It might seem trivial, but knowing how to lace your dress shoes properly is something many people fail to accomplish. All aspects of clothing have a purpose and
What Is a Shoe Last?
If you have spent any amount of time reading about shoes, listening to shoemakers, or diving into the world of proper footwear, you have probably heard the word
Why Are Wholecut Oxfords More Expensive?
Have you ever wondered why wholecut oxfords can be more expensive than many other styles within the Oxford family? At first glance, it almost seems backward. A
How Long Does It Really Take to Make a Pair of Shoes?
How long does it actually take to make a pair of shoes? If you listen to the marketing surrounding shoemaking, you might believe that every good pair requires
Lies in the Shoe Industry – Handmade, Middlemen, Top leather etc.
The shoe industry has always been full of questionable marketing, but the language has become increasingly ridiculous. Every other shoe is apparently handmade,
Shoe Colors Online vs Real Life: Why Lighting Changes Everything
One of the biggest challenges in buying shoes online is understanding shoe colors online vs real life. And this is not just a customer issue. It is also one of
How To Sell Used Shoes
The second-hand shoe market is stronger than ever. Between eBay, Vinted, Grailed, Facebook groups, Styleforum, Instagram, and specialist marketplaces, there are
Why Shoe Size Guides Are Not Universal
The Myth of the Universal Shoe Size Guide There is no such thing as a universal shoe size guide. Let me repeat that because it is one of the biggest
Why Wear Dress Shoes? Comfort, Style & Confidence
When you are young, the thought of wearing dress shoes probably does not enter your mind too often. Not at least in the sense that you will actively do so of
Athleisure vs Classic Style: What Happened to Elegance?
The conversation around athleisure vs classic style is no longer theoretical—it’s playing out in real time, on every street, in every airport, and increasingly,
What Determines Shoe Pricing? A Complete Guide
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to shoe pricing. I see it constantly—people expecting $300 shoes to perform like $1,200 ones, or assuming that a
Is Gemming in Shoes Bad? The Truth About Goodyear Welting
Is Gemming in Shoes Bad? The Truth About Goodyear Welting There’s a long-running argument in the shoe world that refuses to die: Is gemming in shoes
What Is a Handmade Shoe? The Truth About the Term
What Is a Handmade Shoe? I’ve written about this before, and yet it still seems to be one of the most misunderstood topics in the shoe world. If anything,
Sneakers vs Loafers: When to Wear Each
Sneakers vs Loafers — Choosing the Right Shoe for the Right Occasion Let’s get straight to it: sneakers and loafers are two totally different tools. It
Cushion vs Support: What “Comfort” Really Means in Shoes
Cushion vs Support in Shoes: What Creates Comfort? It is surprising how often people have told me that I needed to add more 'comfort-based' rubber soles to
Leather Soles vs Rubber Soles: Which Is Better?
Few debates in the shoe world are discussed more than the idea of leather soles vs rubber soles for your dress shoes. Especially in today's world of 'comfort
Leather Quality in Dress Shoes
Introduction: “Leather Quality” Is Not a Simple Term People love to say “high-quality leather," or "Brand X uses 'better' leather." But what does that really
The Slow Decline of European Shoemaking
Is European Shoemaking in Decline? A Hard Look at the Industry Over the last few years, I’ve found myself asking a question that honestly makes me
Heel Stiffeners in Shoes: What Matters and What Doesn’t
The longer I work in footwear, the more I’ve realized that many of the things people obsess over simply don’t matter as much as the internet would have you
What was $300 is now $500 in Footwear
What was $300 is now $500: The Shifting Price of Quality Footwear In this episode of The Shoe Snob Podcast, I dive into a topic that’s been on everyone's
The Rubber Sole Revolution: Redefining the Modern Dress Shoe
A Revolution Beneath Our Feet Ten years ago, a Septieme Largeur dress shoe almost certainly meant a leather sole — the mark of refinement, tradition, and
Types of Shoe Construction: The Ultimate Guide
Goodyear Welted, Blake, Hand Welted, Norwegian, Bologna, Cemented & More When it comes to high-quality footwear, the way a shoe is made is just as
The Ultimate Shoe Brush Guide
When I first got into shoe care, the only brush I knew was the classic horsehair. Anything beyond that felt like expert-level stuff. In fact, even when I was
Why Men Refuse to Wear the Right Shoe Size
It’s been quite a while since I’ve added to my rant series on what drives me nuts in the shoe industry, so here we are again—another point to check off the
