I know how much we all love to acquire things here on B&B, but what do you guys think is the bare minimum requirement for a complete dress wardrobe? Looking forward to your thoughts.
Minimum number of required shoes for a "complete" dress wardrobe?
- Thread starter _MementoMori_
- Start date
Bare minimum would be a pair of black dress shoes.
For suits, oxfords.
Everything else, loafers.
I guess it depends on the rest of your wardrobe.
For suits, oxfords.
Everything else, loafers.
I guess it depends on the rest of your wardrobe.
Prince speaks truth...
- Thread starter
- #4
Ha... I just noticed my new sig!
Thanks for your thoughts so far. Feel free to continue.
Thanks for your thoughts so far. Feel free to continue.
Agree with Oxford + Loafer suggestion made above.
Black is all you need, because black is always appropriate in dress wear. While it's true there are some situations in men's dress wear where you could wear a different shoe colour, I'm not certain there is any situation where you must wear "not-black".
So in short, 2 pairs of shoes is the minimum you need to always be well-dressed.
Note that "well-dressed" does not necessarily mean "snappily-dressed". There is always room to add more style.
Black is all you need, because black is always appropriate in dress wear. While it's true there are some situations in men's dress wear where you could wear a different shoe colour, I'm not certain there is any situation where you must wear "not-black".
So in short, 2 pairs of shoes is the minimum you need to always be well-dressed.
Note that "well-dressed" does not necessarily mean "snappily-dressed". There is always room to add more style.
Last edited:
Depends on what sort of dressing you do.
There's no point me recommending seven different pairs of dress shoes to a guy who lives in jeans, or cowboy boots to a guy in Maryland, or ... well, you get the point.
But I will say this ... every grown-up man ought to have one pair of good, black dress shoes. Ideally, captoe oxfords, but that's picking nits. These you wear to interviews and funerals, and to weddings if you have nothing else appropriate.
And whatever leather shoes you wear on a daily basis, make sure you have two pairs at least (as leather shoes need a day to recover after being worn.) Two pairs of identical shoes worn on alternating days will last MORE THAN twice as long as one pair worn every day.
There's no point me recommending seven different pairs of dress shoes to a guy who lives in jeans, or cowboy boots to a guy in Maryland, or ... well, you get the point.
But I will say this ... every grown-up man ought to have one pair of good, black dress shoes. Ideally, captoe oxfords, but that's picking nits. These you wear to interviews and funerals, and to weddings if you have nothing else appropriate.
And whatever leather shoes you wear on a daily basis, make sure you have two pairs at least (as leather shoes need a day to recover after being worn.) Two pairs of identical shoes worn on alternating days will last MORE THAN twice as long as one pair worn every day.
Just in case my wife reads this this 12
+1 on there being a single right answer, but in broad terms:
• Black captoe oxfords, either balmoral or blucher (whichever fits you better): 2 pair min
• Loafers, penny / tassel / moccasin style depending on taste: 1 pair in Oxblood (matches almost anything)
After those, you can build your collection to include brown shoes, dress boots and cordovan leathers
• Black captoe oxfords, either balmoral or blucher (whichever fits you better): 2 pair min
• Loafers, penny / tassel / moccasin style depending on taste: 1 pair in Oxblood (matches almost anything)
After those, you can build your collection to include brown shoes, dress boots and cordovan leathers
Oxford = balmoral, but blucher/darby is a different kind of shoe.
IMHO, it's the Oxford (Balmoral) that is the essential black shoe ... but also IMHO, in this day and age, if you own a good pair of black Derbys, there's probably no need to get a pair of Oxfords too.
Besides style and color, please consider the number you need in rotation to preserve the shoes themselves.
As others have said, at least two pair - need to alternate shoes each day to give them a chance to dry properly. Just as important are shoe trees, preferably cedar, that will help them keep their shape and help to preserve them long term. Ideally, black tie shoe, brown tie shoe, loafer cordavan (goes well with blue, grey even brown suits and casual attire - again with trees for each. Did I mention polish and brush? A little maintenance and they'll last for years if you spend a little more on the front end. As far as others (mocs, athletic shoes, etc.) that's up to you.
