For the most part, putting together a male wardrobe is a relatively straightforward task. You’ll obviously need some casual t-shirts along mixed in together with a few dress shirts, and you need to have khakis on hand along with your jeans.
That aforementioned task becomes a trickier ordeal though once you get to the shoes. The sheer number of available options makes it nearly impossible to feel completely confident with what you’ve chosen. Things only get tougher when the choice you have to make boils down to wearing either some lace up shoes or slip on shoes.
It’s a confusing subject for sure and that’s why we want to shed a little bit of light on it with this brief guide.
Lace Up Shoes Are Not Just for Formal Events Anymore
To be honest, it’s easier to come up with scenarios for when it may not be a good idea for you to wear lace up shoes. These shoes deserve to be included in every man’s collection.
The rule of thumb is that lace up shoes should be your go-to option for any formal event or gathering and we will most certainly not dispute that. You definitely do not want to walk into a board meeting as the only man without lace up shoes on his feet.
However, it’s worth noting that lace up shoes aren’t useful only for formal events and gatherings. If you’re just letting those fancy dress shoes of your collect dust in the cabinet, then you’re not taking full advantage of them.
In the past, lace ups may have been designed only with formality in mind. These days though, shoe manufacturers have been able to express more creativity while working within this shoe template.
Take a look at Belvedere’s Batta for example. Structurally speaking, it closely resembles the classic lace up shoe, but then you zoom out and see how its design has been taken in a different direction.
Boldness is always welcome when it comes to style and yes, even a staple of the male wardrobe can benefit from getting a modern update.
If you feel more comfortable with lace up shoes on your feet but also worry that wearing them all the time makes you appear overdressed, there are compromise options currently available that can help with your dilemma.
The classic lace ups are still best reserved for special occasions, but the newer options are more compatible with the casual style most men feature on a more regular basis.
There’s no bad time to wear lace up shoes as long as you have the right pair on your feet.
Slip On Shoes Have Been Elevated
Slip on shoes are known for their ability to blend together style with comfort. Wearing sneakers inside the office is not always a good idea, but no one’s going to complain about a smart pair of slip ons.
It’s still best to go with lace up shoes when you are requested to be in formal attire, but certain slip on shoes can also work as last-minute substitutes if you have nothing else to use.
A great example of a slip on shoe fit for primetime is Belvedere’s Plato. It’s a shoe that expertly embodies the essence of masculine style and it pairs well with the other staples of the male wardrobe. Even if you decide to dress down a bit, slip ons like the Plato will still round out your look very well.
Specific variants of slip on shoes have also been designed to add more whimsy to your wardrobe. The Lucas from Belvedere is a fine example of that type of slip on shoe. That’s the kind of shoe you can feel comfortable wearing for a night out on the town with your friends.
We often think of lace up and slip on shoes as having defined roles in the male wardrobe. That may have been the case in the past, but those shoes have evolved to become more versatile.
You can experiment more now with your lace ups and slip ons, especially if you have the right pairs of shoes to work with.
