Southlake · Est. 1972
Shoes fittedproperly
The end of the outfit most men neglect, and the first thing another man notices.
Fine men’s shoes and boots, fitted in person at The Man’s Shop in Arlington. Welted construction that can be resoled, fitted in the afternoon when your feet are their true size, in the socks you will actually wear. We will also tell you when a pair you already own is worth resoling instead.
Why fit in person
A size is not a fit
Shoe sizing is not standardised between makers, and the shape of the last matters more than the number on the box. A nine in one maker is a different shoe from a nine in another.
What actually determines whether a shoe works is width, instep height, and how the last matches the shape of your foot. None of that is on the label, and none of it can be judged from a photograph.
The other half is construction. A welted shoe can be resoled several times and will outlast several cheap pairs. A glued sole cannot be resoled at all, which makes the shoe disposable regardless of what the upper cost.
Shoes for men who travel
Worth knowing
- Two pairs, one dark
- If you fly weekly, a dark brown or black pair that works with everything beats three specialized pairs.
- Rubber soles for airports
- More practical than leather across concourses and wet pavement, and modern versions do not look clumsy.
- Shoe trees
- Cedar trees do more for a traveling shoe than anything else, because they absorb moisture and hold shape in a case.
- Twenty-five miles
- North up the 114 corridor.
- Buy once
- A welted shoe resoled twice outlasts four cheap pairs and takes up less space, which matters if you travel.
Making them last
Most of it is simple
- Alternate pairs
- Never wear the same shoes two days running. Leather needs a day to dry, and this single habit does more than anything else.
- Cedar trees
- They absorb moisture and hold the shape. Worth more than expensive polish.
- Brush, then polish
- Brushing after each wearing does most of the work. Polish is occasional rather than routine.
- Resole before it is too late
- Once the sole wears through to the welt, the repair becomes much harder. Bring them in before that point.
- Rubber half-soles
- Added at purchase, they extend the life of a leather sole considerably on Texas pavement without spoiling the shoe.
Common questions
Shoes, answered
How should dress shoes fit?
Snug across the instep with about a thumb’s width beyond the longest toe, and the heel should not slip when you walk. Fit in the afternoon, in the socks you will actually wear, because both change the answer.
Is welted construction worth the money?
If you wear the shoe weekly, yes. A welted sole can be replaced several times, so the shoe lasts years rather than a season. A glued sole cannot be replaced, which makes even an expensive pair disposable.
What shoes are best for frequent travel?
Two pairs at most, one of them dark enough to work with everything, and rubber or part-rubber soles for airport concourses. Beyond that you are packing shoes rather than clothes.
Do shoe trees actually matter?
For a traveling shoe, more than almost anything else. Cedar absorbs moisture and holds the shape while the shoe is in a case, which is where most travel shoes lose their form.
Do you sell boots as well as shoes?
Yes, including Tecovas. Boot sizing runs differently from dress shoe sizing and varies between makers, so it is worth being fitted rather than ordering by the size you usually take.
Can you advise on shoes with a suit we made?
That is part of the fitting. Trouser break is judged in the shoes you will wear, so bringing the right pair to a suit appointment saves a second alteration later.
Southlake to Arlington
Book with Patrick or Austin
Come in the afternoon, in the socks you’ll actually wear.
Book with PatrickBook with Austin
100 S. West Street, Arlington, Texas 76010
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm · Closed Sunday
(817) 265-1116