First Date Shoes: Guys Put Your Best Foot Forward

Your decision in footwear says a lot about you, particularly to women.

On a first date, the first thing women notice is a man’s shoes. Likewise, interviewers are trained to notice if the candidate took the time to polish his shoes.

Shoes are important.

An art history professor of mine once remarked that an art dealer friend of his could always tell if a client was going to drop big bucks by the quality of shoes he was wearing, regardless of anything else sartorial.

Why is it that shoes say this much about a man?

If you are wearing a great pair of shoes, it conveys that you are a person who cares about details and looks beyond the surface of things; an ideal worker, client, and boyfriend in some cases.

Shoes are the most critical detail to your look. Wearing nice clothes with cheap shoes is like having a clean visit page room with a cluttered closet.

It doesn’t reveal the whole truth, as something looks “off” and improper.

Here are some sound tips on buying great, lasting footwear that says all the right things.

First, good shoes don’t come cheap. However, if you look at how long they will last, it is well worth it.

A $300 pair of shoes will last about 5-10 years with proper care. This sure beats paying $150 for something you’ll need to replace in a year and a half.

Also, the best shoes available come from Northern England. Namely: Edward Green, Grenson, Crocket & Jones, Church’s, and John Lobb. These will set you apart from the usual Kenneth Cole crowd.

These shoes offer better, hand made construction and superior leathers. Two comparable American brands are Allen Edmunds, a shoe which I consider the best value for your money, and Alden.

For the more stylish guy, consider a pair of Chelsea boots from any one of these makers. Chelsea boots go equally great with a suit or a pair of jeans outside the office.

Even when wearing sneakers you can still look stylish. Instead of wearing running shoes or Air Jordans, try a classic athletic sneaker.

These have been very popular over the past few years. A few styles to look out for are: Converse Jack Purcell, Adidas Superstar, Converse All-Star, Adidas Stan Smith, Van’s Slip-On, or Onitsuka Tiger.

Remember that while shoes are a detail, it is the first detail people notice.

Put a little effort into finding something special and it will make a great impression.

Don’t be the guy with the clean room and cluttered closet.

To review my classic post of 25 Top Fashion Tips for Men, click the link.

Here I breakdown the most important fashion concerns for single guys, and how to make your clothing work for you rather than against when becoming more successful with women.

Good luck!