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Fashion 👗 Shoes

When I was a kid, Converse came in black or white. As a teen, they did begin to introduce colors, and I had a few pairs. I remember the earliest colors would bleed into your socks when your foot perspired or you stepped in a puddle.

Shoes are very utilitarian to me. I want something comfortable. Comfort is far ahead of style and price. I purchase them, wear them out, throw them away, and buy my next pair.

I wonder what those people that judge people by their shoes think of me?:h:
 
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So my son introduced me to Vans shortly after he took up skateboarding. Since then, a pair of plain black Vans are my daily wear shoes for both work and home. I like how comfortable they are, but could understand how they might not be great if one doesn't have decent arches, as they provide little in the way of support. Hard not to like the plain, simple sleek lines of them, though.

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LP, what's the secret to selling lots of shoes?
 
Checking in a dozen years since i posted here the first time- the shoes that were pictured made it through two resolings before I moved them along and the awful Aldo black shoes are long gone. I have more of a collection now, having found I can pick up decent used stuff on Poshmark for not much money. I look for Allen Edmonds shoes that are lightly worn (a seller that doesn't post a picture of the soles is a huge red flag). Some of what I've picked up is old-but-not-worn and sometimes that might mean having to glue a sole back on, but it's an easy fix.

Today's shoes are black Frye double monk strap that I have had for over a decade- to the point the buckles have broken off but they were cosmetic anyway.

My work shoes all live in the small locker room at my office and there's a drawer in my desk reserved for polish, cloths, brushes, etc. so I can spiff them up at the end of the day or before I head to a meeting.

I have small feet so they aren't really the right shoe for me but I love the look and feel of a pair of Puma Speed Cats. Those are my guilty pleasure and I wear them anyway.
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Maister said:
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So my son introduced me to Vans shortly after he took up skateboarding. Since then, a pair of plain black Vans are my daily wear shoes for both work and home. I like how comfortable they are, but could understand how they might not be great if one doesn't have decent arches, as they provide little in the way of support. Hard not to like the plain, simple sleek lines of them, though.

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LP, what's the secret to selling lots of shoes?
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Pro Publica just posted a story about Nike and it's reliance on cheap labor as the key to sales.
I have long relied on plain six inch work boots for work whether inspecting or woodlot work. For hiking a sturdy boot I can stamp my feet in is best.
 
Maister said:
bump:

So my son introduced me to Vans shortly after he took up skateboarding. Since then, a pair of plain black Vans are my daily wear shoes for both work and home. I like how comfortable they are, but could understand how they might not be great if one doesn't have decent arches, as they provide little in the way of support. Hard not to like the plain, simple sleek lines of them, though.

View attachment 66264

LP, what's the secret to selling lots of shoes?
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There a lot of heavy duty weight lifters who will wear these because they are flat and you can still feel the ground.

Personally, I now wear Florsheim Oxfords at work. I have one brown and one black. I have a cross trainer for lifting days and a running shoe for cardio days. I have a while pair of 'sneakers' for casual summer wear and a pair of Dan Post Cowboy boots for other occasions where I am in jeans. I also have a pair of steel toe deep tread boots that are made by DeWalt (or at least branded by them) that are surprisingly awesome.

As I mentioned before, there are some things to skimp on, good footwear is not one of them.
 
This winter with its interminable deep freeze has been all about Icebugs for running.
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I'd say if you live anywhere you've considered yaktrax or whatever just go ahead and get these. The carbide spikes are terrific. They make winter boots, too.

My usual running shoes are cushier and more supportive but I'll deal with that in trade for not falling down and getting hurt.
 
Not much has changed in my professional footwear rotation since I last posted in here. Today I'm wearing a pair of shell cordovan chukka boots that were made here in the USA but I found on a trip to Belgium years ago - they were a special makeup for a store over there.

