Menswear: How To Slim Down Your Shoe-Drobe

It pays to take a step back, declutter and keep things simple …

All products featured on thegloss.ie are selected by our editors. If you buy something through affiliate links on our site we may earn a commission.

Caterpillars never, ever, wear brown boots ...

If you are old enough to remember that iconic tune from Sesame Street, then you will have grown up at a time when well-polished leather shoes were non-negotiable for school, Mass and state occasions – and trainers were strictly for sport. Possibly, you had just a pair of each – and dubious sandals for summer.

The modern man’s shoe-drobe is better stocked and often a horrendous jumble of boots, loafers, brogues, “good” trainers and old ones – but it needn’t be so. Here is my list for a slimmed down monarchy of shoes, where every pair is a good-looking prince and there are no embarrassing uncles lurking in the closet: practical hiking boots, leather or suede Chelsea boots, handsome loafers, polished leather brogues (or monkstraps) and timeless sneakers.

And, call me old-fashioned, but every boy of twelve and over should make the acquaintance of a tin of neutral polish, a tin of black and one of those instant buffers for shining when on the move or on holiday. Find a good local cobbler, mind your leather shoes, get them re-soled regularly, replace laces when frayed. Look out for the Irish shoemakers making a name for themselves.

Finally, an impassioned plea – no more tan shoes with dark suits or with those terrible tight chinos, boys! They have had their moment. We will always remember the tan-shoe-with-dark-suit verdict of former menswear director at Brown Thomas, Paul O’Connor: “Allergic!”