How to Buy Your First Dress Shoes in 2024 (Complete Guide)

Together we collapse the black cosmic void that exists between you and the first step on your glorious path to being the Head of Human Resources at Goldman Sachs.

\\\ 🌍 Companies Mentioned \\\

\\\ 😀 Support Me With Amazon \\\

\\\ 🥐 Recommended Shoe Care Products \\\

\\\ 🔗 Connect With Me \\\

\\\ ⌚️ Timestamps \\\
00:00 - im comin for ya Moody's
00:33 - How Much to Spend
02:37 - What Color & Design
04:35 - What Companies to Buy
08:33 - Blake Stich vs Goodyear Welt
12:50 - What Size to Get
16:24 - Shoe Care

\\\ 📸 Gear \\\

\\\ 🎺 Music \\\
Final Bowser Battle - Super Mario Galaxy
Secret Course - Super Mario Sunshine
Overworld (Qumu Remix) - Super Mario World
Delfino Plaza (Qumu Remix) - Super Mario Sunshine
Wii Shop Channel Main Theme - Wii
Life Is Beautiful - Deadly Premonition=

\\\ 🎥 Cited Videos \\\

\\\ 📞 Contact Me \\\

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links that I get a kickback from at no cost to you, and sometimes a discount. This helps fund videos like this one. The opinions in this video are honest and strictly my own. I love you.

[Chris.Madaras]

Happy New Year Everyone. I sincerely wish you all a wonderful day, week, month, and year as we begin 2024. 2023 may have been rough, though the sun will continue to rise for all of us in 2024 and ahead.

\\\ 🌍 Companies Mentioned \\\

[Anonymousgentleman]

This channel is one hundered percent going to explode in populiraty. The only thing it needs is for you to keep making videos. DO not let low view counts stop you, and im sure you wont because you wouldnt make videos this good unless you enjoyed the process.

[JiffyBiff]

I don't even NEED D.B.C.T.O.I.C.W.X.Y&Z. shoes in the slightest, but watched this video, and subscribed because it was informative, and fun.
Good job !

[damnjustassignmeone]

Best video beginning of 2024. The competition is over after less than a day. Who knew.

[TheEchelon]

This channel is a gem. Please don't stop making videos dude

[jaycee_]

Wow what a video! Love the content, humor and editing. This is some seriously quality stuff right here.

[nenhumpietro]

this channel deserves 10 times more subs than it has, the quality of the content and video in general are outstanding, what a gem to be found in 2025

[robo]

I own loafers, boots and oxfords from Meermin. And these 3 pairs were not stiff at all. Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪

[digitalleverage]

I literally LOL'd at 13:40 & 13:45! Love your personality and the practicality of your advice. I've had a few dress shoes and wish I saw this many years ago. Thank you for keeping it light-hearted and not snobby 😄

[darkshade]

Great video! I own an inordinate number of shoes from bridlen, and their value for money is exceptional. But I believe their Blake line uppers are cut from leather produced by tanneries within India, unlike their GYW lines where the uppers are from more reputed international tanneries.

[snwbrdr]

Just got my first tailored suit, and I am looking to expand my dress shoes from the department "Cole Haans" that I've been recycling for the past 8 years. I work in an industry where that is not needed, all of it: dress shoes, tailored suit, belt, watch, etc. This video was not only very resourceful, but it was entertaining. As entertaining as dress shoe talk can get. I hope you keep it up, I am now a subscriber, and I'll be looking at your other vids as well! Thanks!

[lelandkwong]

Wish I knew about this channel before I started buying my last 2 pairs of leather shoes. Filled to the brim with all the fundamentals including a list of a ton of shoemakers I didn't even know existed. Love that extra tip about emailing them and how you should go about it.

On top of it all, this channel always throws in some pretty good humor. Fair to say this is easily one of the best channels on Youtube.

[JujuBerry]

Just stumbled upon ur video as im breaking in the Beckett Simonon dean oxfords. Mate, your video editing, quality, and content offered is outstanding. I’m shocked your follower base isn’t more. Definitely subbed. Stoked to see more!

[tooslow]

Beckett simonon fan here. Many pairs no disappointments. Good video.

[ramonovazquez]

I have a pair of black oxfords from Meermin that look awesome and fit pretty good, a pair of Durant oxford in borbeaux that are super comfortable from Beckett S. I also own two pairs of shoes from Thursday's but they are not as comfortable as advertise, they are both chisel-toe. Recently order another pair from Beckett S. - brown cap toe oxfords. Your recommendations are excellent. After buying shoes from these companies, there is no way I will be buying from department stores. I am a dock supervisor for auto and industrial part delivery company far from top management and headquarter office environment but need and like good budget-friendly shoe options.
Keep these videos coming. I enjoy your kind of humor and good information you provide.

[ABC-rhzc]

Nice humor and good advice. Happy new year, Chris!

[Joseloga]

Just leaving my comment here hoping it helps with the algorithm and more people find your channel. You are absolutely amazing. Thank you

[jacksonj]

My first dress shoes as a working finance professional in the 80's - Church's black Diplomat & Chetwynd - with several sole replacements got regular usage for 15 years. Great investment.

[ricardorgomez]

Happy New Year buddy! Glad you got these other side-hustles going! New York style!

I'm actually putting out a blog article on budget style. You are right: people shouldn't listen to the echo chamber that is the Internet as much to make decisions. Especially when on a tigher budget. Because according to many, you should only get a bespoke suit. Which is absolutely silly. You can look fantastic and professional with a suit from Macy's when done right. And I did a blog article on that. It's just a suit for use during more formal photography gigs. I don't want to put a more expensive suit through the wringer.... Even my even-cheaper Alfani suit, which I bought for use for photography gigs, looks great on me. And I've had it for 3 years.... I feel the cheapness but it looks professional.

I agree 100% with your shoe selection. I own a few Meermins and they are absolutely fantastic. I haven't noticed break-in issues. And I've had zero issues with customer service too. Also, you CAN get Blake-stitched shoes resoled. Multiple times. But you can't resole them as many times as a Goodyear--stitched shoe. But then again, the resoling is going to cost as much as the shoe.... Probably. I also want to try Bridlen. Saw a trunk show they were at in NYC and the price and styles are NICE.

I think the last GREAT pair of Allen Edmonds I bought were back in the early 90s. After that, totally over-priced (even on sale) for the quality you get. But they are a marketing machine and they get into people's heads who don't know better. I gave them one last chance a few months ago and it was Bad. No. Horrible.

Glad you touched on shoe care. I have a few pairs of Clark's shoes (which are leftovers from my financially broke period) but love them (super comfortable and stylish) and keep them in great shape. Conditioner and sometimes polish. I get SO MANY compliments on them. People never think I spent only $60 on them....

Sorry for the long post. Budget style is a subject near and dear to my heart. Great video and best wishes!

[gustafrenstrom]

i totally agree about blake stitching it is absolutely nothing wrong with it and they can also be resoled albeit not as many times as a goodyear welted shoe. also i love that you have the deadly premonition theme in the video.