Alden is my preferred shoe and boot brand but I haven't bought a new pair in quite a while. I have too many pair as it is and definitely do not need anymore but, more importantly, they've raised the prices so much that now a new pair is >$1,000. No thanks!


michaelskis said:
There a lot of heavy duty weight lifters who will wear these because they are flat and you can still feel the ground.

Personally, I now wear Florsheim Oxfords at work. I have one brown and one black. I have a cross trainer for lifting days and a running shoe for cardio days. I have a while pair of 'sneakers' for casual summer wear and a pair of Dan Post Cowboy boots for other occasions where I am in jeans. I also have a pair of steel toe deep tread boots that are made by DeWalt (or at least branded by them) that are surprisingly awesome.

As I mentioned before, there are some things to skimp on, good footwear is not one of them.
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I have a pair of Reebok "Club Classics" that I bought for $14 during an Amazon Prime Day sale about a decade ago. They're boring plain white but very flat so I use those for weight lifting. Just within the last few months I noticed that the tread is basically gone on them so there's no longer any grip so I recently retired them. I've been keeping an eye out for a replacement pair of the same but now the cheapest I can find them is ~$40. Not expensive at all in the grand scheme of things but after paying <$20 it's a tough pill to swallow!

In the meantime I've been wearing a pair of Nike Metcon that are equally as old but have held up a bit better. They're very comfortable for weightlifting but pretty uncomfortable for just about every other activity. I also have a pair of running shoes that I recently discovered are very comfortable on the treadmill (most of my shoes that are great on the road or trail or track have proven horrible on the treadmill) and they're pretty flat too so I've lifted in those a few times and they work pretty good, especially for somebody who doesn't take the lifting portion of their workout so seriously.

There are always a few people at my gym who kick their shoes off and lift in just their socks but I'm too self conscious to ever do that. We do have one guy who actually wears a pair of those Vibram "5 Finger" shoes to lift in. He's the only person I've seen wearing them in at least 15 years, but it does seem like a good compromise for somebody who wants to feel the ground a bit better but doesn't want to actually expose their feet or socks at the gym.
 
Faust_Motel said:
This winter with its interminable deep freeze has been all about Icebugs for running.
View attachment 66266

I'd say if you live anywhere you've considered yaktrax or whatever just go ahead and get these. The carbide spikes are terrific. They make winter boots, too.

My usual running shoes are cushier and more supportive but I'll deal with that in trade for not falling down and getting hurt.
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I've never heard of Icebug but looking at their site now they look pretty good. I've tried Yaktrax and similar devices in the past and found them to be fine on ice/snow but really uncomfortable if you get onto a stretch of cleared trail or sidewalk or safety path. At the start of each winter for the past 7 or 8 years I've just taken a pair of my running shoes that are close to retirement and then putting a bunch of 1/4" hex head sheet metal screws into the bottom of them - other than the cost of the shoes, which I already paid for months earlier, it usually costs me about $2.00. It works great and is barely noticeable at all if you get onto a stretch of cleared concrete or asphalt.

Those Icebugs look like they have relatively small, unobtrusive spikes, which would definitely be more comfortable (and lighter) than the Yaktrax plus you get the added bonus of some Gore-Tex waterproofing. I sort of wish I had known about these back in December when I was gearing up for this time of year. Maybe I'll end up buying a pair of these anyway and using them a few times and putting them away until next winter... it would be nice to have some fresh shoes waiting for me when the weather gets rough again...
 
A word about winter boots....
There is one brand of boots that I will wear if I have to shovel two feet of snow in the driveway, and those are Bata "Mickey Mouse" boots (of military fame). Completely waterproof and if worn with thick wool socks will keep your feet adequately warm in subzero temperatures for hours.

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When I was kid in the 1970s, my parents preferred we have the rubber toed canvas shoes. They were not uncommon but I hated them as I thought it meant we were poor. We were not but not living the high life either. I think it was more of a practical reason as boys tend to be harder on clothes and why pay more for something that usually gets trashed. After a few months of use, the canvas where it met the rubber toe, would start to tear and I admit, helped it tear more than once. They did give me a pair of these but in blue/yellow. They are not the Cortez which was the popular style but it was start.

