Of course I did; not only because I’ve wanted to check out cashmere socks ever since I sold them at $175 a pop for Ralph Lauren way back when, but also because I really wanted to see if they are in fact machine washable. One of the biggest pet peeves I have about these kinds of luxury items is the maintenance factor.

According to British Apparel’s press release, these new socks are, “Hailed The Coziest, Comfiest Socks Ever. British Apparel’s Revolutionary New ‘All-Season Cashmere Collection’ Snubs All Temps, Cuddles Feet In A Cocoon Of Pillow-Soft Cushioning Year-Round. Then, just toss ‘em in the washer!”

Cashmere of course is the holy grail of cold weather style. Light and pliable yet warm and silky soft – the last few years have seen every company from Brooks Brothers to Costco hawking their cashmere goods.

Quality and durability wax and wane depending on the maker and some claims while impressive are a little impractical. Anyone who has worn a single- or double-ply cashmere sweater to the office can probably tell you that triple-ply is only needed during arctic expeditions.

But winter is still cashmere’s ideal clime and the idea of year-round cashmere socks intrigued me. According to BA, their Punto-made cashmere socks are “Mother Nature’s ultimate shock absorbers.”

With that impressive claim in mind, off I went to the daily commute. While I was no less tired at the end of my test week, I have to admit that my cashmere ensconced feet felt great. In fact, what struck me was that they felt so good I never really thought about those socks I was trying out. Not bad at all.

As great as cashmere is, cashmere socks have two well-known problems: one, their fame as winter’s one-trick pony, and second, their reputation as being frail and fragile – suitable only for hand washing.

Those two Achilles’ heels have apparently been resolved because I’ve shuttled my Punto socks from washer to dryer several times after days of use and they are just fine. Mind you, I followed the care instructions but I nonetheless pretty well beat them up.

What makes it work? Essentially, Punto’s new collection is a hi-tech blend of yarns that combine three hybrid versions of everyday yarns – cashmere, super-soft cotton and a smidgen of hi-performance nylon for stretch, elasticity and long-wear durability. So, technically, they are not cashmere-only socks, no doubt leaving some purists appalled, but I have no problem with a little modern tinkering.

The collection’s 18 colors come in a dress weight and are available in the taller and dressier, over-the-calf silhouette as well as the shorter and sportier, mid-calf height. Retail prices for the socks will run in the range of $55 to $65, respectively.

To buy your own pair, please visit British Apparel’s website and online store.

A physician, he felt that dressing well shows respect for others and he almost never went to the office in anything but a coat and tie – often a suit, sometimes a sport coat and gray flannels.

I would sit and watch as he picked out his clothes, running his hand along the ever growing collection of repp, paisley and woven ties until he found just the right one for that day.

After the jackets, shirts and ties had been sorted through, out came the shoes. Dad’s shoes were not handmade or exotic. They were however solid footwear of very good pedigree: Johnston and Murphy (the good line), Brooks Brother’s Peal & Co., and Barrie, Ltd., of New Haven (sadly, now defunct).

It still amazes me that for someone who wore dress shoes almost every day of his life, his footwear wardrobe was not particularly large. As I recall, he had a pair of each of wing tips and cap toes – black and brown; a lovely pair of shell cordovan brogues, brown tasseled slip-ins; a pair of penny loafers and a pair of white bucks.

Dad always kept his shoes in excellent condition; religiously polishing them to a deep, jewel like gloss. Of course each pair had its own cedar shoe trees – if you don’t have them for your shoes, stop reading now and go buy some.

The sense of personal satisfaction I still get from shining my shoes, looking after my wardrobe and getting the closet in order after a busy week was surely instilled at that young age. There is a certain rhythm and comfort in the ceremony of assembling and editing your personal possessions.

What actually brought these memories back to me was the never-ending rain that recently blanketed Washington. Normally when the weather turns like that I dress down for the office a bit and wear some heavy shoes and khakis, but I had meetings that week and needed to wear a suit.

Since I metro into the city and would be exposed to the elements for more than enough time needed to soak through shoe leather, this was an issue. I found my solution in the most practical of footwear accessories – rubber shoe covers. These waterproof envelopes turn your well shod feet into pedial all terrain vehicles.

I never actually thought that I would own a pair of these things; they were to me about as un-cool as you could get. I still see my dad pulling them on before he walked out the door on rainy mornings and recall how, in my youthful ignorance, I thought he looked silly. As a working adult however – and one who enjoys assembling a good wardrobe in the morning – I know now how invaluable they truly are.

Taking care of your shoes need not always be an elaborate or overcomplicated exercise, but looking after your investments is an important skill to learn. Keep the soles in good condition, give them a regular polish and remember that each pair should have their own shoe trees. And, as my dad taught me a long time ago, keep them dry.

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.

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.

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.