When things start to heat up outside, one’s wardrobe pares down as well. Tweed and flannel gives way to linen and cotton; sweaters go back in the drawer and polo shirts make their seasonal debut.

The same holds true for footwear. Down south where your feet hit the pavement, changes are afoot.

It’s a given of course, that in the great scheme of things men do not have the incredible variation in style, functionality, materials and colors that women do when it comes to shoes. While some bemoan this situation, I find it a blessing. Without the need for a separate shoe closet, men easily have enough choice in their footwear wardrobe to create distinctive, classic and signature warm weather looks for every day of the week.

As I see it, there are four broadly defined categories on which to focus when getting dressed each morning. Each one dictates your overall choice of clothing and corresponding footwear.

Business wear = traditional suits, formal office wear, important meetings, conservative blazer and dress trousers.
Traditional laced business shoes / slips-ins

Business Casual = general office wear, professional but not necessarily formal, wider range of sport coats paired with dress and casual trousers, finer polo shirts and dress khakis or chinos
Lighter colored dress shoes / loafers / suede bucks / rubber soled casual shoes

Social = going out, lawn parties, social but not necessarily casual events
Driving moccasins / casual loafers with contrast stitching / boat shoes / canvas tennis shoes

Weekend Wear = casual, relaxing, friends and errands or chores
Boat Shoes / Camp moccasins / Birkenstocks & sandals / canvas tennis shoes

To me footwear is a component of an overall wardrobe; shoes should both stand out as your outfit’s foundation and also work with that outfit to tell a unified story.

Business wear and business casual do not really change much during warm weather. If wearing a business suit, traditional black, brown and cordovan footwear are still your best choices. These cap toes, oxfords, balmorals and slip-ins will also work with brighter shirt and tie combinations you may want to try out.

Some men like to switch to light colored dress shoes in warm months. This can be a difficult trick to pull off because softer colored leathers – creams, pale tans and other earth tones – can look both affected and aesthetically unsettling. It takes a very specific kind of outfit to provide the same level of professionalism and balance that traditional darker colors offer.

Mixed media footwear, cap toes done in leather and linen for example, can be elegant but should be paired with equally stylish tailored clothing and not necessarily a business suit. The mix of summery élan and boardroom sobriety usually don’t work together.

Linen, cotton and seersucker suits are a different story. For these classics, white or tan suede bucks complete the prototypical summer suit. Jaunty and timeless, white bucks in particular are the perfect match for the warm weather dressy/casual appeal of summer suits. Dark brown or cordovan lace ups and slip-ins can dress the outfit up a notch but I think that black is just too formal.

I have also seen white bucks paired with a dark navy linen suit. The effect was wonderful – very Great Gatsby, but not all a costume. The suit was extremely well tailored and the shoes were of a very high quality. What made it work though was the pairing of a linen “business” suit with the equivalent of summer “business” shoes. While still a little adventurous in a traditional office, it’s very natty.

Dressing for a business casual environment brings in a different class of footwear. When pairing your shoes with lightweight chinos, linen or other summer fabrics, penny loafers and boat shoes are traditional options that reduce the formality while still not straying into weekend territory. While loafers are widely accepted as a less formal dress shoe, boat shoes and their outdoorsy brethren are seen by some as an office interloper.

My fellow MensFlair columnist Simon Crompton devoted a recent article to his distrust of the boat shoe in particular. While I almost always agree with this sartorial viewpoint, here I must dig in my sockless heels and revert to New England roots. Boat shoes, best embodied by the original Sperry Topsiders, are a staple of most East Coast wardrobes. They are, in my humble opinion, a classic all purpose casual shoe.

Where canvas trainers would be inappropriate, the boat shoe, aka “docksider”, strolls in without a second glance. I would never say that they are correct for all business casual environments, especially those with an emphasis on Business, but for most offices with a relaxed dress code they are just fine.

