MALE CALL

Different shoes accompany dressy, casual clothing types

Information about shoes
Information about shoes

Q You wrote recently about wingtip shoes as dressy, which don't really appeal to me, and I have loafers that I gather are considered not business enough. What are my other options? Which will work in meetings and conferences and which will not?

A I am surprised at how many men have not gained a sense of which "dress shoes" are for what, but I imagine in reality the usual childhood and teen years are sneakers and plus one pair of dress shoes. To provide the answer, I always find the easiest way to get across what is dressy and what is casual and the spectrum between is in a chart or table. I think if these are shown with the clothing they pair best with, you'll have a more complete understanding. The most obvious elements in determining the dressiness of a shoe type are the cut and style.

For my book, Dress for Excellence, I interviewed a men's designer who was twice named to the International Best-Dressed List, Roger Baugh. He had this to say about shoes.

"We've all made mistakes by hiring the wrong people. In an interview, I look beyond the resume. For me, shoes are a dead giveaway for certain personality traits. By that I mean:

• You can tell a person's economic status; you can tell if the shoes are expensive or not.

• You can tell if a person is meticulous or not by observing whether the shoes are well cared for, polished, or in need of new heels. If they are shabby, then the person is obviously not one who is attuned to details. He's often the same person who overlooks important details in business.

You can tell by the styling of the shoe whether or not the person is a trendy type. For example, if he wears a brogue, then he's probably a serious businessman. A less conservative shoe might indicate a more creative, artistic type -- the type you'd get ideas from.

The whole thing wrapped together is an indication of how the person sees himself. Shoes are a very strong statement of personality."

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High Profile on 05/13/2018

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