Skip to main content

Treat your feet: These are the 7 types of shoes every man should own

Every man should have these types of shoes to always be in style

Man tying his shoe
inthason99/Shutterstock

Your wardrobe is likely to be varied for different moments, events, and situations. With varied clothing, you will need a wardrobe of different types of shoes to accompany those looks and keep you looking and performing your best. Of course, there are more choices than you need, and every man has a different lifestyle that necessitates their own curated shoe collection.

However, there are certain types of stylish men’s shoes that every man needs. And like always, we’ve collected a handy list for you to use. Here are the seven types of shoes for men to grab to complete their best wardrobe.

Man wearing black Paul Evans Captoe

Black dress shoes

The black dress shoe is your formal shoe. This will most likely be the shoe you choose when heading to weddings, funerals, or any other occasion where formal attire is required. Anything after 6 p.m. is perfect for this shoe. Versatility is something to keep in mind with all shoes when building a wardrobe. So, it is best to keep things simple. Opt for Oxford or derby shoes, embrace timeless classics, and don’t skimp on the quality.

Man tying his brown dress shoes
IIIEVGENIY/Adobe Stock / Adobe

Brown/tan dress shoes

Brown dress shoes fare best in the office and most professional situations. They work exceptionally well with charcoal, navy/blue, and light gray suits or pants. When shopping for these shoes, remember you will likely wear them for 8 or more hours at a time, so focus on comfort. Of course, most dress shoes are not known for their comfort, so a more luxurious option is your best bet.

Tan suede Chelsea boots with a white alpine sole.
Courtesy of Robert August

Chelsea boots

You can thank the swinging 60s and 70s for the flourishing Chelsea boots. While they were made for royalty as far back as the Victorian era, the music royalty of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones brought them into fashion in the 60s. Even stormtroopers wore them in 1977’s Star Wars.

Now you can find them in any color and in leather, suede, or canvas. Replace your sneakers with these to elevate any casual outfit to a sharper streetwear look. If you choose leather boots, you can pair them with a suit for a unique look. Here are some great options for you to experiment with.

Nisolo Emilio Chukka boots
Nisolo

Chukka boots

Chukka boots are your midway point between dress shoes and sneakers. When you wear denim, the shoes can determine the outfit’s formality. There will be occasions where dress shoes or Chelsea boots are too formal, and sneakers are too casual. This is a job for the chukka.

Originally worn by the British Army in the desert, these boots know comfort and movability. Pairing these shoes with denim or chinos sets your outfit up for virtually any top. An untucked button-down, a sweater, or a classic tee will feel perfectly suited for the chukka.

Thursday boots
Courtesy of Thursday Boots

Rugged boots

Sometimes, a man has to get dirty. Sometimes in a man’s life, he needs to feel manly simply for the sake of feeling manly. Fewer shoes give off masculine energy than a rugged pair of cap-toe leather boots. These are equally appropriate for walking the streets of New York City or getting lost in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest.

These boots will likely be the most comfortable of all shoes in your collection, but you will almost certainly feel the growing pains as they need to be broken in. These pair well with denim, chinos, or even work pants while you hike a trail or mow the lawn.

A man sitting on a concrete seat, wearing white sneakers.
Tom Rogerson/Unsplash

White sneakers

Every guy reading this needs a pair of clean, white sneakers. They are an essential staple that will be your best friend. Whether planning an entire outfit around the shoes or throwing them on as an afterthought as you run out of the house, your white sneakers will never not work. And they will never not be in style.

You can opt for canvas or leather, but either one will come with the same rub; they will inevitably get dirty, scuffed, or start to yellow. You will have to be dedicated to cleaning them often and being very careful not to wear them on rainy days when you can run into mud, or if possible, end up in a pickup football game.

Man wearing No Bull Trainiers
Courtesy of No Bull

Training shoes

We, men, are active. We play sports — we lift weights, we build the world. Because of that, we will always need the right pair of shoes to keep us upright and on our feet as we do our thing. Whether they are a clean pair of Air Jordans that you wear on the basketball court or a durable pair of No Bull trainers that get you in the best shape of your life, you need the right pair of shoes to keep you going.

With these seven cool shoes for men to stay on the right side of function and fashion, you will never be without the right kicks.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark McKee
Contributor
Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before…
What are the best shoes for your suit? The only style guide you need
A guide to completing your suit outfits
A man in a suit lacing his shoes

Shoes connect you to the earth. They are your base, your ground. You can make or break your suit with the men's dress shoes you choose to pair with the sharp look. There are rules and guidelines for every man to follow when pairing shoes with a suit, and those can get a little overwhelming if you're just now getting started with wearing suits.

But like everything menswear, we at The Manual will break it down simply so you have a great starting point when you start choosing your suits and shoes. Remember that this is a baseline, a starting point for you to look great while, if you excuse the pun, get your footing. As you start to find your style, you can branch out to other colors, styles, and even break a few of these guidelines.

Read more
Men’s style tips: The 16 essential rules every well-dressed man should know
Tips every man should know to ensure he is always the best dressed in the room
Bearded man

Some of us are mavericks, shirking the rules and subverting expectations at every turn, simply because we don't like to be put in boxes. Other groups of us like rules; we want the comfort that order and uniformity bring us. Then, even more of us are somewhere in the middle, craving order and uniformity to allow us to find our boundaries, only to shirk them later when we want to feel free. Men's style offers us all of the above. While some rules are made to be broken, others are tried-and-true staples to live on.

These tips will help you define your style, find your archetype in men's fashion, and even help you navigate men's clothing without losing your mind at the ever-changing landscape that is men's apparel. Once you learn these, you will have a framework to start branching out and breaking the rules, becoming a maverick of style all your own.

Read more
26 must-have things every man should own
There are certain things every man needs. Check out our list to upgrade your life
Man looking at watch and drinking coffee

There are things that society deems as a man's needs. Fast cars, big cigars, and shiny toys — these are what a man needs, right? Wrong. What a man genuinely needs are things that will improve his everyday life. From using them and getting the job done to simply enjoying them on an aesthetic level, these things are meant to make life easier, not more complex.

These items most probably require trial and error, so we went ahead and gathered some of the most trusted products in each category. Here are 26 things every man should own in 2023.

Read more