How does footwear impact an outfit? - Topic of the day 7/24/24
One could argue the most pivotal point of any outfit is what's on foot. Can your footwear change the tone and vibe of your entire outfit? How so? Do you have any examples of one outfit worn with two different pairs of footwear, and how did that change the fit? What are some previous fits you wore that you feel could be improved simply by changing the shoes?
193 Replies
it do
shoes are like the foundation of a house
If I can't see your shoes it's not a fit. You can still brick it
truuuuuu
trigger warning pls
biased as a former sneakyhead but i just rly love shoes
those poor tabis did not deserve that
i'll own that i've historically been fairly lazy with footwear, preferring a 'versatile' shoe (triple white stan smith, black salomon xa pro 3d) over one that looks as good as it possibly could
still figuring it out
there's an alternate universe where i wear black loafers in this fit and it improves considerably imo - it "grounds" the fit more and makes it more formal, which is what i was sorta trying to attempt
shoes cause the most bricks :hawyee:
i know the "shoes as a foundation to the fit" is a dumb comment but it's not necessarily wrong all the time. @The Teenage Gentleman lol had an essay on it but shoes can set the formality of the fit (either casual or formal), and the other parts can either support that or subvert that
i don't really think they are a foundation
just a piece
same level as any other part of the fit
foundation implies they are more important to me
they aren't, same level as a shirt/pants/jacket
Would also just caution I think you are taking one way of thinking about playing with formality and projecting it to everyone. I normally set formality with my pants and subvert or support around that
mentally
same end result, but i think about it differently
i agree it depends on the fit hence the "not necessarily all the time" bit
for me they're not the same level, at least most times when something isn't working it tends to be shoe choice. possibly this is because people often have fewer shoe options because they're more expensive? I guess I see more compromises in shoes because the person wearing them doesn't have other options than with clothing (shirts/pants/jackets)
a direct comparison - same fit, different vibes solely due to sneakers vs loafers; in this instance it does rely on whether to lean into the ivy vibes or subvert them
actually huge diff wow lol
Everyone builds outfits differently is my point
I normally start with my pants
this is the shit I wanted to see
if you start with the shoes you can end up with the same result but mentally you took a different journey
this isn't a refutation of this, but I would have these pants on and choose the shoes based on the vibe i want, rather than have the shoes and choose the pants based on the vibe
i would never refute shoes are one of the easiest ways to play with formality levels in a fit
as thats also one of my favorite things to do
where did @saint laurent go
Yeah I reaaaally love having a shoe be kinda unexpected
It’s high risk high reward
i think we agree - i'm more likely to start off with pants when building a fit but i'm also likely to say after "i want to feel kinda [x] so let me wear shoe [y]"
Like I love wearing my Mary janes with my Carhartts or my cooked vans with pleated EK trousers
But I’ve also swung and missed a lot n u guys don’t see it aha
just slap loafers on everything
circ I have said this before I think but your shoe choices always inspire me
I think it’s foundational or set a the tone depending on the loudness of the shoes and what you’re gojng for
Like flared jeans with a tee can be “normal” with sneakers but if you wear cowboy boots then all of a sudden it has a western lean
and that's mainly like assuming all other things are equal, there's still stuff like shoe profile or color impacting a fit
I find the size of the shoe to be really important to how the fit is perceived
What kyn said earlier really hit for me too. Finding shoes that fit was really and can be still be hard so I think I would only buy safe versatile shoes
I’ve been getting out of that and i think mfad noticed that and was supportive which is nice
I've got a lot of bulky or chunky shoes that have suffered at the hands of bad PSI in my wardrobe
Yeah I wonder how many of us have fewer shoe options bc of sizing not just cost - there's a lot of low cut sneakers I can't do much less leather shoes 🥲
That’s really sweet. They’re a nice way for me to feel less masc in a subtler way too yknow
The daintier shoes that have become kinda my calling card I mean
I shoulda bought sambas 2 years ago
but i didn't and ive felt its too late to buy em for the last year
unironically not an awful idea
To clarify - shoe choice is hard sometimes but i remember worrying less about it when i only wore the sake pair of loafers or vans every day lmao. more variety is good overall but it can increase the difficulty level
Same outfit, different shoes. From the recent theme-waywt. Sorry again for terrible lighting.
theyre still here
Posted this yesterday. Terrible pic, sorry. The shoes are the whole point of this outfit. With brown loafers or white canvas sneakers it would look fine, but it would be a pretty boring outfit.
