Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti Savage Loafer
The dressier loafer, with the hardware the house is known for.
$1,000+
Shop Now →Style, travel & hobbies · /mens-shoes/
Men's shoes: fixing the rotation
Footwear changes an outfit more than any other single item, and most men's rotations are the weakest part of their wardrobe by a wide margin. Three pairs of trainers is not a rotation; it is a habit.
The fix is one non-athletic shoe. A loafer covers dinner, travel and most offices, and it makes every existing pair of trousers he owns look more deliberate.
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The whole rotation
One loafer, one boot, one summer shoe. That is a complete rotation for almost every man, alongside whatever white sneakers he refuses to give up.
Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti Moritz Slipper
A velvet evening slipper, which is a genuinely different shoe from anything else here.
$1,000+
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti Curt Chelsea Boot
A designer Chelsea boot, which is the most useful silhouette in men's footwear.
$1,000+
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti GZ-Ghost Low Sneaker
The plainest Zanotti. All the leather quality, none of the crystals.
$500–$1,000
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti GZ-Casper Sneaker
The entry point to the house, and the least conspicuous thing in it.
$500–$1,000
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti GZ-Ghost High Top
The high-top version, which reads as considerably more of a statement.
$500–$1,000
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti GZ Thor Sneaker
A chunkier sole, for anyone who finds the Ghost too restrained.
$500–$1,000
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti Barrie Loafer
A proper Italian loafer from a house better known for sneakers.
$500–$1,000
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Men's Shoes
Giuseppe Zanotti Octavius Derby
The formal shoe in the range. Sharper-toed than an English derby.
$500–$1,000
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Clarks · Men's Shoes
Clarks Men's Desert Boot
The original Desert Boot, crepe sole and all. Unchanged since 1950 because it was right the first time.
$100–$250
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Cole Haan · Men's Shoes
Cole Haan Men's Tucker Venetian Slip-On Loafer
A slip-on loafer that is genuinely comfortable, which most are not. Good first non-athletic shoe.
$100–$250
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Cole Haan · Men's Shoes
Cole Haan 2.ZeroGrand Chukka Boot
A chukka with a trainer's sole. The dress shoe he will wear because it does not hurt.
$100–$250
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Timberland · Men's Shoes
Timberland White Ledge Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot
Sixty-eight thousand ratings. Waterproof, resoleable-ish, and it works in a city.
$100–$250
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Timberland · Men's Shoes
Timberland Mt. Maddsen Waterproof Hiking Boot
Slimmer than the White Ledge, so it passes as a boot rather than hiking kit.
$100–$250
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Cole Haan · Men's Shoes
Cole Haan Grand Series Jensen Sneaker
Leather upper on Cole Haan's Grand cushioning. Looks like a shoe, walks like a trainer.
$100–$250
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Stacy Adams · Men's Shoes
Stacy Adams Neville Moc-Toe Penny Loafer
Stacy Adams have made dress shoes since 1875. A proper penny loafer at a fair price.
$100–$250
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Thursday Boot Company · Men's Shoes
Thursday Boot Company Captain Cap Toe Boot
Goodyear welted, so it can be resoled. Two hundred dollars for a boot that lasts a decade.
$100–$250
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Florsheim · Men's Shoes
Florsheim Medfield Cap Toe Oxford
The cap toe, which is the more formal of the two and the safer wedding shoe.
$100–$250
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Clarks · Men's Shoes
Clarks Men's Bushacre 2 Chukka Boot
The cheapest way out of a trainers-only rotation. Suede chukka, goes with denim and chinos both.
Under $100
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adidas · Men's Shoes
adidas Originals Stan Smith Sneaker
The plain white leather sneaker, done in 1971 and never improved on.
Under $100
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Nike · Men's Shoes
Nike Air Force 1 '07 Sneaker
The other white sneaker. Heavier, chunkier, and it suits jeans better than chinos.
Under $100
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Bruno Marc · Men's Shoes
Bruno Marc Classic Chelsea Ankle Boot
Elastic side panels, no laces, works with jeans and with a suit. The most versatile boot shape there is.
Under $100
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Cole Haan · Men's Shoes
Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt Traveler Sneaker
A leather sneaker built on Cole Haan's cushioned sole. Smart enough for an office with no dress code.
Under $100
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adidas · Men's Shoes
adidas Grand Court 2.0 Sneaker
Plain white leather with three stripes. Seventy dollars and it goes with literally everything.
Under $100
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Cole Haan · Men's Shoes
Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt II Sneaker
The tennis-shoe silhouette in leather. Seventy-five dollars and it goes with a suit at a push.
Under $100
Shop the Pick →
KIWI · Men's Shoes
KIWI Express Shoe Shine Sponge
Five dollars, thirty seconds, and his shoes stop looking neglected.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Reebok · Men's Shoes
Reebok Club C 85 Leather Sneaker
The 1985 tennis shoe. Cleaner than a Stan Smith and half the people have one.
Under $100
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Dr. Martens · Men's Shoes
Dr. Martens Bonny Leather Chukka Boot
Dr. Martens construction in a chukka shape rather than the eight-hole boot.
Under $100
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Florsheim · Men's Shoes
Florsheim Medfield Plain Toe Oxford
A hundred dollars for a leather oxford that can actually be resoled.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Bruno Marc · Men's Shoes
Bruno Marc Monk Strap Dress Shoe
The dress shoe with no laces, which is either the most interesting thing he owns or too much.
Under $100
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The luxury tier, pre-owned
Italian loafers, boots and sneakers from loryn.com, bought pre-owned. At this level a shoe is resoleable, which is the actual argument for spending — a $1,500 loafer that gets resoled twice outlives six pairs of anything else.
Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Nemoo Boots
The Nemoo — Zanotti's statement boot.
New
Price at Amazon
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Touluse Loafers
The Touluse — Zanotti's dress loafer, polished hard.
New
Price at Amazon
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Coby Sneakers
The Coby — Zanotti's low-top with the hardware showing.
New
Price at Amazon
See It at Amazon →
Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Rhuben Loafers
The Rhuben in high-shine leather.
New
Price at Amazon
See It at Amazon →
Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Gatsbi Sneakers
The Gatsbi — a clean profile with a metal bite.
New
Price at Amazon
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Giuseppe Zanotti · Shoes
Coby Sneakers, Black
The Coby in black-on-black.
New
Price at Amazon
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The accessible tier
Chukkas, desert boots and loafers under $150. The fastest way out of a trainers-only rotation.
Men's Shoes FAQ
What shoes should every man own?
A loafer, a boot, a white leather sneaker and something for summer. Four pairs cover everything short of black tie, and the loafer does the most work of the four.
How do I buy shoes as a gift without knowing his size?
Check the shoes he already owns — the size is printed inside the tongue or on the sole. Buy from somewhere with easy returns regardless, because sizing varies significantly between Italian, American and Western lasts.
Can he wear loafers with no socks?
Yes, with no-show liners to protect the shoe. Give leather a day to dry between wears in hot weather and the shoe will last years longer.