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How many pairs of shoes (casual and dress) should a man have?

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Let us assume we are talking about the average guy, who has several casual outfits and a few suits for work.

The rule to keep in mind is that you should never wear the same pair of leather shoes 2 days in a row (it's bad for the shoes.) So ...

You need two pair of dress shoes. One pair black and one pair brown or tan (depending on your suit colour preference.) You would need a third pair if
a) you want to always wear brown shoes and save black for weddings, funerals &c. or ...
b) you want/need to wear black shoes for work at least part of the time (eg lawyer) so potentially two days in a row.

If both 'a' and 'b' apply then you need 2 pair of black and 2 pair of brown dress shoes. Style of those shoes is debatable and depends on personal preference, except you should have one pair of black captoe lace-up oxfords for formal occasions.

Casual shoes ...

There's a lot more room for variation here. We can be talking anything from retro canvas sneakers to tough guy biker boots to Doc Martens to ... well, there is almost no end in sight.

You need a decent pair to be seen out and about shopping or hanging with buddies and whatever. If you are getting leather shoes, get two pair for the reason stated above.

You need a pair for doing the grimy chores &c. that you don't want to get your good shoes dirty doing.

You need a 'good' pair for stepping your game up, taking ladies out on dates, going to Church, or whenever you are doing something "dressy casual." If you picked the right models, one or more of your dress shoes can do double duty here if needed.
 
3 dress shoes
2 old style sneakers
1 cross trainer
2 walking shoes
1 sandals
2 slip on flip flops
2 pairs of boots

I am 21.

oh and a pair of cowboy boots...
 
I think you just inadvertently called me out on another AD:

Brown boat shoes (work/fishing)
Brown oxfords
Brown chukka boots
Steel toes
black wingtips (formal)
black oxfords
brown sandals
white sandals
white sneakers
black sneakers
Volleyball shoes
football cleats
golf shoes (2)
running shoes
crosstrainers for weightlifting

Umm....do ski boots count too? Dear me.


:lol:

Number of shoes, I am probably in the meaty part of the curve. Add boots and athletic shoes and I'm doomed.
 
I have two pair of dress shoes, one pair of work boots one pair of vintage Converse One Star's and sixteen pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars :thumbup1:
Wp
 
This thread mead me count my shoes.... I have 37 pairs.

14 pairs brown wing-tips of various description
11 pairs black wing-tips of various description
7 pairs of boots
1 pair of leather sole, toe cap, tounge, and heal but cotton side vintage Ralph Lauren summer shoes
1 pair of plimsoles
1 pair of Oak beaded lace ups
1 pair of running shoes
1 pair of cycling shoes
 
Can’t speak to “average” and I never wore a suit to work (regardless), one should have three pairs in rotation for each daily activity so the shoes have time to dry out after being worn.

Minimally that’s three pair of work shoes and three pair for after work. Whether your daily routine consist of work followed by lounging around the house or garden, dressing to go out, dancing , running, biking, whatever, doesn’t much matter, if it is a daily activity, be kind to your shoes and give them a couple days off between uses.

I have nine pair,
Dress shoes - one pair black cap toe balmorals, one pair black wingtip balmorals and one pair black calfskin tassel loafers.
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Casual dress, one pair black plain toe bluchers, one pair black square toe loafers and one pair black calfskin western boots, for around the house, play and walking one pair of black canvas deck shoes, one pair brown leather mocks and one pair of black leather mules (think clogs).
 
The rule to keep in mind is that you should never wear the same pair of leather shoes 2 days in a row (it's bad for the shoes.) So ...

You need two pair of dress shoes. One pair black and one pair brown or tan (depending on your suit colour preference.) You would need a third pair if
a) you want to always wear brown shoes and save black for weddings, funerals &c. or ...
b) you want/need to wear black shoes for work at least part of the time (eg lawyer) so potentially two days in a row.

If both 'a' and 'b' apply then you need 2 pair of black and 2 pair of brown dress shoes. Style of those shoes is debatable and depends on personal preference, except you should have one pair of black captoe lace-up oxfords for formal occasions.

Casual shoes ...

There's a lot more room for variation here. We can be talking anything from retro canvas sneakers to tough guy biker boots to Doc Martens to ... well, there is almost no end in sight.

You need a decent pair to be seen out and about shopping or hanging with buddies and whatever. If you are getting leather shoes, get two pair for the reason stated above.

You need a pair for doing the grimy chores &c. that you don't want to get your good shoes dirty doing.

You need a 'good' pair for stepping your game up, taking ladies out on dates, going to Church, or whenever you are doing something "dressy casual." If you picked the right models, one or more of your dress shoes can do double duty here if needed.

Good post :thumbup1:
 
I have three bespoke suits, one dinner suit (tuxedo to most of you), and two lounge suits of different styles, all black. I only wear a suit for semi-formal occasions and when going out on the town in the evening, why do I need a pair of brown shoes?
 
