Shoes

Oh my god. shoes.

I will admit that I used to not be a shoe guy. I used to have one maybe two pairs of shoes at a time, usually brown or blue (All my life I've had an inexplicable love for blue shoes). I was not a big fan of sneakers, though, especially white ones. Usually my shoes were simple slip-ons, and I've owned more than one pair of potato shoes in my life (You have one guess as to what they look like).

Then, I started working in shoe stores. I went from having two pairs of shoes to 8. I was an uncontrollable madman. Eight is far too many. You can only wear one pair at a time, right?

Eventually my pairs dwindled down as I started to realise I made a few bad shoe decisions... mostly from being surrounded by shoes all day. There's this odd effect that happens when you're around things every day... no matter how you may have originally felt for them, you will grow to love them. And it's usually not until you lose that job that you realise that you made a mistake. Oh well, live and learn.

My shoe collection has dwindled down to about 4 or 5 pairs, and I actually only wear one pair on a regular basis. But I've learned quite a bit about shoes in the process, and I now know a few things.

Don't get mid-ground shoes. Seriously. You're playing it safe. Do one of two things: get really simple shoes, or get more artsy shoes (but still try to keep simple in mind). I'm sure this makes no sense for you now, but let me share some shoes from my collection to give you an idea.

http://www.zappos.com/fratelli-2107s-navy-suede

These lovelies are the most recent addition to my arsenal. First off, they're not navy despite what the description and picture portray. They're more of a nice light grey-blue, which I like much better. This brand makes a lot of classic yet simple shoes at a pretty good price for nice leather shoes. They do take a little to break in, and you will want insoles because they are flat as fuck, but overall, they're pretty good. This is my new daily pair.

http://www.clarksusa.com/eng/product/jink/78145 I don't actually have this particular shoe, but the one I have is very similar to this, but you can't buy it anymore apparently (If you want to google Clarks Desert Kahn, that's my shoe). A good desert boot is a great alternative to sneakers. They're classy, people will stop you and tell you how they used to have a pair or their father or grandfather used to have a pair. That's a good sign. It's not going out of style any time soon. Pretty much any of the Clarks Originals line are a good timeless look. Another benefit of these shoes is the more beat up they get, the better they look. Clarks is also a good brand that's been around since the 1800s (sorry, I used to sell them). I put insoles in mine, but I do that for pretty much every shoe. The downside to these shoes is that crepe sole can get rather slippery on a wet floor. Because of that, I don't get as much wear as I'd like.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/4102424124757895174?q=black%20and%20white%20wingtip%20shoes%20men&sa=X&ei=Wx4fUYXPKYXe8wSdkYHICA&ved=0CI0BEL8TMAE

Again, I don't own these shoes, but I have ones just like them. Now, although I advocate spending a little more on shoes, I still think over $300 is a bit much. If you want to, go for it. You're an adult, and it's your money. I generally spend about 60-80 dollars on shoes. Now, I used to spend $20 or less, and I'd be lucky if they last a year. I spend $80 then buy some polish (polishing may be another post, remind me), and they last for many many years making them well worth the price.

Now back to the black and white wingtips. I'm a big fan of wingtips in general, but I've been looking for years for a pair like this for an affordable price, and I finally found them at a store called Roadkill on Decatur St. in the French Quarter. Mine are by and Italian brand called Fuoco for $80. They're actually rather comfortable for dress shoes, and I'm unafraid to wear them as daily shoes. I did have to get a minor repair in the inside heel (because I never use a shoe horn, shame), but that was only a few dollars. Now I know some guys find these ugly, and they're not for everybody, that's for sure. But a pair of wingtips in any color should definitely be part of your collection.

Now, let me share an artsy crazy shoe that is still simple (what I was trying to get at before). http://origin.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/147/8/AAAADA_kCtgAAAAAAUeOrg.jpg?v=1302676787000

I actually used to have this shoe. Now there is good and very very bad news. One, it's fucking awesome. Everybody loves this shoes. I'd get compliments day and night. It was also very comfortable, and I wore it all the time. Because of all the colors, it went with everything (I like to not have to put much thought into what goes with what). Also, if you didn't like that particular color combo, it came in about a dozen others. Now here comes the very very bad. This shoe retailed for about $225 (not the bad part yet), but since I work for them, I got it for free (oopsy). Despite this, the shoe lasted about a year and a half before it literally fell apart. I feel like I can't complain since I got mine for free, but still, a shoe that expensive should last longer than that. But I know to some people, they don't care. If you're one of those people, then go forth and buy you some awesome stripey shoes. I only put this here, though to display what can be a good artsy yet still chic and simple shoe. There, I'm sure, are many more out there to choose from. Also, if you're artsy, make your own. You can get a pair of white Keds for rather cheap, then use Apple Barrel acrylic paints, and they make a fabric medium for like $2 you can add to it (and you don't have to add nearly as much as they say). The paint will not come off, even after going through the wash.

I hope you found this a good shoe guide. If you have any questions or want suggestions about brands or my experiences with shoes, leave me a comment.

That is all,

The Notorious Dr. Dietrich.