Style Podcast #19: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

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Did you know that shoes are the foundation your wardrobe? When asked, women will often cite the shoes as one of the first aspects of a man that they will notice. Good, high quality shoes are absolutely essential to bringing together an outfit, and poor quality, cheap shoes will definitely ruin your look.

So be prepared to invest in them! This is where many men can be tripped up. You should expect to invest between $300-$400 in a good pair of dress shoes, making them one of the most expensive single items in your wardrobe.

Why are quality shoes important enough to warrant that kind of investment? Throughout history, shoes have been a sign of power. In fact, medieval times and even later, shoes were considered a luxury, and not something that everyone could afford.Therefore, wearing shoes was a way to show your standing in society, and the make and quality would contribute to that standing.

It seems that we are still influenced by the history of the shoe, as study after study shows that shoes make an extremely pronounced difference on how someone is perceived.

With this understanding, and the historical knowledge of why society is this way, and why it is so important, hopefully you will take the time to really learn about what you should be looking for in a good pair of shoes, what variety of types are essential for your wardrobe, and how to find the best deal that will fit your unique needs. Learn all that and more on this episode of The Personal Image System Podcast!

Key Takeaways:

• Shoes are one of the items that you can and should spend a fair of money on
• Having shoes at all used to be sign of wealth. They were a luxury
• When asked, women they will often say that shoes are one of the first things that they will notice about a man
• Shoes have a long history of giving us an idea of someone’s position in society
• Expect to pay $300 – $400 for quality shoes
• Look for stitching. Lower quality will have glue, higher will be stitched together
• Look for a shoe company that has a good after-sale process and assurance policy
• All of the signs of good dress shoes also applies to boots
• Get on good vendor’s email lists and watch for discount codes!
• When you start to wear quality footwear, you will start to understand why they are expensive, and why they are worth it
• Understand your own feet, if there are certain problem spots, and make sure you speak with a knowledgeable salesman
• Learn how to clean, condition, and polish your shoes, and do it on a regular basis!
• Shoes are the foundation of your wardrobe, so invest in it!

More information on dress shoes

Mindset Takeaway:

Understand that shoes, as the foundation of your wardrobe, are worth investing in! Don’t try to be cheap on this most essential aspect of your wardrobe!

Johnston and Murphy Shoes: An American Classic