Starter Brown Dress Shoes

[buffalobills12]

Hello all,


I'm just starting to build my wardrobe and I'm lacking on a ton of things. I only have my first black dress shoes from freshman year in high school and have never owned any others. I'm looking for a brown dress shoe($100-200) range that I can wear to interviews and for internships. Could you recommend any good starters? Are there any times when great sales occur?


Thanks very much for the help!

[somaticmarker1]

A lot of people here have had experiences experiences with the Mercanti Fiorentini or Mike Kronos line from DSW. Both lines retail in the $100-$140 range. I own a pair of Mike Kronos and they have held up well.


Joe did two articles on inexpensive dress shoes


Under $100

http://dappered.com/2012/05/the-10-best-looking-dress-shoes-under-100/


Under $200

http://dappered.com/2012/05/the-best-looking-dress-shoes-under-200-2/


The Safford shoe line from JCPenny is actually pretty decent. Good starter shoes

They have a both a wing tip and cap toe in brown. Some have reported that sizing can be off, so try them on in store. I have seen the Stafford wingtip in person, and if I didn't already own several pairs of nicer shoes, I would buy them.

[alan]

Send an email address to this address ([email protected]) asking for shoes in your specific size. This it the email address of the Allen Edmonds Outlet. Just specify your size and they'll do the rest. Heck, you can even just tell them your size and that you're looking for some dressy interview shoes and they may even curate the list for you.


They'll send you back a list that looks like a spreadsheet of all the shoes they have. You can dump the whole thing into excel for sorting if that makes it any easier. Then you can sort by price.


The best deals often come from the ones that are marked as closeouts. There will be plenty of shoes that don't suit your needs, but you may hit on a couple of gems. I saw one recently on closeout called the Byron that you may be very interested in. They offer it in brown and in chili. DON'T discount the chili just because it looks a little red. It's still a very dressy and versatile shoe.


Any model number that's marked with an "S" is a second-quality shoe. They're basically shoes that didn't pass inspection. Sometimes they're horrid and sometimes you can't even find the mistake so it's roulette. However, shipping is always free, and you're in even more luck if you have an AE retail location because you can return them there for free, too. If you do plan to return something via the mail, though, you'll have to pay for the return shipping.

[SDot]

@buffalobills12 I say go with the Giorgio Brutini Medallion Cap Toe Oxford http://www.dsw.com/shoe/giorgio+brut...ductRef=SEARCH


Even though your budget is $200, since you'll only be wearing these every now and then, it's better to save your money and spend the leftover $130 on some dress shirts, pants, and accessories to put it all together. These shoes are great starter shoes. Size down a size and you're good to go.

[ryan3]

I can vouch for Mercanti Fiorentini at DSW. I have 3 pairs (2 brogued wingtips and 1 double monk) and they are great. They look great, they have leather sole, they feel great. For the price, ~$150, you get a decent quality shoe. In fact, my MF brown double monk strap is easily my favorite shoe.

[andrew4h]

@Alan, get the Byrons! I have a pair i bought barely used on ebay in chili and they are fantastic. Fit me better than my black park avenues (although i think the fit is slightly off on these seconds). Also, at least my pair is pretty dark, so it has a really interesting brownish base with chili/oxblood looking undertones--definitely a fan. This might just be how mine has aged

[alan]

@andrew4h: I would except I'm not following my own advice about the chili. I already have dressy black, walnut (british tan, to be precise), and chili shoes so what I really want is some browns to round out the collection. In fact, I have very few pairs of shoes in any style that are just plain brown.

[andrew4h]

Understandable move Alan. I actually am in the same boat as you, dont have a pair of classic brown oxfords. Many paychecks away from rectifying it though

[buffalobills12]

Thank you for all the suggestions guys! I was looking at the $69 DSW pair, but I'm not 100% if they are what I'm looking for. I guess I wouldn't mind a shoe that is a bit simpler. I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes open, unless you guys have anymore suggestions.

[Furashu]

I just ordered these:

Hugo Boss

Matano Perforated Oxford, Brown


http://www.lastcall.com/product.jsp?showprod=true&itemId=prod8660032


199.99 minus 40% off(79.99) = $119.99(within your budget)


I like them because they're simple


GL

[diversification]

@Alan, where on the AE seconds do you find the "S"? Is it on the inside near the heel where the style and size info is branded?