Part of the issue boils down to one’s personal casual style. Clothing-wise are you by nature formal or relaxed, urban or seaside? My father, for example, has likely never owned a pair of jeans in his life. His weekend attire often consists of a button down oxford shirt, neat chinos and deeply polished Brooks Brothers loafers – or in the summer, docksiders. That’s just who he is.

I however, may wear old khakis with frayed cuffs, a faded polo shirt, ribbon belt and well worn canvas tennis shoes (or docksiders; without socks of course). When clothed for business I naturally gravitate toward a formal European sense of style and prefer English made footwear. But when dressing more casually my American genes take over. And truth be told, that is more of who I am when push comes to shove.

For some men the space between formal and casual is much tighter – like Simon or my father. Footwear is a good indicator of this personality trait. There is no wrong or right, it’s just personal taste as far as I’m concerned. For some, warm weather means only slight variations in the shoe department. For others, it is a celebration of the additional, often casual, options that lighter, brighter and less formal attire brings.

Men being men, many of us tend to see shoes as utilitarian, something we need, but not something on which to spend a lot of time. Once we have to look good though – an interview for the top job, a friend’s wedding, or a big date – we’re scrutinizing our footwear like a panicked drill sergeant. Though men need different kinds of shoes for different reasons, too often we just default to the three or four pair (at the most) which have been in the closet for years. The outcome isn’t always pretty.

This is a sad situation because if most men took the time to understand how well-made shoes are manufactured, they would pay much more attention to their feet. The quality of materials, complexity of construction, and sheer amount of time it takes to make just one pair ensures that a truly well-made pair of shoes lasts for many years.

Not only that, but there is an awful lot of truth to the saying that women judge a man by his shoes. To be “well heeled” means that you have money and class. Or least you have a solid income and can afford to keep you shoes in good condition. Simple things like keeping them polished and replacing your soles and heels before they wear away all together will help your footwear age gracefully and make you look good.

Men’s shoes have two distinct advantages over women’s. First, as my wife tells me on a regular basis, men’s shoes are actually designed to fit. A properly fitted pair of dress shoes should be comfortable all day long. Second, men’s shoes are built to last. I still have a pair of brown wingtips that were a present from my father 17 years ago. I have re-soled them numerous times and they have aged beautifully.

With more men now focused on dressing well, there are still too many who fall into the “not-appropriate trap.” Generally, this is when incompatible clothes are thrown together under the delusion that simply mixing business and casual clothes creates “business casual.” It doesn’t. The problem often arises because a lot of guys know either how to dress casually or dress up but nothing much in between. An annoying offense I regularly see is wearing very formal cap toed oxfords with casual, heavy cotton khakis. It looks ridiculous and draws unwanted attention to an awkward looking outfit.

When getting dressed in the morning, you need to pay attention to things like scale, material, texture and balance. When dealing with footwear, you also have to consider function – what are you doing and where are you going? Should I wear my good interview shoes with cargo pants so they look more dressed up? No. With dressy jeans, yes; it’s a very sharp look that Europeans tend to pull off a bit more successfully than most Americans.

When it comes to purchasing a pair of shoes, keep in mind that it’s not like buying a book or a pack of undershirts. Shoes are to your feet what tires are to your car. What they’re made of, how they’re put together, and how they are cared for have a lot to do with how both look, perform, and last. With men’s footwear, you really do get what you pay for. With dress shoes, that comes down to materials and construction.

If you are lucky enough to be the President of the United States or the Prince of Wales, your shoes are made entirely by hand, fit like a glove, took months to create and cost a fortune. Makers like John Lobb and Edward Green create veritable works of form fitting art with prices that look more like mortgage payments; but they also offer ready to wear lines that are a little more in reach.

I’m not saying that you should only own custom or bench made shoes. Different people have different needs and budgets. Take a look at what you wear and think about how you want to present yourself to the world. From formal occasions to day-to-day work needs, buy the best you can afford. As with tailored clothing, it’s better to have fewer well made pieces than a closet full of junk.