Heh, when reading this subject, I thought "I don't have many shoes" but I guess, like shaving brushes, it adds up! Caveat: I'm a prosecutor, so I need to wear a suit for court four days a week:

3 pairs leather-soled dress shoes (black, brown, cordovan)
2 pairs rubber-soled dress shoes (black, brown)
2 pairs leather casual shoes (i.e. driving mocs - black, brown)
2 pairs casual/retro sneakers (green, brown)
2 pairs sneakers/trainers (one old pair for mowing the lawn!)
2 pairs sandals/flip-flops (black, brown)

So that adds up to 13 pairs. Better go get another pair to move off this unlucky number!
 
I never posted what I have so,

One pair of cowboy boots (over ten years old and still fits me)
One pair of luggage colored chelsea boots (surprisingly, they're Ugg
Two pairs of Doc Martens (boot and 1461)
Three pairs of boat shoes
Three pairs of black shoes for dressing up
One pair of brown croc print slip ons
One pair of black casual wingtips
One pair of brown casual wingtips
One pair of black driving mocs
One pair of casual slip ons (Ugg)
One pair of black chelsea boots
Two pairs of party type shoes (Shane and Shawn)
One pair of Chuck Taylors
One pair of Converse Outsider boot
 
6 should do it
black wing tips
brown wing tips
brown loafer or boat shoe
running/athletic shoe
over the ankle work boot
sandal
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Good post :thumbup1:

Thanks.

I'd add that if you are frequently wearing dress shoes, and live in a place that has a real winter, you may 'need' to augment your dress shoe collection with some more winter-appropriate dress footwear. You can get dress boots (just like dress shoes but they're high-tops) from most quality English shoemakers, as well as others (AE and Alden, no doubt for you CONUS-aholics). Dependng on how much outdoor walking you will be doing, you can treat the leather with waterproofing rather than wax polish, and have them made with Vibram "Gumlite" soles which have great grip on ice. (English boots usually come with either leather soles or "Dainite" rubber soles, neither of which is nearly as good as the Gumlite.) This won't let you stand in puddles for half an hour, but walking through slush on the curb will be much easier than with a low-cut shoe.

Who knew there was a shoe ruler... :blink:
 
For years I got by on 4 or 5 pairs, black and brown dress and two pair of tennis shoes and whatever else. Then, I got old and got a house and needed boots to work outside in the different seasons, steel toed others for certain projects, then something to garden in, etc. Then offices started to get casual and I needed a few more pair to wear to work, basically just a pair of casual shoes in black and brown.

I like quality leather and have grown to appreciate good shoes. What killed me was ebay. I started getting searches in my size emailed to me directly and I could not resist some of the deals. All used, but I don't have a problem with that. I stick with quality names and practical styles and even being very selective, I find at least a pair a month that I can't pass up. I just got some black Red Wing casual shoes in a heavy pebbled leather that are very nice. Total with shipping was $11. Long story short, I must have thirty pairs of non-construction work, non-winter boot, non-athletic shoes. All told, probably 45.
 
At a minimum...

1 black dress
1 brown or summer color dress
1 athletic shoe
1 casual
1 sandals
1 working boot
1 dress winter boot (if you live in a cold climate)

IMHO, YMMV
 
Lets see. I have 5 pairs of work shoes (3 black and 2 brown). I have 2 pair of dressy casual shoes (one black and one brown). I've got one pair of nice ankle high boots (brown), 4 pairs of casual walking / hiking shoes, 3 pairs of runners, 2 pair of boat shoes (one dark brown and one sand colour) and I've got 4 pairs of sandals / slides / beach shoes.

That's 21 pair.

I've also got a couple of pair of work boots out in the garage. One with and one without steel capped toes.
 
3 pairs of dress shoes
1 pair jogging shoes
1 pair of casual tennis shoes
2 pairs of business casual shoes
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I think you just inadvertently called me out on another AD:

Brown boat shoes (work/fishing)
Brown oxfords
Brown chukka boots
Steel toes
black wingtips (formal)
black oxfords
brown sandals
white sandals
white sneakers
black sneakers
Volleyball shoes
football cleats
golf shoes (2)
running shoes
crosstrainers for weightlifting

Umm....do ski boots count too? Dear me.

Imelda Marcos comes to mind, for me. That's a lot of shoes.

I get by with (1 pair each unless otherwise stated):
Reebok flat soled walkers
black dress oxfords (2 pair)
Tevas
Work boots. (several pair)
Good quality rubber boots
Sorels, with the HEAVY sub-zero type felt insulation liner
"Mickey Mouse" arctic boots
Penny Loafers (if they are penny loafers, why do they cost so much?)
Carpet slippers. AAAAAhhhhhhhh......

Of course I am a blue collar type guy, so YMMV
 
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