What shoes am I still missing in my little collection?

[AdamBara]

Hi gentlemen,

I am new on this forum and still trying to find my way!


I am a silent reader from the Netherlands (31 y) and for the past three years I have started to dress better. That means chinos, dress shoes and beautiful jackets. Recently I have expanded my shoe collection but I feel like it is not quite complete yet. What am I missing? Advice is appreciated!

Top right to top left: Dark brown Carlos Santos, Dark brown/bordeaux Society Shop, Dark brown suede monks Society shop, Grey Magnanni loafers.

Bottom left side to bottom right side: Cognac Santoni, Brown/chili Suitsupply, Cognac Francesco Benigno, Cognac Magnanni loafers.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Black oxfords.

 

[AdamBara]

Black oxfords.

Do you have a brand in mind?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Chukka boots.

 

[dieworkwear]

I recommend thinking about how you dress or want to dress, and get shoes that fit into that kind of wardrobe. When someone starts to think about shoes in terms of a collection, the shoes often become standalone pieces that are unconnected to the rest of a wardrobe, and thus often don't make sense in outfits.

IMO, a bad way of building a shoe wardrobe is collecting things that are "classic." Or things that "fill a hole" in your shoe wardrobe. This is how people end up buying shoes they don't need or how they end up buying purple alligator monkstraps with suede panels.

What kind of clothes do you wear?

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Do you have a brand in mind?

I do not, as that is best left up to taste. Any good shoemaker should offer a pair of black oxfords, however. My personal preference is for British ones.

Of all the shoes that are available, the one non-negotiable pair is plain, black oxfords. You need them for evening clothes, black or grey trousers, etc.

 

[dieworkwear]

Of all the shoes that are available, the one non-negotiable pair is plain, black oxfords. You need them for evening clothes, black or grey trousers, etc.

Black oxfords are only for dark worsted suits, IMO. If someone doesn't wear dark worsted suits often, they should not get black oxfords.

I often feel like the formality of shoes is lost here. Too many people wear oxfords in outfits where they would be better served by a derby. Scroll through old photos of the "Golden Age" of classic men's dress and you will struggle to find many well dressed figures wearing oxfords with anything less than a suit, let alone in a color as formal as black.

 

[AdamBara]

Chukka boots.

Yes, I def need those! To my understanding chukka boots are for the fall/winter?

I recommend thinking about how you dress or want to dress, and get shoes that fit into that kind of wardrobe. When someone starts to think about shoes in terms of a collection, the shoes often become standalone pieces that are unconnected to the rest of a wardrobe, and thus often don't make sense in outfits.

IMO, a bad way of building a shoe wardrobe is collecting things that are "classic." Or things that "fill a hole" in your shoe wardrobe. This is how people end up buying shoes they don't need or how they end up buying purple alligator monkstraps with suede panels.

What kind of clothes do you wear?

I know exactly what you mean. When I started my shoe journey it became an addiction to have as many shoes possible without thinking about what I was trying to achieve. So this is how I ended up with 13 shoes from which I sold a few. The only one on the list are the cognac Santoni's I'm trying to get rid off and the cognac Francesco Benigno's.

These are the kinds of clothes I'm wearing now. most are from the summer that's why I'm wearing polos (don't mind the mask it is a photoshop lol):

But im not "happy" with my style now. I'm aiming for the style Kirby Allison has. So that would be very formal.

 

[FlyingHorker]

Chocolate suede tassel loafers, chocolate suede chelsea boots, and chili longwings covers about 90% of occasions for me.

Edit: Oh and chunky dark chili derbies.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

This is how people end up buying shoes they don't need or how they end up buying purple alligator monkstraps with suede panels.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Yes, I def need those! To my understanding chukka boots are for the fall/winter?

not necessarily. I wear them year round.

 

[FlyingHorker]

Yes, I def need those! To my understanding chukka boots are for the fall/winter?



I know exactly what you mean. When I started my shoe journey it became an addiction to have as many shoes possible without thinking about what I was trying to achieve. So this is how I ended up with 13 shoes from which I sold a few. The only one on the list are the cognac Santoni's I'm trying to get rid off and the cognac Francesco Benigno's.

These are the kinds of clothes I'm wearing now. most are from the summer that's why I'm wearing polos (don't mind the mask it is a photoshop lol):

View attachment 1488051

But im not "happy" with my style now. I'm aiming for the style Kirby Allison has. So that would be very formal.

Based on this, your collection is basically complete and you're not missing anything.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Black oxfords are only for dark worsted suits, IMO. If someone doesn't wear dark worsted suits often, they should not get black oxfords.

I often feel like the formality of shoes is lost here. Too many people wear oxfords in outfits where they would be better served by a derby. Scroll through old photos of the "Golden Age" of classic men's dress and you will struggle to find many well dressed figures wearing oxfords with anything less than a suit, let alone in a color as formal as black.

I agree, they work best with sharper outfits like a dark suit. However, I believe they are still an actual necessity. Even if the only time OP wears them is at a funeral or for formal evening events, they will still be needed.

An updated version of these would be something like a calfskin oxford boot, or a very, very sleek pair of black chelseas.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

Yes, I def need those! To my understanding chukka boots are for the fall/winter?



I know exactly what you mean. When I started my shoe journey it became an addiction to have as many shoes possible without thinking about what I was trying to achieve. So this is how I ended up with 13 shoes from which I sold a few. The only one on the list are the cognac Santoni's I'm trying to get rid off and the cognac Francesco Benigno's.

These are the kinds of clothes I'm wearing now. most are from the summer that's why I'm wearing polos (don't mind the mask it is a photoshop lol):

View attachment 1488051

But im not "happy" with my style now. I'm aiming for the style Kirby Allison has. So that would be very formal.

And here we have it. Very formal requires something in black - oxfords, boots, whatever.

Brown shoes are great for more casual outfits, but you have plenty of those already.

 

[FlyingHorker]

I agree, they work best with sharper outfits like a dark suit. However, I believe they are still an actual necessity. Even if the only time OP wears them is at a funeral or for formal evening events, they will still be needed.

An updated version of these would be something like a calfskin oxford boot, or a very, very sleek pair of black chelseas.

Eh, I disagree.

You can't really dress down black oxfords very well, but you can dress up a pair of brown longwings.

No one would bat an eyelash if you wore one to a funeral or wedding.

OP already has a pair of dark brown oxfords for those occasions anyway.