Classic Style

  A pair of Allen Edmonds captoe oxfords in a dark oxblood brown, perhaps the most versatile color of dress shoe going.  It works with with tans, grays, navys, dark blues, and even charcoals.  T he men's style blogosphere presents a great deal of material on purchasing, wearing, and caring for leather dress shoes.  But for average guys looking to kick up there everyday footwear style several notches, keep things simple to begin with.   Start with three good quality pairs of leather dress shoes with laces, for versatility, one in dark reddish  oxblood/cordovan/bergundy, a second in a plain dark brown, and a third pair in black.  Wait on getting loafers, which are a more casual shoe and usually don't look right worn with a suit. . .  although you'll see lots of clueless goofs who do so anyway.  Don't stray into that territory yourself however! While there are a number of good quality shoe brands out there, but long-time visitors to The Average Guy'

L ater this week, learn how to avoid ugly abominations in men's footwear like these. . .  what I call the dreaded entry and mid-level corporate cubicle worker shoe.  Or, in my darker moments, what I refer to as "the sad result of the corporate headquarters of a well-known insurance giant abandoning business formal employee policies for business casual in the 90s."   We routinely bear witness to loads of male corporate drones, employees of said insurance giant in my small American Midwestern city, who mistakenly labor under the delusion that shoes like the various pairs shown here today are somehow acceptable.  Even with a suit.   I'm also reminded of a trial attorney I witnessed a few years ago in the courtroom, who actually wore some of these square-toed things with his shiny suit (shudder).  You'd better call Saul. . .    For those average guys out there who want to kick up their everyday style several notches, don't miss our upcoming brief primer o

L.L. Bean "duck shoes" in the snow.  Photograph swiped from pulpitpinstripe.com. W e have more snow falling this morning, with 2"-4" inches expected.  And that on top of an already solid snowpack.  While I love the stuff as a cross-country/Nordic skier, and we have actually enjoyed a real winter this year, it plays hell with one's plans to wear decent looking leather dress shoes.  So, while I had hoped I might be able to wear a pair of vintage tan Florsheim brogues with galoshes today, once again, it will be my trusty pair of L.L. Bean duck shoes with a heavy pair of winter wool knee socks.  Sigh.  I simply must remember to purchase a pair of the 10" Bean Boots before the approach of winter much later this year before they are sold out again. -- Heinz-Ulrich