foot, and the other on the other" to OP's thread title.

 

[Fraiche]

If you're willing to spend slightly more for something way better, I believe if you can get some non-shell Vass for $650.

 

[Snedley]

Hi all,

New to the forum here (though have been lurking for a few weeks). You gents seem like a great resource and I wanted to ask your opinion on getting a few additional pairs of shoes.

Some background (not sure if all of this is relevant):
-Age: 25
-Typical dress: Business casual, may wear a suit with or without tie roughly once per week (e.g., to meet with clients)
-Location: NYC
-I have flat/wider feet
-Current shoes: 1) Ferragamo LO black cap toe blucher--EE size (http://www.ferragamo.com/webapp/wcs...551#/product/27661/6148914691233337725/448496)

2) Silvano Sassetti brown cap toe balmoral (http://www.neimanmarcus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0272.jpg)


I am looking to pick up some additional shoes to add to my rotation--in varying colors/brands. Any suggestions on where to go from here?
-Budget: $500 - $600 (or less) per pair
-I've taken a look at AEs (albeit briefly, and only a few times) but didn't find anything that immediately struck my fancy
-I am thinking additional non-black shoes (e.g., another brown, a slate similar in color to this: http://theshoebuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Magnanni-Whiteney-Oxford.jpg)

Thanks in advance for your perspectives!

Get oneof these

http://www.bensilver.com/The-Sherwood-Blucher,3775.html

these

http://www.bensilver.com/The-Banbury-Split-Toe-Loafer,9109.html

and these in whiskey

http://www.bensilver.com/The-Harvard-Unlined-Penny-Loafers,6119.html

And stop obsessing about something as trivial as a shoe. Get your feet properly measured too.

 

[phxlawstudent]

I would get a burgundy and a light brown and then call it a day. If you keep buying shoes you're going to look at them all one day and realize you have more shoes than some women....

 

[Ich_Dien]

Go English, not American!

Get a great solid English brogue or chukka boot.

 

[bellyhungry]

How about a pair of LWB in light brown or burgundy?

 

[lestyr3]

For now, I'd actually recommend a pair of chukka boots in medium-to-dark brown (NOT suede). PRL makes some good ones for very reasonable prices, I have a pair of Tod's that I love but those took a lot of time to get (at something less than a country's GDP). I'm recommending those because they're versatile - you can wear these with pretty much anything save a suit (I'd wear your other two shoes with a suit) and could get a fair amount of casual use out of them as well. A pair of Chelsea boots in brown or black would also be good this way as would brown suede oxfords or bluchers.

You should probably have a black pair with closed lacing rather than open (i.e. oxfords instead of bluchers), but since you're more business casual I'd say leave that until you wear a suit more regularly. When that day comes, though, a plain black oxford pair is a priority.

 

[minervau]



Shoes, In Chronological Order of Purchase : A Completely Personal and Biased List With Which Others Will Undoubtedly Find Fault
1. Black calf, captoe or non-. These will be your go-to shoes for business and (somewhat less so) casual wear.
2. Dark brown calf. Fills the casual-wear gap while still being business-proper.
3. Light brown, in calf or shell cordovan. Expands your casual profile while being useful for those occasions when the "casual" part of "business casual" is emphasized.
4. Another pair of black calf. If 1. was captoe, then non-, or vice versa. Because you'll be wearing the hell out of your 1. shoes and you should really give them alternating days off. Black cordovan? Why not.
5. #8 shell cordovan. Because everyone apparently loves that stuff, but seriously you have to know when to wear 'em.
6. Whatever the heck you want. Now is the time for those slates you were looking at, but you've got 5 pairs of really good shoes now, so go a little wild. Pick up some gators, big spender.
Oh, and if 500-600 is your price range, Aldens are the sweet spot. You might also look at Crockett & Jones mainline for (a bit above) that range, as well -- they're excellent shoes.

Good calls. I'd also say to grab a monk strap somewhere in there. Maybe the #5 should actually be a pair of monks rather than shell cordovan, which is really an optional shoe.

 

[thewral]

Thanks, guys, for all the feedback You rock. I wanted to provide an update on the shoe sitch. I've since picked up a few additional pairs. Long story short I kind of got obsessed and blew my budget limits per shoe. I even got more fun socks (kudos to Piper). Without further ado... (will follow-up with some pics when I get home from work) and in chronological progression:

• Santoni captoe with some broguing--blucher--in a merlot (reddish brown). I kind of regret this purchase.
• C&J Chadwick 2 single monk--in Chestnut (like a merlot). It's a cool shoe and I'm getting more into monks. Might look into a double monk later on.
• EG Malvern 82 last in Dark Oak
• G&G St. James TG73 last in Vintage Cherry
• John Lobb Hutton in Parisian Museum Brown
• G&G Cambridge DG70 last in Vintage Rioja

I think I've exhausted myself for the time being (and my bank account), but am on the lookout for a lighter brown shoe (like an EG 888 last in Edwardian Antique or G&G TG73 in Antique Chestnut/Pine), maybe a double monk (e.g., EG Westminster), and probably a black balmoral down the road (not a priority as I don't often need to wear black).

Other stuff I've considered but not sure I would pull the trigger on include cordovan as well as loafers. Considering suede as well as chukkas, but not a priority...

 

[Thanks SF (a new me)]



...Long story short I kind of got obsessed and blew my budget limits per shoe ... I think I've exhausted myself for the time being (and my bank account)....

no you did not..buy more shoes! get out while you can .... nice haul btw