The Shoe Edit: From Everyday Sneakers to Investment Loafers

The best men's shoes this season are low-profile leather and suede sneakers, soft slip-on loafers, rugged Chelsea and lace-up boots, and a sharp pair of oxfords or derbies. I built this edit around the pairs the best menswear stores are pushing right now, and found each one at a retailer where you can buy it today.

 

Everyday sneakers, loafers, cold-weather boots and dress shoes each get a grid, from weekend pairs to the ones worth resoling. Start with the category your closet is missing.

The sneakers from Zegna, Berluti and George Cleverley keep the shape slim and the colour quiet, which is what makes them work with trousers as easily as jeans. Loewe, Lemaire and Maison Margiela add a retro runner and a classic trainer shape, while Balenciaga and Golden Goose are the louder pairs for a casual weekend.

 

A suede upper looks best with a brush and a protector spray before the first wear. A leather or nylon pair wipes clean in a minute.

Loafers from Gucci, Zegna and Saint Laurent are the pairs I would reach for first, because a clean leather shape works with tailoring and with chinos. Tom Ford's patent bow loafer and Christian Louboutin's slipper-style loafer are for evenings, and the Bottega Veneta woven pair, Tod's driving moc and Common Projects suede pair are softer and easier for daily wear.

 

Choose a leather sole if you plan to dress up, and a rubber sole if the shoes will see city pavements most days. Suede is softer on the foot, polished leather is more formal.

The boots from Brunello Cucinelli, Bottega Veneta, Manolo Blahnik, The Row, Moncler, Balenciaga and Paul Smith cover everything from a sleek Chelsea to a lace-up for rain and cold. The Chelsea shapes slide under trousers neatly, and the lug-sole pairs hold up in wet weather.

 

For the office or an evening out, the oxfords and derbies from Tom Ford, Church's, John Lobb, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Common Projects and Loewe are the right finish. A stitched sole can be resoled, which extends the life of the shoe. Choose a plain toe if you want one pair that goes with every suit.

Pick one pair that fills the biggest gap in your closet. If you already own sneakers, a black leather loafer is the pair I would buy next, and a good Chelsea boot comes straight after that.

 

Shoes reward a little maintenance. Rotate pairs so leather can rest, use cedar shoe trees, and polish before they look dull. A pair you look after will outlast a trend.