Oxford = balmoral, but blucher/darby is a different kind of shoe.
IMHO, it's the Oxford (Balmoral) that is the essential black shoe ... but also IMHO, in this day and age, if you own a good pair of black Derbys, there's probably no need to get a pair of Oxfords too.
I had to go to Wikipedia to look up the reference to "derbys". Here it in the US, an oxford is a lace up shoe (either balmoral or blucher) - it never occurred to me that there was another definition.
These two equations were given to me in the context of bicycles, but I think they apply here to.
# of shoes you need = s + 1. Where s = the quantity you currently own.
Or
# of shoes you need = d - 1. Where d = the number of shoes that will result in divorce.
These also apply to watches, cars, razors, sports equipment, and suits.
# of shoes you need = s + 1. Where s = the quantity you currently own.
Or
# of shoes you need = d - 1. Where d = the number of shoes that will result in divorce.
These also apply to watches, cars, razors, sports equipment, and suits.
Okay, after further though, I'll put it this way ...
You need one pair of formal black dress shoes, preferably captoe Oxfords as mentioned above.
You need one pair of quasi-casual-dress shoes, that would go with the khakis/chords, jacket and tie look. Personal preference here ... chukkas, monkstraps, loafers, derbys, some sort of dress-boot version thereof ... colour is your choice. You can get a pair that would also work well with a business suit, or a pair that would be better suited (haha) to nice jeans instead, so long as they hit this "quasi-casual-dress" zone too.
You need two pairs of whatever style(s) of dress shoe you wear on a regular basis, so that you don't have to wear the same pair two days in a row. (If you want, and if it suits your regular dress style, you can use one of the two pairs mentioned above as one of the two pairs here. Big-city bankers may only need to add a second pair of black oxfords, for example.) IF you never normally wear any such shoes ... athletic shoes or work boots or whatever ... then you don't "need" to add any more dress shoes here ...
Beyond that ... well, you are into "want" territory ... and ain't nothing wrong with that.
... and of course in today's world, where "dressing up" is more a hobby of eccentrics rather than what everyone does, the blurring of lines and definitions is going to be even more prevalent.
And I was unaware that it was becoming common in the US for people to refer to all lace-up dress shoes as Oxfords, at least in part because I've known quite a few Americans on the internet who consistently make the distinction between the two styles of shoes, just with different names ... paticularly, the rule of thumb is that Englishmen call Bluchers "Derbys", and Americans call Derbys "Bluchers".
... I got nervous for a moment when the kid starts to demonstrate the way Frenchmen kiss ... using his Mum as his partner. Don't worry ... it all works out in the end.
You need one pair of formal black dress shoes, preferably captoe Oxfords as mentioned above.
You need one pair of quasi-casual-dress shoes, that would go with the khakis/chords, jacket and tie look. Personal preference here ... chukkas, monkstraps, loafers, derbys, some sort of dress-boot version thereof ... colour is your choice. You can get a pair that would also work well with a business suit, or a pair that would be better suited (haha) to nice jeans instead, so long as they hit this "quasi-casual-dress" zone too.
You need two pairs of whatever style(s) of dress shoe you wear on a regular basis, so that you don't have to wear the same pair two days in a row. (If you want, and if it suits your regular dress style, you can use one of the two pairs mentioned above as one of the two pairs here. Big-city bankers may only need to add a second pair of black oxfords, for example.) IF you never normally wear any such shoes ... athletic shoes or work boots or whatever ... then you don't "need" to add any more dress shoes here ...
Beyond that ... well, you are into "want" territory ... and ain't nothing wrong with that.
... and of course in today's world, where "dressing up" is more a hobby of eccentrics rather than what everyone does, the blurring of lines and definitions is going to be even more prevalent.
And I was unaware that it was becoming common in the US for people to refer to all lace-up dress shoes as Oxfords, at least in part because I've known quite a few Americans on the internet who consistently make the distinction between the two styles of shoes, just with different names ... paticularly, the rule of thumb is that Englishmen call Bluchers "Derbys", and Americans call Derbys "Bluchers".
