How to Avoid Buying Mistakes When Choosing Men's Footwear

Section: Men's Footwear - Blog

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Shoes adds variety to your wardrobe and keep you from making fashion mistakes by wearing inappropriate footwear.

Knowing these four rules of selecting footwear helps you spend your clothing budget dollars wisely as well as protect your investment by properly maintaining your shoes.

Your footwear serves at least three purposes:

• You have the appropriate shoes for every occasion
• You understand owning quality footwear is a worthy investment
• Owning the right shoes for the each occasion elevates your personal style and comfort

Shoes: What's The Big Deal?

Your footwear is your foundation for standing. Shoes absorb the force of your weight over 3000 times a day; so, if you wear shoes that inhibit your body's natural gait and cushioning system, they can cause you discomfort and even injury – one step at a time. Shoes also receive a disproportionate amount of attention from observers – as high as 30%, even though they cover only 5% of the body.

Four Rules of Footwear

Here are four easy ways to avoid buying mistakes when choosing your shoes:

1. Right Shoes, Right Occasion

The most common mistake men make? Wearing shoes without considering the occasion. Running shoes should be worn while running; steel toe-work boots protect your feet while working.

Of late, many men have abandoned the middle ground between formal and ultra-casual when it comes to wearing the right footwear with men's suits.

2. Invest in Quality

For unknown reasons, men tend to avoid buying quality footwear. This technique usually doesn't work in the long run, because low quality shoes are held together with glue and manufactured cheap raw materials like cardboard and paper, which do not hold up well.

Our point? Quality shoes may be more expensive, but they can last for decades, thus saving you money on their cost of wear. It's usually worthwhile to budget for purchasing high quality footwear. You'll save money in the long run, and it teachers you to respect your purchase and take better care of your shoes.

3. Focus on Proper Fit & Comfort

Buy the right shoe size even if it costs more. Also, pay attention to the width of the shoe.

While men with extremely wide or narrow feet learn this early on, others never figure this out and usually opt for slightly narrow or wider shoes to the detriment of their feet. Other important characteristics are the variations in arch support and toe structure.

4. Take Care of Your Shoes

Rotate your wear through a few pairs of shoes to allow them to dry thoroughly. Always use wooden shoe trees to absorb the perspiration.

For leather shoes, this is critical because the interior of a dress shoe is more susceptible to rot as it does not usually go through the harsh chemical treatment of the upper.

Common Footwear Terminology

Here's some terms you should be familiar with as you upgrade your footwear wardrobe.

• Sole: The bottom part of the shoe or boot is the sole. It can be further classified into the outer sole, mid-sole, or insole depending on the shoe type and quality.
• Upper: This is the part of the shoe above the sole.
• Broguing: This is a form of ornamentation where tiny holes are carved into the shoe's leather. The more broguing on the shoe, the more casual it is.
• Open Lacing: An open lacing system identifies a shoe as a blucher. The shoe's tongue and vamp (the parts of the upper that cover the top of the foot) are cut in one piece with an open throat.
• Insole: This is the inner layer of the sole upon which the foot rests. A quality insole can be the difference between a shoe life of 5 or 25 years.
• Heel: This is the back portion of the shoe, which comes into direct contact with the ground, and elevates the foot when the shoe is worn. Often reinforced with rubber or metal, these are usually built from two or four pieces of leather called lifts.
• Laces: These come in two styles: round or ribbon. Round laces are stronger and considered more formal because of their core. Ribbon laces are more elastic and are usually used in athletic shoes or hiking boots.

Now that you are up to speed on the different types and styles of shoes, you'll feel confident about investing in the right kinds of footwear to complement your wardrobe.

In fact, you may be thinking how nice a new suit would look with some of the shoes you already own. Whether you are in the market for a new men's suit, sports jacket or blazer, or you'd just like to browse some casual menswear styles,Montagio Custom Tailoring is a good place to do your research.

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