Ranking Entry Level (Good Quality) Men's Dress Shoe Options

[Potatoe]

Thursday Boot is almost the standard now for entry-level boots, but it's worth noting that they carry oxfords and derbies. No experience with them, personally.

Thursday boots are fantastic at their price point. $200 for firsts and $150 for seconds.

The boots look good and are very comfortable. I have a pair going on 3 years and I wear them often.

On a side note, I do wonder what the point of GYW shoes are at this price point. I don't think it makes any sense to re-sole an entry level shoe. Blake stitched basically look the same and can often be lighter and more comfortable.

 

[recycledshaggydog]

Morjas from Sweden has attractive price and their sizing system is pretty easy to understand.
I didn't own any shoes from them but they look pretty stylish and inexpensive.
https://www.morjas.com/shop/shoes/the-oxford/

Yes they look nice on screen and the first impression is also pretty good. But after some wearing they show their real face. More a marketing gamble than a artisan-made leather shoe.
I have attached a photo from another intrigued gentleman from styleforum who has worn his Morjas penny loafers ~15-20 timers and they look absolutely terrible....

 

[JFWR]

Yes they look nice on screen and the first impression is also pretty good. But after some wearing they show their real face. More a marketing gamble than a artisan-made leather shoe.
I have attached a photo from another intrigued gentleman from styleforum who has worn his Morjas penny loafers ~15-20 timers and they look absolutely terrible....

Corrected grain.

 

[Louis_HK]

Yes they look nice on screen and the first impression is also pretty good. But after some wearing they show their real face. More a marketing gamble than a artisan-made leather shoe.
I have attached a photo from another intrigued gentleman from styleforum who has worn his Morjas penny loafers ~15-20 timers and they look absolutely terrible....

These days, even Church’s are like these, I got a pair of Tunbridge loafer , looking exactly the same after 10+ wears.

 

[dapperdesertdweller]

Relative newcomer here, i will certainly always appreciate AE for being the first quality shoes I experienced, I think the points on seeing in person & most importantly the feel & fit cant be understated. I think personal style is important too, I really prefer my English or Italian, Spanish made shoes with a more bevelled waist & toe shaping but my feet seem to really like those style of last more. I do enjoy my royal imperial brogues a lot tho & those & my AE’s are great when I got to do a quite a bit of walking.

 

[SartoriaModerna]

Comparing (and ranking) shoes and analyzing all its features/aspects is more for shoe aficionados imo. Starters won't care because honestly, if I'm a starter I would not know what the difference is between a goodyear and blake, I would not know what type of leather and how rare it is, I would not know what lining it is and what options there are available and therefore I would not even ask the salesperson these details.

If I get my first job, and I need a pair of formal shoes, I just want it be versatile, long-lasting and good looking, all fitting in a certain budget. I don't need all the premium stuff on why my shoes are "better" than others, I just want some "good" shoes, so with the "no need for best, good is enough" mentality, I think any starter brand mentioned are okay. Which means I support some comments above: fit should be great, should be reputable brand and customer service should be nice. These matters much more for a starter in shoe brands than relative shoe construction vs other brands.

 

[dapperdesertdweller]

this is from a rather inexperienced perspective so correct me if I’m wrong but I suppose I would organise it like this, also not talking about boots, just oxfords, derby's, monk straps & loafers in the $300-400 range -
Allen Edmonds ~ especially for size/width considerations, certainly capable of making svelte shoes, but I find them a bit wider, more grab & go for commuting all day to me.
Cobbler’s Union: More stylistic, a bit nicer finishing (to my eye, haven’t seen in person), interesting colours, nice last.
J. Fitzpatrick: the shoe snob blog might be the first place I’d send a friend if they were interested in the artistry of shoemaking, but regardless these shoes are very interesting & but they are only in NY if wanting to take a trip to the store.

The rest of my picks are mostly online & I might be hesitant to order them off the bat as a beginner but returns/exchanges are relatively easy just time consuming.​

CNES: these shoes look great online, definitely want a pair.
Meermin & Carmina: I would probably skip Meermin & go for Carmina if I could spring for them, as they are a great intro into the finer details of shoemaking to my eyes.
Ace Marks: Italian styling that I really enjoy & full grain leather quality that looks pretty good to me.
Carlos Santos: Probably my favourite shoes at this time, only one pair so far but I’d be happy to upscale to their hand-grade line.
Grenson: I think a English made shoe is just a great addition to any wardrobe & in this price range, I think Grenson is really the only option outside of a sale, elegant & sturdy, my wardrobe mostly consist of English-Made shoes & I enjoy them greatly.
Septieme Largeur: quite an unknown for me, but the website photos & video reviews I’ve seen look quite nice, French styling is unique & I absolutely love Corthay so these are on my radar not as a cheaper alternative but as their own shoes & style.

 

[manowar]

this is from a rather inexperienced perspective so correct me if I’m wrong but I suppose I would organise it like this, also not talking about boots, just oxfords, derby's, monk straps & loafers in the $300-400 range -
Allen Edmonds ~ especially for size/width considerations, certainly capable of making svelte shoes, but I find them a bit wider, more grab & go for commuting all day to me.
Cobbler’s Union: More stylistic, a bit nicer finishing (to my eye, haven’t seen in person), interesting colours, nice last.
J. Fitzpatrick: the shoe snob blog might be the first place I’d send a friend if they were interested in the artistry of shoemaking, but regardless these shoes are very interesting & but they are only in NY if wanting to take a trip to the store.