... I got nervous for a moment when the kid starts to demonstrate the way Frenchmen kiss ... using his Mum as his partner. Don't worry ... it all works out in the end.
Last edited by a moderator:
I can be a simpleton (or at least think like one some of the time) and when in that mode I think all one needs is a brown pair and black pair of dress shoes. That is certainly good enough for the majority of working class folks attending church, weddings, job interviews, and such in the rural USA. Not everyone knows the name of Derbys vs Oxfords, but most understand that Oxfords are a little more dressy (aka fancy).
But of course if wearing dress shoes every day then a few shades of brown (including Cordovan) and a few more styles are in order.
But of course if wearing dress shoes every day then a few shades of brown (including Cordovan) and a few more styles are in order.
I'd echo the comment that you want at least a few pairs so that nothing gets worn everyday. A lot of this depends on how you need to dress on a daily basis. Do you have suit up or dress up for work? If yes, then I think you want to have some variety in colors and styles such that you're not wearing same shoes day-in, day-out. It's boring and wears the shoes down fast.
While initial outlay for a few pairs is pricey, in the long run it spreads the wear over several shoes so that none wear out fast.
While initial outlay for a few pairs is pricey, in the long run it spreads the wear over several shoes so that none wear out fast.
Agreed. That's pretty much where I'm at.
While I probably own 20+ pair, that is simply because I'm not good at throwing away old shoes and clothing. They tend to get put in a shoebox and buried in storage.
My current in-use set:
Black wingtip Oxford for work.
Sperry Topsiders in cream for kicking around the house, shopping... the "Levis & T-shirt" days
Suede Rockports for hiking, vacationing, etc.... Levis or Dockers & T-shirt or Polo.
I just typed a long post here, and when I tried to post it, I had to log in again for some reason, and lost it all. Maybe that's a sign to keep it more brief!
What I wanted to say is, some consideration should be given to other factors that might affect what shoes are "must have" for you. Factors like, where you live, what you do for a living if it is where you will be (mostly) wearing the shoes, or where else you might be wearing the dress shoes, and your age.
An investment banker in New York meeting with prospective wealthy clients, for example, should at a minimum have an expensive pair of black balmorals, like Allen Edmonds Park Avenues, to wear with a likewise appropriate (in color, pattern, fit and quality) suit, shirt and tie. Whereas a carpenter in Hugoton, Kansas might be considered perfectly appropriately dressed attending weddings, funerals, etc., in nicely polished black lace-up dress oxfords of nearly any style as may be generally considered appropriate for your age, and price.
I've sort of been there, not in the same specific jobs but similar, in both cases, and am not intending to say anything negative about anyone, just that there may not be a "one size fits all' minimum requirement here.
What I wanted to say is, some consideration should be given to other factors that might affect what shoes are "must have" for you. Factors like, where you live, what you do for a living if it is where you will be (mostly) wearing the shoes, or where else you might be wearing the dress shoes, and your age.
An investment banker in New York meeting with prospective wealthy clients, for example, should at a minimum have an expensive pair of black balmorals, like Allen Edmonds Park Avenues, to wear with a likewise appropriate (in color, pattern, fit and quality) suit, shirt and tie. Whereas a carpenter in Hugoton, Kansas might be considered perfectly appropriately dressed attending weddings, funerals, etc., in nicely polished black lace-up dress oxfords of nearly any style as may be generally considered appropriate for your age, and price.
I've sort of been there, not in the same specific jobs but similar, in both cases, and am not intending to say anything negative about anyone, just that there may not be a "one size fits all' minimum requirement here.
Every now and then, my "Spidey senses" tingle before posting a message, so I'll <CTRL><A>, <CTRL><C> the post to save it on the clipboard.
Though I've never been logged out, I occasionally lose a message due to connectivity issues where the "Post" returns a 404 or other server error.
Ultimately, reload brings it back, and a quick <CTRL><V> rewrites the post.
