[bhd812]

After years of wearing the common ALDO casual and dress shoes I decided to step up (haha) to Bruno Magli's the other day. I was wandering what are the advantages if any to buying High end shoes afterwards though.

Believe it or not I am not one to spend alot of money on clothing but everyone around me agrees that a watch or shoes are some how worth the extra dollars when compared to pants or shirts. I am the type to be comfortable in my Levi's Dockers dress pants all day with a simple Hane's t-shirt and I would not spend anything more then $75 on either designer or not. but when it comes to shoes I think there may be some advantage considering my feet and their comfort is worth the extra money, but how do I know that upper brands of shoes are worth it?

any one have knowledge of upper or high end shoes here? if so are they worth it? how?

thanks in advance...

 

[jjcha]

If you need to ask if they're worth it, they aren't.

Best,

-Jason

 

[skyline889]

Well the type of shoes I used to buy aren't like the ones you're buying (just sneakers, not dress shoes), but for a while I used to spend all my money on different pairs of Air Force Ones and limited edition Lugz. I was constantly cleaning them and was always thinking to myself, oh god I hope it doesn't rain, I hope no one steps on them, I hope I don't step in dog ****

etc, because they were so darned expensive for just plain sneakers. After a while it just wasn't worth it for me, plus they weren't very comfortable, now unless I have to wear shoes, I just wear slippers.

 

[RedLeader]

it's like everything else, including audio. It's a choice of where to spend (or IMO waste) your monies. There is no inherent advantage in paying twice as much for a logo.

 

[Uncle Erik]

It depends. When it's up to me, I kick around in Birkenstocks and Tevas. Not terribly expensive and comfortable as heck.

But for dress shoes, I think it's worth paying a little extra for nice ones. I've got a couple pairs of vintage Florshiem Imperials (new ones aren't as good), Barkers, Church's, Alden, and a pair of Peale. Sooner or later, I'll grab a pair from Edward Green or John Lobb. But those are pricey.

However, the good "hard" shoes can last pretty much forever. You can always have them resoled and a good cobbler can fix most problems. Nothing gives you quite the support these do, if you have to be on your feet for long hours. And like headphones, once they break in, they're considerably more comfortable.

Still wish I could get away with sandals at work, though.

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

It depends on your value system.

To some people, headphones and music matter more than shoes. For quite a few, it's the other way around. That's the nice thing about the free market: we get to spend our money the way we want.

-Matt

 

[lini]

bhd812: What do you define as high-end shoe? For me that's something like a pair of Eduard Meiers hand-made to one's individual measurements. And yes, something like that can definitely be worth the money, but only if one doesn't omit the necessary cleaning & care. Otherwise it would be a waste and imo not worth the investment.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[vinyl addict]

You're paying for the workmanship, material (higher grade) and mostly for the designer name be it Gucci, Ferragamo or whoever. Sure they will last longer but can you afford them is the question.

 

[Spareribs]

I don't like the idea of spending a lot of money for a pair of shoes that will last forever or 20 years. I like to throw away shoes after a year because of odor. Would you buy high end underwear because it lasts forever?

 

[ken36]

I paid $110.00 For Johnson Murphy's' in the late 1960s. Resoled and re-heeled countless times. They are still beautiful and I still wear them.

 

[kontai69]

To me, expensive shoes are worth it. I have five pairs of Birkenstock shoes (fully enclosed shoes, not their open-toed sandals) which run around $160-200 a pair. They look good, are well made, and are super comfy.

Shoes are one of those things that you will use everyday, so you might as well get the best you can afford. If taken care of, they can last for a decade or more. You probably will get a few "nice shoes!" complements along the way.

You may also consider getting slightly used high end shoes on eBay. I got a pair of $300 Allen Edmunds dress shoes for around $60. They look like they were worn only a couple of times. With dress shoes, I recommend getting shoe protectors installed by a shoesmith to make them last longer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spareribs I like to throw away shoes after a year because of odor.

Shoe trees will help absorb foot sweat from shoes. Ideally, they say you should never wear to same pair of shoes two days in a row. Shoes need a day to dry out the absorbed sweat.

 

[Spareribs]

Thanks for the info. That will help me.

 

[JahJahBinks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spareribs I don't like the idea of spending a lot of money for a pair of shoes that will last forever or 20 years. I like to throw away shoes after a year because of odor. Would you buy high end underwear because it lasts forever?

You should consider adding shoe sole to your shoes, so you can throw it away after a couple of month and your shoes will not have strong odor.

 

[onecm]

The only reason I spend alot of money on clothes is because I have the misfortune of feeling uncomfortable when not wearing clothes that reflect my personality. Unfortunately in my current environment this precipitates the spending of more money than other students with low income would consider.

If your comfortable in what your wearing and it doesn't cost the alot, consider yourself lucky and don't buy expensive clothes.

Otherwise visit your local Prada boutique for sizeing, then buy some that look nice on ebay for 250!

 

[vpivinylspinner]

I think that good shoes are certainly worth the extra money. I am not a big fan of Bruno Magli but I am certainly willing to pay several hundred dollars for a good, well-made pair of shoes. As far as custom shoes, if you can afford them definitely try a pair. I have a few customs and they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned and they don't crease or stretch like off the rack shoes that have to adjust to your particular feet. Much better for your feet in the long run.