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These days, I prefer no laces and slip-on is the go-to everyday. When I turned 50, the Mrs. gave me a extra long steel shoehorn - one of the best gifts ever. My usual shoe rota is a black or brown Docs or black or brown Chelsea style boot; the Carhartt are very comfortable and wish they made in black. My two pairs of dress shoes are also slip-on. I only tie my Nike athletic shoes or hunting boots.
 
I have some cheap slip on shoes from Temu for work. They look decent and are super comfortable. They've lasted about 2 years so for the price, not a bad deal considering how rough I am on shoes. Otherwise I just wear a pair of adidas slides everywhere. You know, because I can because there's no snow to make my toes cold.
 
Bought these this past summer...most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet (Brooks Ghost 17). My go to for workouts.

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As far as work goes, I've been wearing Sketchers for years...
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Brooks are great shoes. Especially if you've ever had plantar fasciitis. Shoes like Hoka and On Cloud may be great for some people but generally those shoes don't provide enough support. Funny enough the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned are a pair of Herman Survivor work boots. I can wear them in excess of 12 hours and my feet still feel great. I've had them for over 30 years.
 
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Maister said:
LP, what's the secret to selling lots of shoes?
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For men, always ask about what they do for work, gush over their job no matter what - ask if they wear a suit or whatever, and then start in with recommendations - then, if they overbuy, which they often did, and if their wife came in to return, I would have my notes to say things like "well, he said when he takes you to dinner, he likes to wear ____ so these cordovan loafers will go nicely with that..." and then they are gushing and realize you aren't making a play for their husband and don't make the return

women - if they come up to you with some heels to try on, ask if it's for work or play and then go in for the conversation - same thing, just going in less assuming about what they do so you don't mess up

People love to talk about themselves so it's easy to figure out what they want

My dad told me to get a job in sales when I was young because he said, "Whatever you end up doing for a career, you are always sellin'..."

I also believe that all of my bad karma stems from selling shoes to unsuspecting people :melting:

And now, oddly, I don't have as many shoes as I used to, and I am more picky about what I wear, and I do judge men by their shoes
 
luckless pedestrian said:
For men, always ask about what they do for work, gush over their job no matter what - ask if they wear a suit or whatever, and then start in with recommendations - then, if they overbuy, which they often did, and if their wife came in to return, I would have my notes to say things like "well, he said when he takes you to dinner, he likes to wear ____ so these cordovan loafers will go nicely with that..." and then they are gushing and realize you aren't making a play for their husband and don't make the return

women - if they come up to you with some heels to try on, ask if it's for work or play and then go in for the conversation - same thing, just going in less assuming about what they do so you don't mess up

People love to talk about themselves so it's easy to figure out what they want

My dad told me to get a job in sales when I was young because he said, "Whatever you end up doing for a career, you are always sellin'..."

I also believe that all of my bad karma stems from selling shoes to unsuspecting people :melting:

And now, oddly, I don't have as many shoes as I used to, and I am more picky about what I wear, and I do judge men by their shoes
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I love this!
 
I left a nice pair of All Birds in a Los Angeles hotel last week... kind of sad, but kind of not. Will need to find a new pair of black everyday shoes.

I subscribe the school of "you spend most of the hours of the day in your shoes or lying in a mattress, dont skimp on either"
 
Currently on my feet are Nike Free TR8 in black and white. My other sneakers are Kiziks and Vans. Dress shoes are hit and miss for me because I need a wide toe box but have a narrow heel. I had a good run with Rothy’s but got lucky with some Aerosoles in two styles last summer. I recently got a pair of ankle boots from Ros Hommerson which have been very comfortable and stylish. I appreciate them having two zippers so I don’t have to do the old tug and pull trying to put them on.
 