Anyway I do agree I feel limited the most by shoe options even though I have a lot
And it definitely feels the worst since they are expensive
I remember TGO saying he hated buying nice shoes because he knew they weren’t gonna last
I feel like the issue with shoes is that there is fundamentally much less room for things to not fit
Your love of red is so important
i fuck w this
i just bought my first pair of like "nice" shoes and im not really happy about it
same reason i haven't sprung for paraboots
i'm gonna fuckin kill these things and they're gonna look like shit in a few years, much faster than an equivalent cost coat or pair of pants
The solution is to buy MORE shoes and rotate. :401k:
kyn called me out, having worn the same pair of aldens for half the days this month
Ya I have the opposite problem
i have a million shoes
i don't think ill ever wear any out
no
So many fits
i do not like having a lot of shit
fucking SAME
the salomons i have are like 6 years old
and they're still in extremely wearable shape bc those shoes are meant to be crushed by a stampede of moose or whatever
but also i do like the 20% (or more) chance of absolutely nailing a fit via shoe choice
stan smiths i would swap out about once a year but id get 100+ wears out of them easy and they were like <$100
i have some Nicer Leather Shoes I literally never wear bc I was gifted or inherited them over the years, they're all like 10+ years old and look Fine but it's bc they haven't been put through the fuckin wringer
im constantly paring down my wardrobe and aiming to have the smallest wardrobe to date by the end of the year (which I think already have, for me!), the solution for me is not 'buy more shit off ebay'
Actually, in all seriousness...it's a very good point that you can wear out a pair of shoes very quickly compared to clothing. I hadn't really thought that through until now.
But while I think of sneakers as having a limited lifetime, I am trying to slowly acquire leather shoes with the intent of keeping them forever, maybe the rest of my life.
I have one each of a lower profile white sneaker, a big white sneaker, the black sort-of-chunky salomons, big black boots, brown boots (which don't really work in my wardrobe), and less-chunky black grain derbies, and now chunky black derbies + a handful of shoes I literally never wear (blue-gray suede derbies, black chelseas, brown captoe derbies, pink sneakers, purple/green dunks)
the suede shoes, chelseas, and both pairs of derbies are 'nice' (tods, heschungs, paraboots iirc) but if I got a similar pair that I actually wore i'd yeet the one that got less wear
I think what for me works in favour of shoe preservation is that I like to cycle everywhere. So I have the same issue with pants instead lol
anyway, sorry for the diversion.
personally I'd rather a smaller selection of footwear (<12, ideally <8) that is more 'versatile' than having to decide which of my black leather shoes has the incrementally best PSI
I also move between apartments a lot and don't like being overwhelmed by choice
Here's the 3rd pic I ever posted to #waywt. Even then I had realized that my shoes sucked. I said at the time this would be better with Birks, and I was right. (The shorts kinda suck too)
I think shoes are tonesetters
You can change the vibe of a fit significantly by just changing shoes
even gray 990v5s would be better here fwiw
I think that specific profile of shoe + the design aren't great
yeah, it's a low bar. 🙂
I wear an older pair of running shoes to work most days and it’s the outfit killer. I need to find a better sneaker that I can wear for work but also some more dressier shoes that aren’t necessarily dress shoes if that makes sense
A good pair of boots is really my top choice for footwear
1000%
Bury me with a pair of guidis or blundstones
I’m ready to just bite the bullet and buy some iron rangers because my feet and red wings are a match made in heaven
Iron Ranger | RedWing
The Iron Ranger men's leather boot in Amber Harness is beloved for its standout style and long-lasting construction with a toe cap, speed hooks, and durable outsole. Shop Now at Heritage!
Worn/cooked boots really are the goat
Just starting to do the same. Some of my dad's generation really did "buy for life" with Oxfords for work and lot of people here do that with Red Wing work boots. So I can see in person it can be done and how cool wear can look 🙂
Is that a brand? Or do you just mean broken in boots
I think I'm less of a boots guy than I thought. I thought I absolutely needed a pair of RedWings, but after trying them on multiple times and walking away, I guess not.
thinking of eventually getting a pair of blundstones for these days in the winter where its just raining cats and dogs and there is sleet and stuff around that I don't want to subject my other shoes to
Just broken in, worn
Do you not like the look, or the feel?
I love my blundstones so much, perfect pair of boots to just throw on, especially if the weather is shit
Yeah, same. I think I have worn my boots more often this summer than my summer shoes
Your pant hem opening can really make or break the way a pair of boots looks
Same! Boots and shorts!!!
😍
The look and the vibe. I assume that with dedication they will break in and feel great.
