The Essentials Series Vol. 1: Shoes

by: Adam Sayih

We’re going to kick off the Essentials Series with a highly underrated component of style: the shoe. I can’t tell you how many guys I know that will put so much money and effort into their new Jordans but won’t hesitate to buy black leathers from Wal-Mart when it’s time to suit up.  No matter how fresh and so clean-clean you think everything else is, the shoe is the backbone of any outfit, and a shitty shoe means a shitty outfit.

Having the right shoe for the right situation will speak volumes about how you care for your appearance and for others as well (Yes, dressing properly tells other people that you care about them).  Here are three universal, timeless shoes that I believe every man should own, and will instantly upgrade your entire appearance, regardless of personal style.

The Brogue

The Brogue was originally invented as a worker’s shoe in Scotland and Ireland in the sixteenth century.  The perforations were designed to drain out water quickly while crossing wet terrain.  In more recent times however, shoemakers have mastered the style and made it one of the greatest shoes to stand out among your peers and receive a double-take without being too loud.  I hesitated to buy my first pair, and honestly I receive compliments every-single-time I put these bad boys on.

The great thing about the Brogue is that they come in a variety of style from cap-toe to wing-tip and different colors as well.  Since this is an essentials list, you can’t go wrong with a light brown leather.  The beauty of brogues is that you can wear these type of shoes with a suit, or even a dressier shirt with jeans around town.

 

The Desert Boot

At first glance, the desert boot probably looks like a hideous shoe, but that’s because you’ve never seen them on.  No other desert boot has trumped the original pair made by Clark’s, so don’t make the mistake of not getting the Clark Desert Boot.  Not only are they extremely comfortable and have leather that ages better than wine, but they instantly upgrade your entire look.  When going to a bar, most guys will just slap on jeans, a tee, and sneakers, but swapping the sneakers for desert boots will give you a much more mature look and sense of style.

The beeswax model is the most popular and universal.  At first, they’re a bit uncomfortable, but after a few walks around town, the leather molds to your foot and it’ll quickly become your favorite shoe.  Wear with jeans and any other pants besides suit pants.

White Converse Jack Purcell

I specifically choose white for this list because it’s so dam universal and looks good with everything.  Also, this shoe is going to be your killer weapon this spring and summer.  This shoe looks great with literally every outfit and gives you a more laid back look, but still style conscious and trendy.  Heck, you don’t even have to wear socks with them.

Wear with jeans or shorts and wear them wherever!