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Can you really judge a man by his shoes? Well, according to several blogs, fashion commentators and shoeologists, you absolutely can. Bestsellers like ‘Never Trust a Man in Alligator Loafers’ have had women ‘shoegazing’ to new extremes, as it has been widely reported that the old adage about a man’s choice of footwear has a good degree of believability in it.

Whether you believe it or not, men’s shoes, and style sense in general, has without a doubt seen a marked increase in the number of column inches dedicated to it in recent years, with magazines like GQ and Homme amongst the biggest selling men’s magazines in the UK. As magazines like these, which can act as veritable fashion bibles for men who want the simple dos and don’ts of style, continue to outsell many women’s magazines, the pressure is on men to smarten up, starting with their feet.

You never get a second chance to make a good impression, which is the advice more and more men are adopting as fashion has dictated that gone are the days of men having to simply choose between two styles of shoe; a smart pair for formal occasions, and another pair for all other occasions. Today, the shoes match the outfit, so as a far wider wardrobe is available to the modern man, so too must be a greater number of shoes to suit. Without going into shoe-fanatic territory, where horror stories of fashionistas hoarding hundreds of pairs regularly adorn pages of the glossies, there are a few key pairs which most men should consider wardrobe staples.

Like everything in life, quality counts. It should never be underestimated the affect a good, or indeed bad, shoe can have on its wearer. By investing in a few choice pairs, you can be sure your feet and fashion sense will thank you. First of all is a simple but essential smart pair of leather shoes. From job interviews to dinner and a dance, these should be comfortable enough to see through an evening’s wear but simple enough to be adaptable to whatever the outfit. Subtle variations on the classic will lend themselves better to certain looks too, like go for a loafer for a classic smart-casual look with jeans and a shirt, or perhaps go for tan over black, to soften a shirt and tie at the office.

Next up consider casual or weekend wear, whether you favour a Birkenstock or a designer brand of casual shoe, this should be equally versatile and even more comfortable. After this, the ‘must have’ mens shoes become less so, though it is good to prepare for all eventualities with at least a couple of pairs of sports shoes (one for the gym and one for everyday use, like a pair of Converse), a sturdy pair of boots for winter, another pair for outdoor use and, of course, an expensive pair that are for very special occasions only, brogues work well.

Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.