That’s fair, I love the look of docs but tried a lot on and think they look chunky on me
Another similar style to the iron ranger and a little less money https://www.schottnyc.com/products/schott-nyc-6-service-boot.htm?color=108&catID=14
Aldo lace ups look the part for what I want but I feel like every time I try on more affordable brands they feel not good on my feet
Here's another example of shoes setting the tone of the outfit. This would be quite different with loafers.
I know that shows have a breaking in period but sometimes you know it’s not right
honestly so is the condition of the shoe. sometimes beat up footwear just hits different
While I love boots I HATE the breaking in period.
So much anxiety about "was this the right size and they just need some time or did I size wrngly"
i also get sad knowing my shoes aren't gonna last anywhere near as long as any other clothing by far but they last longer than you'd think if you have even 3-4 pairs
I think my suede tecovas are too small/narrow :nooooo:
Idk if you’ve heard this before but a way to ease into to is shorter periods. Wear it for an hour or two for the first few days, then a few more hours until you get to a point where you can wear it for say a whole work day. It’s not always feasible but it can help make it easier on your feet
TYBG
had my salomons for four years being a borderline daily driver and i can probably wear them another four
Its less about the physical discomfort than the anxiety of having sized wrong
had my jordans for five or six years i think, even used it as a gym shoe in the past, and they're still in more than wearable condition
Oh my b that second message didn’t load for me
Have you guys heard of cream vans b4
If your boots are full grain leather and you can heat them up with a hair dryer and stretch them with your hand from the inside
wow it's actually been seven years
Ya lil B put me on in 2012
looks greige to me
unironically love these
the beat up vans are so good
like a cast iron pan, when properly seasoned you can do everything with them
TRUUUUUUU
unseasoned vans just look wrong
Can't wear vans no mo unfortunately
Toes too squished
Need to splay my toes - foot health is too important to me
can't remember the last time i put on my sk8 his
For a more casual sneaker (but not athletic shoe) I’ll always be a converse guy
Not gonna fuck my ankles and knees up for shoes
A pair of white and black can go the distance for you
Real talk
Can't wear chucks anymore either smh
First wear of the current pair for scale
yeah honestly 80% of the reason i wear salomons is because i find them extremely comfortable lol
them and asics
actually insane difference
In the running community a lot of people get pissy about brands of shoes and I always tell new runners to ignore advertising and influencers and suggestions for specific brands, just go and try them on and fine what’s comfortable even if it’s not a trendy brand
I like the look of adidas sambas and their similar models, are they any shoe brands out there that make a similar looking shoe with less of a checkered human rights violation history?
the german army
LESS
You can get the onitsuka tiger
Mexico 66
💯 i hate thinking of clothing in terms of financial investments but i will spend the extra (hypothetical) money on a better shoe that doesn't mess up my feet (more)
Oooo looking at that now definitely fitting the vibe I’m seeking
Had to toss all my old sneaks 3 years ago because of this rip vans, chucks, most nikes
yeah i haven't sold mine off yet but all my nikes i don't wear anymore
This is the vibe 😈
@damb Oof they won’t sell to the US 😢
What? I've definitely seen Onitsuka Tiger on sale in the US.
Try a different retailer, not their official website
I’ll have to do more research at home but the prices are coming up in £ and ¥
You can also get the classic kung fu sneaks
Good point
Feiyue
Feiyue Shoes | Official Website
Authentic Feiyue shoes in are lightweight canvas plimsoll sneakers that are known for their flexibility and comfort. Fast Shipping in USA.
Oh, according to Wikipedia, they stopped selling to the US through their website in Nov 2023.
I dig the look though it’s suspiciously low priced
Nah they're legit
I just ordered some for a friend's birthday
I will say that they used to have a thinner midsole, which I liked better than the revised version
One brand that’s popular around me is Veja https://www.veja-store.com/en_us/campo-chromefree-white-black-cp051537.html
CAMPO LEATHER WHITE BLACK
CAMPO
- Tige en cuir ChromeFree- Empiècements en cuir ChromeFree & toile enduite- Logo Latéral V en caoutchouc- Doublure intérieure en jersey (33% coton biologique & 67% polyester recyclé)- Semelle intérieure en caoutchouc sauvage et autres matières synthétiques- Semelle en caoutchouc sauvage d'Amazonie (20%)- Fabriqué au Brésil, dans la région ...
