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While men aren’t as notoriously shoe-obsessed as women, it doesn’t mean their footwear choices should be irrelevant. Men’s footwear offers plenty of choices and varieties, leaving zero room for excuses for wearing the same old gym sneakers every day.
With warm weather finally upon us, sandals are now an option. There are different styles of flip-flops, such as rubber ones like Havaianas, which are the most popular. Havaianas are comfortable and last a long time. They come in many different colors, although I’m willing to bet the majority of men stick with basic black, navy or gray. Leather flip-flops are a simple upgrade from rubber, making for a nicer look. Cloth flip-flops, with patterned straps, are the best look for men because the pattern makes them fashionable, yet relaxed.
Those Nike and Adidas rubber shoes with the one thick strap across the foot do not count as sandals. They are designed for the locker room and should under no circumstance be worn walking around campus unless you are en route to the gym.
While I understand you are not going to go get a pedicure, please make sure your feet are fairly presentable when wearing sandals. If your feet look like they are beyond the magic of a Ped-Egg, forgo the Havaianas.
The Converse-style sneaker is a classic choice that works well in all seasons, but especially warmer weather because your feet won’t get wet from the snow. Converse Chuck Taylors give off a slightly hipster, skater or rocker vibe, but work for all types of men as well. The Jack Purcell sneakers are more refined and clean, as they are free of embellishment or symbols, and are somewhat more preppy. These sneakers look great on all styles of men with anything from jeans, to khakis, to shorts. Besides being stylish, they’re comfy, so walking from the CCA lot to Wells Commons should be manageable.
Another style of sneaker featured a lot this spring is the Vans-style, slip-ons without laces. I love the clean, fresh look of this sneaker, and would buy one in every color if I were a boy. Sperry now makes a great version of this shoe along with the classic Keds and the patterned Vans. Something to remember for sneakers is they look best when kept relatively clean, so try to avoid wearing fromerly white shoes that could now pass for brown.
My personal favorite shoe choice for men is the Sperry Top-Sider, aka the boat shoe. The boat shoe is the trademark shoe of the polo-wearing, colored-khaki-short-wearing male who is about to sail his boat to Nantucket, and I’m obsessed. However, the boat shoe is popular in other places than Nantucket because it’s so comfortable and versatile and is not just for preppy men. Sperry’s are typically brown leather, but the shoe has been expanded from plain leather and now comes in colors like gray, navy, green and black. There is also a limited-edition cloth madras print that is appropriate for the super preppy. This shoe works great when you want to be slightly more dressed up than sandals or sneakers, but not in oxfords or dress shoes. It is comfortable enough that you’ll want to wear it every day.
Loafers and driving moccasinss are a dressed up yet casual shoe that every man should own. Styles range from classic penny-loafers, like our parents wore, to suede or leather driving mocs. Picture the Vans slip-on in all leather and less round, and you have yourself a driving moc. The European-style loafers and mocs are dressy — but they can be worn with jeans, to make the wearer look classy. Mocs and loafers are the perfect alternative to dress shoes, because they look refined and put-together, yet are still comfortable. Loafers and mocs should be investment pieces for men, because you will need them someday when you’re a “grown-up” and can no longer swipe your MaineCard for meals. When that time comes, you’ll be happy you have your loafers and are one step ahead of the game.
Bangor Daily News