Why wear Dress Shoes?

When you are young, the thought of wearing dress shoes probably does not enter your mind too often, not at least in the sense that you will be actively doing so by your own choice. Most people stay in casual sneaker-style shoes or more rugged wear like timberland boots and really stay in that mentality that dress shoes are nothing more than shoes for special occasions and/or purely for work. Here’s why that is not accurate.

You can see that this man looks more respectable when he pairs his outfit with dress shoes on the left

  

 APPEARANCE

Whether people care, realize it, find it offensive or whatever, the reality is and always will be that we are judged by our appearance. The reason being that our appearance nearly always says something about us as individuals and our personality on the whole and for me that appearance always starts at the feet.

Our appearance is important, not only to give a good impression but if you have ever truly dressed nicely and been complimented on your style, I can tell you first hand that it feels damn good. And it is not really the acceptance and praise from others that feels good, but more so the internal feeling it gives you to be well dressed. It puts you into another frame of mind where the sky is the limit and you feel like you can be anything and anyone and achieve all that you put your mind towards. It starts with a good pair of dress shoes because no matter how good your upper wear is, it all means nothing if your shoes are garbage. So, wearing dress shoes for appearance is not only a good way to look good for others and help them understand something about you, but more so for your own self progression in putting you in a mindset of achievement.

This model definitely looks dapper in his suit and brown suede monks on the right

FIT/COMFORT

A good pair of dress shoes, in reality, will fit you better and feel better than most generic ‘comfort’ shoes will. It may sound crazy but it is true. And the reason that it is true is that good dress shoes are built with good arch support in mind. So, when you are thinking that dress shoes are uncomfortable because they have leather soles, guess what? You are wrong. I used to think that way too until I realized that comfort was not about cushion but rather about good support.

Find your support in a good pair of dress shoes!

VERSATILITY

The reality is that a good pair of loafers or Chelsea boots or even a suede oxford can take you anywhere you want to go and in nearly any outfit. A smart loafer can be worn with any trouser the world has given us thus far. Whether you wear only dress trousers or you prefer wearing jeans, the fact of the matter is that there are many dress shoe models that can easily sit underneath both of those styles of dress and most other styles as well. But you cannot say that for any other type of shoe. Most suits cannot or should not be worn with shoes outside of a dress style, yet dress style shoes can be worn in more casual settings i.e. with jeans. Learn how to pair loafers with jeans here. Of course, there will be specialized shoes that always have their place, and naturally every now and then we just want to be relaxed in a pair of sneakers. No one is saying that one should always wear dress shoes because they are the best. But, saying that, dress shoes, make you feel best (psychologically speaking), give you the comfort your body needs and can work well into most styles of dress, outside of a person who lives in the wilderness.

Thus, the question should not be 'why wear dress shoes,' but rather 'why not wear dress shoes?'