Are they super flexible and bendy?
one of my boys rocks these
Yeah they were originally meant for martial arts
My aikido sensei from adolescence had a pair
+5 str and dex
Ah fuck never mind it’s leather that comes from Brazil I can’t buy that in good conscience
Maybe they have other styles without Brazilian leather
you are going to have to pay a lot more if you want ethically made footwear just be warned
Well aware of that. Same with clothing in general
The slave labor cotton from China is another one that’s super pervasive
I acknowledge I’ll never be consuming ethically 100% of the time but I still try my best
we got slave labor in the US i wouldn't be too quick to namedrop China like that
yeah not trying to discourage you but i don't even know any sneaker companies that are relatively ethically made
Absolutely. “Made in America” means prison labor a lot of the time
-insert incoherent rant about no ethical consumption in late stage capitalism-
-insert counter argument about vintage/deadstock-
I found shoes very useful to help switch the “gender” of the look, and I am not talking heels, though these help a lot
I try to buy at thrift stores but thrifting is trendy now, and getting just as expensive. Which would be somewhat tolerable if I could consistently find clothing in my size
I’m sorry to hear that, where I am thrifting is still reasonably cheaper than buying new
obv, takes much more time and luck
Thrifting is absolutely ran thru these days
Yeah absolutely a lot of it is time and luck
Either shit selects or massively upcharged
i think its still better in the US than EU but i may be wrong
(thrifting)
Idk, vinted and ebay still work for me
Online thrifting is diff
Uuuuh depends on what you are searching for, imo
I'm talking bout brick n mortar
At least here in NY it's ran thru
The Salvation Army is unfortunately the best in person thrifting near me…
I am dying for US sweatshirts and all that ivy stuff and cheap aldens
In NYC?
On the other hand I have sartorial clothes and myriads of double breasted blazers for 20€
Church thrift stores out in LI if you can get there is a good move
Yea
I find that the chain type consignment stores can have great finds on designers MFA likes
I usually hit NJ or CT these days
crossing state lines for the jawns
commitment
Brooklyn specifically
It's easy when you have a car that you like driving 🥰
wym you dont like urban jungle beacon's closet other people's clothes etc etc
Salvation army Woodside seemed similar to ones in LI so you may just need to go a bit out of the way from where you usually go in the city to find a decent real thrift store
You’d think with the bushwick look in vogue normal clothing would be available
(this is a bit i totally get it and do not think of those as 'thrifts')
I mean it's really accessible on the 7 train
On that note, the stores around Steinway are pretty good. There’s a nice one on ditmars that I can’t go to anymore because of an ex
But where are the good ones in central and eastern queens 😢
F
Ooh I wanted to go over there to check them out
There's a salvation army in middle village I think now btw
I just prefer bin thrifting, it takes more time but you can't beat the pricing at bins
one day i will bin
yeah i get that but people are gross
There's a goodwill bin store in Sunnyside/LIC but I'm scared of it being gross lol
I wear latex gloves 😭
i think it's right at the limit of 'digging through shit to find gold' for me
do you have any nj recs? ive been disappointed with most places here
Udelco
maybe i'll go to the bins one day bit until then i'm willing to spend more for my sanity
🫡 ty
Cash only tho
So bring some dough
Don’t bin thrifts sanitize their clothing??
anyway i wouldn't recommend going through bins for shoes 👍
even if they would directly impact a fit
ive definitely thrifted shoes before but ive never seen a bin of shoes or anything
I don't think all of them do that lol
Yeah on metropolitan I think
I'm not going back to the LI ones because I don't like driving there
Like I live on LI but the big ones are a p annoying drive from me
If you’re on the south shore/TOH st Francis de Chantel church in wantagh has a thrift store with actual good prices that you expect from a thrift store
I'm on the north shore. The small thrifts in my town are not bad, just small
Benji NYC adventure takes another thread
i’ve done so many waywt posts in my work sneakers it’s embarrassing
most of my fits are supposed to be worn with sneakers or those danners i was wearing in the winter anyways
but i always feel awful posting in my no-slip work sneaks when i know for a fact it’d look way nicer paired with my sk8s
so most of what footwear does to my fits is make me feel like i’m so close to greatness but restrained by circumstance 😔
I’ll never forget the joy I felt when I realized that switching from production to offices also meant no longer wearing safety shoes
It fucked over my fit for today
Same fr
Especially because my closet is still in its infancy
good example of different vibes with footwear. Suit and tie are the same but the shirt is different lol also im wearing glasses
God those bucks are good
i love them so much
they really make any outfit with them a decidedly SUMMER fit
which is why i do think that footwear impacts this
if this was a choice between tassels or pennys or hell tassels vs derbies (both brown) id be like "okay it doesn't really matter"
but in the above, the white bucks is SUMMER
where as the tassel loafer one could be anyday
We are getting scientific about footwear
nice!
Yeah, I keep looking at fits you post with them and thinking I'm going to need a pair.