Age-appropriate Men's Fashion: Shoes

Age-appropriate Men's Fashion: Shoes

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Few things in men's fashion have evolved as much as the shoe department. When you look at the heeled, ornate men's shoes of the Victorian era, the minimalist Florsheims of today are almost unrecognizable from their predecessors. But some things, as they say, never change, and the high bar for respectable make footwear is one of those things. Chuck Taylors are fine on teens, but getting on in years calls for a whole other shoe rack.

Remove Rubber Shoes
One thing you should know if you want to age fashionably is that you'll have to dispose of many of the same pieces you wore when you were younger. That means your rubber shoes, Jack Purcells and other sneakers should go the way of the ripped-up jeans and baggy hoodie, out your closet.

By the time your twenties are at their twilight, you should have weaned yourself off of rubber shoes already. Once you enter your thirties, prepare to give up the infantile world of lace-up sneakers for suits, neckties and leather shoes. Giving up the pairs of rubber shoes from your teenage and yuppie years is one of the biggest steps you could take to finally embrace your age, maturity and new level of style.

Leathers for Loafing
Now, it's understandable if the idea of a shoe closet made entirely of leather pairs sounds like a hard sell at first. After all, leather footwear always inspires images of boardrooms, ballrooms and formal events in general. But leather kicks are much more versatile than a lot of guys would think, and some can go from cubicle to club without missing a step.

There's more to leather shoes that just lace-ups, brogues and wing tips. The loafer is one of the more ubiquitous styles of men's leather shoes, and they can easily cross the limits of different dress codes. A single pair in black leather is the perfect stand-in for sneakers or even flip flops when you're nowhere near a beach.

Are you looking for something to wear with the jeans-and-tee outfit you love to wear to the mall? Or maybe you need shoes that are light and comfy to go with your linen shirt and cotton shorts ensemble for spring. A pair of good loafers can work for either, and make for a much more mature look than if you'd worn sneakers or slippers.

Formal Footwear is Formal Footwear
Don't even try to fool around with the classic styles of men's leather shoes. Some of the worst fashion faux pas happen when guys try to 'express' themselves via their leather kicks, and that's never a wise route to take.

Classic styles are called that way exactly because their design survived decades of fads, trends and innovations. Formal leather shoes, those pointy toe jobs, your average wing tips and the typical brogues, all fall into this category. The ones your granddad used to wear are probably very similar in design and construction to the pairs of formal shoes you own today. Deviations from those classic styles are appreciated in extremely rare cases.

Overly fancy embellishments like contrast soles, differently colored pieces of material or excess perforations all violate this rule of classical non-intervention. Some of these styles will likely gain vogue in certain places every now and then, but such periods rarely last long enough to justify your buying into them. You're still better off sticking to the tried and tested gentlemanly designs, even when you'll seem dated at times.

This rule stacks right on top of the tenet that says you shouldn't wear square toe shoes. While the latter is always in effect, the former is only strictly enforced past the age of 29. Younger men can still pull off more avant garde designs like contrast color stitchings and perforations that make the shoe resemble a pegboard.

Understated leather shoes are always the best and most versatile fashion option for men, regardless of age or race. Keep it basic, simple and classic, and you won't be able to go wrong with whatever style of shoe you buy.

About the Author:
Hendrik is a regular writer with articles on mens fashion and style. To date he has more than two hundred articles published on mens fashion. He is also the founder of an online retailer for neckties and Ties. He suggest you have a look at these Cherry Red Ties - a classy tie color that will add elegance and color to any shirt and tie look.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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