Man Up and Buy Some Shoes

Outside basic brown.

When it comes to fashion men usually get the short end of the stick.  Never more so then when it comes to shoes.

Sure, they had some good fashion sporadically between the 1800s and now, but when it comes to shoes it was always a little dull (unless you were Louis XIV). Brown and black. Boots or shoes. Loafer or oxford.

Those choices suck.

For some reason American men seem especially wedded to the idea and concept of totally uninspired shoes. And once the gym shoe was accepted as OK for everyday wear (regardless of wether or not you actually go to the gym), it was over, and suddenly it's pulling teeth to find men who have shoes that are made by someone other than Nike.

This is really a shame because I think you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, and gym shoes say nothing interesting. When I was single I refused to date guys who wore gym shoes to bars.  If you're someplace other than the gym and wearing a pair of New Balance, I'm out.

Aldo men's boots

Lucky for men everywhere New York Magazine has declared this season that men's statement shoes are a thing. Nice to know America is catching up with the rest of the fashionable world. Designers are taking another shot at marketing shoes that don't suck to American men.

Come on guys. Try buying something other than combat boots, Sketchers, gym shoes, or traditional dress shoes.

That doesn't automatically make all the choices out there fabulous, but it offers a little more choice. Men shouldn't be afraid to add color or texture to their shoe collection. A colored shoe can serve as a great statement piece with a suit, or make jeans and a t-shirt a little something more.

Pony hair and patent men's loafers. 

Guys, that doesn't mean you have to abandon your collection of safe brown and black dress shoes and go-to gym shoes, but move out of your comfort zone a little and see how it feels to walk in a new, more stylish pair of shoes.