The Most Important Investment You Will Ever Make

Dress Shoes are arguably one of the biggest, costliest and most important purchases a man should make. You might think that it is a luxury to have a great pair of shoes, just because you never wear a suit. I beg to differ. It is a necessity. As Captain America said, there is going to be a time to “Put on the suit”.

Won’t I Save Money If I Buy A Few Cheap Pairs Of Dress Shoes?

Not really! Let’s explain why.

Return Of Investment

The situation is the same with many of the items that we buy. We often think that we can buy a few pairs of shoes, shirts or other utility items that are cheaper (and lower quality) because our budget is small and this way we save money. That is not the case when you think long term.

You buy a cheap pair of shoes, say around 50$ because you cannot afford those 300$ dress shoes. They look fine in the beginning, but after frequent wear they deteriorate quickly and in just a year, the glued sole falls apart and you need to get new ones. This will happen even faster if you wear them more frequently.

In just 6 years you will have spent 300$ for dispensable shoes, while the better quality ones with proper care and an easy resole will last you potentially decades. This is a good return of investment.

Pro Tip: Instead of investing in a cheap pair of dress shoes, get the best that you can afford. It will increase both your confidence and your looks and you will get much more mileage out of them.

How Much Should I Spend On Dress Shoes Then?

No matter if you are the type that will wear them once a year or every day I would advise spending minimum 200-300$ on quality dress shoes. You will thank me later.

And the compliments. You will get compliments from strangers, coworkers, women and possibly jealous mean comments by male friends. That means you are doing something correct my fellow gentleman.

Thanks Misiu Academy! But What Do I Look For In A Dress Shoe?!

Quality dear reader. You look for quality. But as always, remember that a premium brand name does not equal high quality or the money. In dress shoes the quality of the leather and the craftsmanship are most important. A few pairs of good dress shoes are better than 10 low quality generic pairs.

I Get It Now! But…What Is High Quality?!

This is exactly why what this article is about. To help you understand in everyday language the differences between dress shoes and the hallmark of a quality pair.

The construction of the shoe and the leather quality is what distinguishes a cheap shoes from an expensive shoe. Here are a few things to look for when buying dress shoes:

Look for quality leather. Good leather like smooth calfskin will develop character over time, mould itself to your feet after every use and have a beautiful patina. In simple terms, leather is like wine, it gets better with age. Leather has a grading system, depending from which part of the animal it comes from. The hierarchy is counted in grades.
The quality of the stitching. Look for little details, such as inconsistencies in the stitching that reveal cheap craftsmanship.
The construction method. I will not go into much detail about this in this article, but always avoid glued soles. They will break fast and the shoe is worthless. The other two main types of sole stitching are Blake Stitch and Goodyear Welt. The Goodyear welt is generally more expensive but also higher quality and allows for a much easier resole process.
Check the inside of the shoes. Is the lining synthetic? Leather is a sign of higher quality.