The rest of my picks are mostly online & I might be hesitant to order them off the bat as a beginner but returns/exchanges are relatively easy just time consuming.​

CNES: these shoes look great online, definitely want a pair.
Meermin & Carmina: I would probably skip Meermin & go for Carmina if I could spring for them, as they are a great intro into the finer details of shoemaking to my eyes.
Ace Marks: Italian styling that I really enjoy & full grain leather quality that looks pretty good to me.
Carlos Santos: Probably my favourite shoes at this time, only one pair so far but I’d be happy to upscale to their hand-grade line.
Grenson: I think a English made shoe is just a great addition to any wardrobe & in this price range, I think Grenson is really the only option outside of a sale, elegant & sturdy, my wardrobe mostly consist of English-Made shoes & I enjoy them greatly.

I like Grenson's aesthetic but I have heard their quality has declined in recent years. It may be they are indeed the only option left within the price range though, which is telling.

 

[dapperdesertdweller]

I like Grenson's aesthetic but I have heard their quality has declined in recent years. It may be they are indeed the only option left within the price range though, which is telling.

I agree, in the new shoe market the choices are pretty limited sub-$300 could really only find Meermin & J. Fitzpatrick sans sales myself when I was just getting into the market for budget friendly shoes about a year or so ago. Things really open up in the $3-600 range but that’s a lot to convince a person who’s just getting started but I think the ROI is also a bit better if newcomers can swing the prices.

 

[JFWR]

this is from a rather inexperienced perspective so correct me if I’m wrong but I suppose I would organise it like this, also not talking about boots, just oxfords, derby's, monk straps & loafers in the $300-400 range -
Allen Edmonds ~ especially for size/width considerations, certainly capable of making svelte shoes, but I find them a bit wider, more grab & go for commuting all day to me.
Cobbler’s Union: More stylistic, a bit nicer finishing (to my eye, haven’t seen in person), interesting colours, nice last.
J. Fitzpatrick: the shoe snob blog might be the first place I’d send a friend if they were interested in the artistry of shoemaking, but regardless these shoes are very interesting & but they are only in NY if wanting to take a trip to the store.

The rest of my picks are mostly online & I might be hesitant to order them off the bat as a beginner but returns/exchanges are relatively easy just time consuming.​

CNES: these shoes look great online, definitely want a pair.
Meermin & Carmina: I would probably skip Meermin & go for Carmina if I could spring for them, as they are a great intro into the finer details of shoemaking to my eyes.
Ace Marks: Italian styling that I really enjoy & full grain leather quality that looks pretty good to me.
Carlos Santos: Probably my favourite shoes at this time, only one pair so far but I’d be happy to upscale to their hand-grade line.
Grenson: I think a English made shoe is just a great addition to any wardrobe & in this price range, I think Grenson is really the only option outside of a sale, elegant & sturdy, my wardrobe mostly consist of English-Made shoes & I enjoy them greatly.
Septieme Largeur: quite an unknown for me, but the website photos & video reviews I’ve seen look quite nice, French styling is unique & I absolutely love Corthay so these are on my radar not as a cheaper alternative but as their own shoes & style.

cnes is phenomenal.

 

[dapperdesertdweller]

@JFWR The models they made with Parisian Gentleman look just spectacular to me! I probably shouldn’t buy a new pair as my shoe rack is full at the moment but I think these warrant an exception to my one in, one out rule haha

 

[JFWR]

@JFWR The models they made with Parisian Gentleman look just spectacular to me! I probably shouldn’t buy a new pair as my shoe rack is full at the moment but I think these warrant an exception to my one in, one out rule haha

I've got a mto spectator from them. Lovely shoes at a super affordable price.

 

[stylenwby]

The only problem with English brands is the shipping/sizing issue for Americans. Unless you're lucky enough to live in NY and you can go get sized at Crockett and Jones, I usually don't recommend the English makers as they are basically non-existent in terms of trying on.

Thursday and Grant Stones are pretty good value for the money and I have a pair of each. They are excellent as entry level. But if you can get sized properly and or visit NYC, there is no comparison to a Joseph Cheaney or Trickers boot/shoes on sale. The feel and comfort of the English leather is so much better that I would recommend that it's worth the additional hassle on fitting IMHO.

Thursday vanguard

Grant Stone Brass

Joseph Cheaney Horsforth

Trickers Grassmere

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Cheaney are an excellent choice on sale. But, you must make sure the lasts work for your feet. They often have a very high instep and generous room at the waist. I also like how British shoes like Cheaney and C&J have really nice lining. Honestly, Cheaney are not far behind Alden in terms of construction and the QC is about the same. I actually have another Cheaney shoe on my list, but it's not an urgent buy at the moment.

 

[manowar]

Cheaney boots are fascinating to me. No experience yet, but it's on the list. Lately I've had good experiences with Tricker's, which I say are quite a bargain at $300 or less on outlet. Sadly their prices just skyrocketed for the US market.