That’s Shoe Biz, Baby!
BY BERNARD MORAN

"If the shoe fits, wear it” is the expression we have all heard a million times. It usually means if something is said that applies to a person, be it positive or negative, accept it.

Fitting is another word that applies to men's shoes, not just how the shoes feel on the feet but how appropriate they are for the occasion. Not too long ago the urban man didn't have too many choices for appropriate footwear. Black or brown, oxford lace-ups for businesswear, loafers for casual wear, and sneakers for sport or relaxation. Now the choices seem endless.

For the traditional man who demands quality, Allen-Edmonds shoes are a solid choice. Allen-Edmonds, which is based in Port Washington, Wisconsin, is one of the last American manufacturers of fine shoes. Allen-Edmonds shoes also have a strong following because its sizes range from B through EEE. Popular models are the Park Avenue, a cap-toe lace up ($285) and the Grayson tassel loafer ($285). Both of these models are worn in executive boardrooms across the country.

Bill Maus, owner of Maus & Hoffman, a chain of exclusive men's stores in south Florida, says: “Allen-Edmonds makes a good pair of shoes and there is a store in every town in the country selling them.” He admits this is a slight exaggeration, but they are available at many outlets.

Maus favors Edward Green shoes, which are handmade in England and sell for about $625. “Edward Green is our top-of-the-line shoe,” Maus continues. These are basically handmade shoes and are sewn not with a steel needle but with a pig's bristle. One of their more unusual models is the Piccadilly ($625), a brown slip-on worn by King George VI when His Highness was relaxing at home.

Though basically a traditional store, Maus & Hoffman also carries some edgy shoes – such as Artioli, which are handmade in Italy. “Artioli is in the old bootmaking tradition and has been doing this for three generations,” says Maus, who adds that these shoes are very light and do not have a stiff construction. However, they will hold up. Maus displays a gorgeous pair of genuine ostrich skin loafers ($895), and then if your finger catches the quill where the feather was, it's genuine ostrich.

Ferragamo is also one of the big players in the formal shoe market. Prices start at $295. The Ferragamo signature look is the calf loafer with the “gancini,” the bit instep strap and the slightly squared toe ($345).

Maus & Hoffman also has its own brand of shoes. One is the retro-looking “Belgian”-styled shoes with the tiny leather loop across the instep. It also sells a classic black velvet slipper ($155) with embroidered gold crowns on the instep. This is the “Palm Beach look” and these shoes can and often are worn without socks. It also carries a very hard-to-find shoe, Espadrilles, the classic canvas shoe with rope sole, available in a variety of colors ($90).

All these shoes are beautiful, but are they worth the money? And what determines the price of a shoe? Maus explains that a good-quality shoe is made from leather that has no imperfections. Poor-quality shoes are actually painted to cover the imperfections.

Another way to recognize an inexpensive shoe is by the stitching, which is glued together, whereas expensive shoes are usually handstitched.

Quality shoes will not only wear better but they will feel better and last much from page 33 longer. To ensure a shoe's long life, Maus recommends that shoe trees be placed in the shoes immediately after wearing so that they will dry out faster and retain their shape. He also recommends that men own at least seven pairs of shoes so that they can rotate them on a daily basis.

Neiman-Marcus, the well-known department store famous for carrying luxury goods, also features high-end men's shoes at its Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Galleria store. Shoewear expert Bryden Chirnside says lace ups are usually considered the more formal shoe, while slip-ons are more casual. However, they are appropriate to wear with a blazer or sports coat. In the Sunbelt states, slip-ons are acceptable for business wear.

Neiman-Marcus also features Ferragamo shoes for men. The cap-toe lace up ($480) is a Ferragamo classic, as is the square-toed loafer with the signature “gancini” buckle ($495). The Ferragamo Texan model is made from the skin of farm-raised crocodiles ($1,500). Chirnside points out how smooth and regular the skin is because it comes from the belly of the crocodile.

Gucci was a reknowned name in men's footwear in the 1960s and still is today. Its signature brown loafer with the distinctive buckle across the instep – called the Gucci loafer – was the shoe of choice for many men during that period, but saw a decline during the 1980s and ‘90s. However, the Gucci brand has made a comeback and now sells for $360.

For the young or young at heart who are interested in a trendy, sporty shoe, the Puma “track shoe” ($195) is the latest casual look, according to Chirnside. It's appropriate to wear with jeans or khakis.

As for Italian designers, the Prada loafer with the signature designer triangle on the instep, which reads “Prada-Milano” ($380), has a distinctly squared toe, which has yet to catch on. According to Chirnside, the square toe is still edgy, but he expects it to go mainstream in the next year. “Prada is very cutting edge and the slip-on is a casual classic.”

Georgio Brutini is a well-known Italian shoe manufacturer and retailer. Featured in the boutiques are Italian-made shoes by Mauri. These shoes are not for corporate types but are favored by sports and showbiz luminaries. Some of their most famous customers are baseball's Benito Santiago, former Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino, as well as current Dolphins Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas. Hollywood stars Nick Nolte and Lee Majors are also Georgio customers.

For the yachtsman, the traditional footwear is the boat shoe – a moccasin that laces around the sides with a razor-slit rubber sole and heel that sticks to even the slickest deck. Usually these shoes are a muddy brown color, but Andrea O'Brien of Loungelizards.com has taken the humble boat shoe to another dimension. Using the skins of stingrays, ostriches, lizards, and crocodiles, O'Brien's boat shoes come in an array of colors: black, cognac, butterscotch, pink, coral, blue with black markings, taupe with black markings – almost any color or combination of colors you want can be produced. All shoes retail for $298.

Shoemaking is an old and honorable craft that goes back many hundreds of years and, yes, it is still possible to buy a pair of handmade custom-fitted shoes. John Lobb Company will be happy to do it for you for about $3,500, but as always there are other options.

Otabo Shoes of Pompano Beach, Florida, has taken shoemaking into the computer age. It will place your foot on a fully automated three-dimensional scanner, which measures 2,500 data points on each foot. Your measurements are then fed electronically into a computer that creates a custom cast. Robots then take over and manufacture within four hours a custom-made pair of shoes.

The Chinese philosopher Chuang Tse may have had the final word on a well-fitted shoe: “If the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten.”