All | Solovair | Handmade in England

Handcrafted, Goodyear welted, premium footwear made in England.
us.nps-solovair.com us.nps-solovair.com

Solovair is now the closest thing to the quality Dr. Martens used to be known for in the 1980s, Ive never owned a pair but New Docs seem to be hit or miss.. Wish I could afford to just drop 239$ on boots like it aint no thang. Still wear my Vegetarian Shoes brand "Doc Marten style" steelcaps from 2012, but usually only if I am going into sketchy areas or to an Oi! show. Also still rocking a pair of Blundstones from 2019 (although these are getting resoled soon).
 
dw914er said:
An additional benefit is that it allows allows better pairing of your work attire; I have different styles and colors of Allen Edmonds, which I can then pair with different color work pants. Black shoes with black pants, walnut shoes with blue pants, bourbon shoes with khaki colored pants, etc. It is an easy way to add style, and has the benefit of extending the life of the shoes.
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My Allen Edmond collection is quite a bit bigger than it was in 2017.

I also wear Nike SBs much of the time.
 
NHPlanner said:
Bought these this past summer...most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet (Brooks Ghost 17). My go to for workouts.

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For years I always had a hard time with Brooks running shoes - no matter what style I tried, they all gave me horrible blisters. Last spring I was at my local running store looking for a new pair of shoes and the guy recommended the new Brooks Ghosts 17. I told him my history with them and he insisted and said they'd happily accept them back with up to 100 miles on them if I was dissatisfied so I gave them a try. I loved them. They were by far the best all around running shoe I had worn in years. I actually went back to the store about a month later and bought two more pair so that I could have the same thing again in case the next iteration had some major changes that messed things up for me again.

I remember reading some reviews shortly after I bought mine and it seemed to be a pretty common refrain among a lot of runners and professional writers in that industry that the Ghosts had always been a good shoe but there was something about the newest version that worked even better for a lot wider segment of the running population.

mendelman said:
I wear shoes.

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My youngest LOVES those Progressive commercials.... and so do I. During Christmas break she came to lunch with me and my friend at a deli. I ordered a reuben and he ordered a Monte Cristo and we each shared a half with each other and my daughter said we "mix and matched". I had no idea what she was talking about and then on the way home she mentioned it was from one of the insurance commercials:



Last week we went sledding at the golf course and there is a dog park right next to it. When we were leaving she saw some dogs at the park and instinctively started singing.

 
WSU MUP Student said:
My youngest LOVES those Progressive commercials.... and so do I. During Christmas break she came to lunch with me and my friend at a deli. I ordered a reuben and he ordered a Monte Cristo and we each shared a half with each other and my daughter said we "mix and matched". I had no idea what she was talking about and then on the way home she mentioned it was from one of the insurance commercials:



Last week we went sledding at the golf course and there is a dog park right next to it. When we were leaving she saw some dogs at the park and instinctively started singing.

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My favorite is the 'lecture' format Dr. Rick commercial and the part about mulch.

 
Casual - Was wearing NB until The Girl bought Hoka Clifton 9s for me. They've been great. However she has moved on from Hokas to OnClouds - also adidas Sambas

Dress/work - went through 3 pairs of black Dockers with a very comfortable sole since I did a lot of walking, but could not find them last time. Bought a pair of nicer ones Freemans with memory foam at the discount shoe store. They're fine for now, but not great.

Home - adidas slides

Yard work - the worn out last pair of sneakers

Other - Merrell's for hiking, snow & such - adidas Mundials if I ever kick the ball again
 
When it comes to shoes, I have learned that while you have to spend more money to get decent shoes; and expensive brands of shoes aren't always better. After buying multiple pairs of shoes in a year, I decided to spend more money up front to buy shoes made of quality real leather and goodyear welt construction. I have bought 4 pairs over the last 14 years as opposed to the 2 to 3 pairs that I was buying a year up until then. I really like Thursday Boot Company. Now I just polish them, replace shoe laces, and do a resole occasionally. It's way cheaper in the long run.
 
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