Lars Eidinger starts with the shoe

Actor Lars Eidinger needs dress shoes for roles such as Jedermann, Hamlet, or Richard III.

The right shoes—usually with a relatively high heel, as worn in those days by royalty and wealthy men—are essential for him to be able to rehearse the role. He couldn’t do it in his everyday shoes.

As the actor says in the documentary about him: *Lars Eidinger: To Be or Not to Be*. The feature in *Titel, Thesen, Temperamente* offers a good insight into this must-see movie. “Try to put yourself in someone’s shoes” is good advice for all of us.

Every outfit looks better with the right shoes

Even the simplest outfit—such as a pair of old pants and a plain T-shirt—looks great with good shoes. On the other hand, the impression of a perfect suit is ruined by bad shoes.

What Makes a Good Pair of Shoes?

Even though there are still a few rules to follow—especially when it comes to men’s shoes, but more on that later—what matters isn’t the heel height, color, or shape, but rather the quality of the shoes.

A high-quality shoe will last for many years if properly cared for. The higher price pays off in three ways: it allows for a better, more confident stride, provides greater comfort for the foot, and looks better.

Between Machine Production and Custom Manufacturing

While a machine-made shoe can be produced in a short amount of time, a custom-made shoe—which is tailored specifically to your feet—takes three to six months from the initial fitting to the delivery of the finished shoe.

It takes about 50 hours of work to craft a pair of custom-made shoes. Berluti, one of the premier destinations for custom-made shoes—founded in Paris in 1895 by the Italian Alessandro Berluti and now part of the LVMH Group—crafts the most elegant men’s shoes.

According to Berluti, it takes 210 steps to make a pair of custom-made shoes.

John Lobb Store, London © Alamy Stock Photo

The competitor, John Lobb in London—conveniently located near St. James’s Palace—outlines in ten steps the various options that can be discussed in detail and customized for a classic, made-to-measure shoe.

The French division of John Lobb is now part of Hermès.

Shoes in this category are luxury goods. Custom-made shoes take into account individual shapes and measurements—which in most cases differ between the right and left feet—but also consider all other characteristics of the feet, such as bone structure and musculature.

Individuality and craftsmanship come at a price, which starts at around EUR 2,000 for a classic men’s shoe from a small, independent shoemaker. At the big-name brands in Paris and London, you can expect to pay around EUR 5,000 for a pair (excluding extravagant leather requests).

Even with a custom-made shoe, satisfaction is not guaranteed. It is simply meant to serve as an example of just how much expertise and craftsmanship can go into a single shoe.

Off-the-rack, but made by a pro

They don’t have to be custom-made, but when buying machine-made shoes, it’s worth paying attention to the following:

• Leather instead of plastic—there’s already enough of the latter in the world
• Only leather can be kept in good condition for decades with proper care
• Where possible, use sewn seams instead of glued ones
• The quality of the insole. The only way to know is to try them out and stick with the brand once you’ve found a shoe that not only looks good but also feels good.
• The construction of a shoe sole. Multiple layers instead of a single “piece of cardboard”

For example, in high-quality shoes, a layer of cork in the sole ensures that the shoe molds to the shape of the foot over time and is comfortable to wear, without compromising its shape.

Good sources for high-quality shoes are therefore shoemakers and specialty stores that make custom-made shoes but also use their expertise and specialized suppliers to offer high-quality “off-the-shelf” shoes.

If you’re planning to pick up your “Orden wider den tierischen Ernst” award in Aachen soon—or happen to be in the area for any other reason—you might want to stop by and see Dieter Kuckelkorn, whose shoes we’ve been wearing with enthusiasm for decades.

High heels from only the finest sources

Quality is also important when it comes to flat shoes. With high heels, top quality is essential to ensure the shoes don’t end up in the trash or at a thrift store after a special event.

Designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Aquazurra, and Ferragamo create shoes that look heavenly and don’t feel like hell to wear.

The higher the heel, the more important the design. A day or a night of dancing in well-designed high heels is no problem. Anything else is pure torture.

While you can find sneakers just about anywhere—and they often differ very little in quality at a relatively low price point—cheap high heels aren’t worth their low price. Every euro spent on them is too much if they’re only worn once and then thrown away because they’re disappointing and painful.

When you look at Manolo Blahnik’s enchanting drawings in his digital archive, you can see that these ethereal objects haven’t changed all that much over the years.

The investment, which is undoubtedly substantial, will thus pay for itself over many years.

Invest in Shoes

A high-quality shoe provides support for the back of the foot without constricting it. The front of the foot, on the other hand, needs enough room to move. Both factors affect posture, the spine, and the neck—and thus also the clarity of mind.

The right size and a good cut are crucial. You can always find bargains in the sale; however, compromising on fit or size turns even a seemingly good deal into a bad one.

How many pairs of shoes does a man need?

Women’s shoes are highly individualized. Men have the advantage that they can look well-dressed with just a few styles, which is why the category is called “Dress Shoes” in English.

Black is a must-have. Every shoe closet needs a pair of black shoes. The fewer seams, the more elegant. Perfect with a suit and always a good choice.

“No brown in town (after 6:00 p.m.)” no longer applies in such a strict sense. Nevertheless, a brown shoe is never as formal as a black one.

An ankle boot is ideal for casual wear. Either a Chelsea boot, which always makes your foot look slender thanks to its elastic band, or a chukka, whose name alone evokes a polo tournament.

Every wardrobe should include a pair of dress shoes for all of life’s special occasions. A must-have when the dress code is black tie.

Sneakers, on the other hand, are a whole different story. Instead of buying yet another pair of sneakers, we recommend investing that money in good cedar shoe trees.

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Cover image © GloriousMe