Review of Men's Dress Shoe Styles

In this weeks video, we review some of the more common styles of men's dress shoes. We cover the basics in our video, however, there are many variations and combinations to suit any style or occasion. The important thing to remember is to make sure you buy good quality shoes that fit well, and you take proper care of them.  

Below is a visual summary of some of the toe styles we covered:

Whatever your preference, it's important to make sure you care for your shoes in the right way. Properly polished shoes say a lot about a person and bad shoes can really break your outfit. If in doubt, just ask a girls opinion. 

I recommend using non-finished, cedar shoe trees. Exactly like the ones shown below. 

For best results, use your shoe trees right after you wear your shoes, they will help absorb the moisture and allow your shoes to last longer. 

Be sure to polish your shoes on a regular basis, it not only keeps them looking sharp but it will help protect the leather from the elements. Here are some tips from our friends at Esquire:

How to Polish a Shoe:

1. Wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth to remove superficial dirt and stains.

2. Wet the welt brush and scrub out the entire welt strip.

3. If the shoes need it, apply sole-edge dressing — carefully. If you get it on the uppers, it will stain them permanently. Let edge dressing dry before going any further.

4. Apply polish, using a circular rubbing motion. You don't need to slather it on. You don't need to be gentle. And the more you rub, the better. Let the polish dry. It should take about five minutes.

5. Buff the entire shoe with a polishing brush. For extra gleam, hold the shoe between your knees and buff the toe vigorously with a lint-free cloth.

Polishing: The Materials:

You'll need the right tools — just a few, but each with a crucial purpose.

Shoe polish: Kiwi wax-based polish is as good a brand as any other. (Cream polishes, applied with a brush, may be easier to use, but they won't give you the same shine.) And you don't need every color under the sun. Black, of course; a chestnut or darker brown; and something middling or neutral for light-colored shoes.

Welt brush: Looks like a toothbrush (and you can use one in its place). It's designed to get the grit out of the welt, the seam where the shoe's upper joins the sole. You'd be amazed how much dirt gets in there.

Polishing cloth: In lint-free cotton or linen. Use the same one for putting on the polish that you use for buffing, regardless of the color you're using. And hang on to it: The longer you use the same cloth, the more it becomes suffused with rich oils and dyes.

Polishing brush: To get the high shine out of the shoe once you've got all that wax into the leather. Horsehair is recommended.

Sole dressing: The edge of the sole takes a scuffing from doorjambs and sidewalks. Restore the pristine look of your shoes with an edge dressing, applied with a small craft brush or a cotton swab.

Lastly, for a punch of color, visit our friends at Stolen Riches for the most amazing colored laces!