MALE CALL

Quality shoe with right sole first step for buying loafers

Q. I recently bought my first pair of Ferragamo loafers (actually my girlfriend did as part of a present). She got them for me because I always complain of the constant wear on my loafers and that they don't last very long. Now, about a month in, even these loafers are all worn. A co-worker explained they were lounging shoes, not meant to be walked in.

Do you have advice on combining looking good in your profession but also sticking to shoes that can handle some wear? Does this have to do with switching out shoes often? Or looking for certain kinds of soles?

The shoes she bought me were burgundy. Though it's not the most practical color, it's the kind of loafer that makes it seem like you have 10 others.

A. With Ferragamo loafers running between $540 and $980, that was an extremely generous "part of a present"! And I certainly can understand why it would be upsetting that your shoes are wearing out so quickly. However, the problem is indeed a combination of the elements you mentioned: style and sole of shoe, use of shoe, frequency of wearing, and the wearer.

The shoes you received were probably driving shoes, a style designed for driving and light walking, not for "urban walking," where people pound the pavement, or else they may have been thin-soled, elegant dressy loafers.

Obviously, you are one of those men who are hard on shoes (whether you can help it or not). You cannot just go into a store and buy any pair of shoes that strikes your fancy. When you shop for shoes, it is important to establish your situation immediately. My strong advice is that you ask for the manager. Then say to him up-front, "I'm hard on shoes." By your honesty, he can direct you to a salesman who will be knowledgeable and helpful in selecting a shoe style with an appropriate sole for you.

The sturdiest soles are thick rubber, followed by a sturdy leather, then a thinner rubber, and finally, a thinner, dressier leather sole. First, check out the shoes with the strongest soles and see how close you can come to finding a style you will be happy with.

Beyond choosing the right sole, the way you care for your shoes is also important. As you suggested, rotating your shoes so that you don't wear the same pair on consecutive days will do wonders for extending their life. So will keeping them polished. I have written in the past that it is wise to use cedar shoe trees in every pair of quality leather shoes you own. Besides helping shoes to keep their shape, cedar shoe trees wick away moisture, minimize creasing, and eliminate odor.

There are a few other possibilities. If the shoes you like do not come with a sturdy sole, you might seek out a good shoe-repair shop and have a thin (not bulky) rubber half-sole added to the bottom. (It's best to wait until after three or four wearings, when the soles have begun to flex.) You can also add toe taps and/or heel taps (depending upon which part of the shoe you are hardest on). I realize it may seem strange to make additions to expensive new shoes, but if you cannot find a look you like with the sole you need, it could be a solution. In the long run, it will save you money and extend the life of your shoes.

With some of the finer sturdy shoes on the market, such as American shoes from Allen Edmonds and English shoes from Church's, Lobb and other high-end brands, it actually makes sense to resole them. Allen Edmonds, for example, has an entire program that goes way beyond merely resoling your favorite pair; their "Recrafting process" includes replacing soles, welting, the cork layer under the insoles, and laces, as well as refinishing the uppers. The end result comes close to looking like new.

I do always advocate quality (aka more expensive) clothing, but here there is a caveat. There's an old saying that a $200 pair of shoes will last exactly twice as long as a $100 pair of shoes, but a $300 pair will last a lifetime. The differences are many: among them, the quality of the leather, the construction, soles and heels. In general, good quality, expensive shoes last longer. This is often true for American- and British-made shoes, but not so much for the more elegant, thin-soled and more fragile Italian shoes. It may be necessary for you to compromise on the styling you buy.

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High Profile on 08/17/2014

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