Dallas · 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.
For a Dallas working week
Worth knowing
- Two pairs, alternated
- Leather needs a day to dry out between wearings. Alternating two pairs roughly doubles the life of both, which is the cheapest improvement available.
- Black and brown
- Black for formal business and anything with a dark suit, brown for everything else. In that order if you are buying one at a time.
- Heat
- Leather-soled shoes are cooler than rubber and wear faster on hot pavement. A rubber half-sole added at purchase is a sensible compromise here.
- Twenty miles
- Straight down I-30 from downtown. Most Dallas customers combine the trip with a suit or shirt fitting.
- Welted construction
- Worth paying for if you wear the shoe weekly, because it can be resoled rather than replaced.
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.
How many pairs of dress shoes do I need?
Two to start, alternated rather than worn on consecutive days. Leather needs roughly a day to dry out, and alternating two pairs extends the life of both considerably more than the arithmetic suggests.
Leather sole or rubber?
Leather breathes better and looks correct with tailoring; rubber grips better and lasts longer on hot pavement. Most men here end up with leather soles and a thin rubber protector added at purchase.
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.
Dallas 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