When it comes to figuring out what shoes to wear at any given time, try using common sense. For heavier, more casual pants, you want a larger overall profile to balance out the heft of the fabric. This means a thicker sole, less refined stitching, and an overall sense of casual, but not sloppy, style.

A less glossy finish also gives the shoe a less formal feel. Leave the proper oxfords, cap toes, and balmorals for your suits. Bluchers and loafers can be worn with dress pants that have a finer hand and “dressy” khakis. Boat shoes and chunky Timberland style shoes are great for more casual wear.

I’m also a big fan of having at least one pair of suede dress shoes, slip-ins, or ankle boots. They go with anything and lend an air of sophistication to whatever you have on. In a rich, dark chocolate, they pull together casually dressy outfits like nothing else really can.

Late summer is often a grey zone for suede shoes. What to wear, when, and how? A lot of guys are unsure how to wear this more challanging breed of footwear, but there should be no fear – from white bucks to dark chocolate boots, suede shoes are cool, individual and a key part of this fall’s style guide.

So, what exactly is suede? Simply put, suede is the other side of leather, brushed to a soft napped finish. There are several classic styles when it comes to suede footwear, any of which are a great addition to your wardrobe. This season suede shoes are back in a big way. While some guys are genetically attracted to the natural versatility and innate swankiness of a pair of dark suede Gucci loafers, others need a little help. Don’t worry, we’re here for you.

Take comfort in knowing that some of the most stylish men in history – Prince Edward, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, and George Clooney – have all confidently wore suede shoes. Heck, Elvis sang about blue suede shoes and no one would call him a geek.

Although you have a bunch of options when it comes to suede footwear, the the basics are laid out below. They all look great, but I do have to add a price alert; with footwear in particular, you get what you pay for. So feel free to check out J.Crew’s offerings, but if can swing it, invest in shoes from Brooks Brothers or Church’s. If you have an extra box of cash under the bed, get a pair of custom shoes from Edward Green. You may go broke, but they will fit you foot like a glove and last forever. Anyway, here is a quick overview of your options.

Suede loafers, or slip-ons, are an easy choice, especially the iconic classic snaffle bit Gucci model. Also quite sharp and more popular today is the driving moccasin style of loafer. These are minimally constructed and very soft. They tend to be more streamlined and fitted to the foot, look great without socks and work with colors from light tan to deep brown. They’re also referred to as “European style” loafers.

Generally speaking you can get a laced suede version of any dress shoe but in my opinion going to extremes work best. This means choose either full-out brogues with perforated decorations that mimic traditional leather styles or go for a totally pain version. If you choose a smooth bodied shoe that that is totally unadorned make sure the suede is flawless, because that’s what you’re really showing off. For the more elaborate styles, stick to traditional wing tips or those with a simple perforated medallion toe.

Suede ankle boots are extremely classy but at the same time more casual. Desert and chukka boots have a more informal profile that works well with jeans or khakis. Desert boots gained their fame in, well, the desert. Chukka boots got their name because polo players would switch into these soft and comfortable boots in between “chuckers,” or the periods in a polo match.

Casual suede shoes are a preppy classic and include the white buck, dirty buck, and saddle shoe. These shoes are timeless and actually get better with age. White bucks never look quite right until they have a few scuffs and bumps that you need to cover with a chalk bag. Mine are 15 years old and finally have the right look to them. The same is true for dirty bucks or saddle shoes; older is better. Just resole when necessary and off you go.

Photo credit, The Sartorialist

As far as figuring out what to wear with suede shoes, that’s the easy part. Pretty much everything goes with them. Just pay attention to color and tone as you would with any shoes. Chocolate brown shoes look equally great with grey flannels or jeans. Instead of traditional leather cap toes, wear a nice dark suede version with your pinstripe suit. For summer, bucks in particular look great with shorts and an old oxford shirt – not to mention a seersucker suit.

Taking care of suede shoes is fairly strait forward; you don’t polish suede, you brush it with a stiff wire brush to raise the napp and loosen dirt and dust. Always use shoe trees to maintain shape and resole when needed.