Mansfield · 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.
Buying your first good pair
Worth knowing
- Start with dark brown
- More versatile than black for most men now, and it works with navy, gray and denim alike.
- What to look for
- A welted sole you can see stitching on, a leather lining, and a shape that suits your foot rather than the fashion.
- What to avoid
- Square toes, glued soles, and anything described as leather-look. All three fail within a year.
- Twelve miles
- South up Highway 287, close enough that most Mansfield customers treat us as local.
- Care
- Brush after wearing, polish occasionally, use trees. That is genuinely most of it.
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.
Should my first good shoes be black or brown?
Dark brown for most men. It works with navy, gray and denim, which covers considerably more of a modern wardrobe than black does. Black becomes necessary when you need formal business or evening footwear.
What should I look at before buying?
The stitching where the sole meets the upper, the lining, and whether the shape suits your foot rather than the season. Those three tell you more than the brand or the price does.
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.
Mansfield 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