Without a doubt the most popular enquiry I get is to give advice on what to wear for a wedding. Even though I'm on a relentless battle to change this, for most gent's dapper attire is saved for a special occasion.
So starting from the bottom of the outfit I'm addressing what shoe brands you should have on your shortlist for your, or indeed someone else's wedding day.
Here are five brands you should consider:
1.Loake: The Star of the Show
Loake are one of Britain's finest shoemakers, based in Kettering with over 130 years of heritage.
They are famous for their Goodyear Welted Loake shoes which can take up to eight weeks to make, include 75 shoe parts and have over 200 different operations involved - one of the reasons why they should be your first port of call.
Alongside the English Goodyear welted footwear they produce a more accessible range of shoes outside the UK, using a variety of constructions, enabling a suitable offering for whatever the occasion.
2.Grenson: True British Heritage
The next Brit to make the cut are shoemakers Grenson who have been making shoes since 1835 - the oldest on the list. With such rich heritage it's clear they've used this time to get it right and here are three crackers:
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3.Magnanni: The European Entry
Now the Brits know how to make good shoes but one European contender cannot be denied a place on the list. Magnanni shoes can be found in premium stockists in the U.K such as Selfridges and Harrods and produce some superb shoes with a modern twist.
The brand has a rich Spanish heritage and employs the Bolonga construction technique. Here's some of their best and I've even included an option in case your asked to wear a dinner jacket:
4.Crockett & Jones: Best of British
Founded in 1879 in Northampton, at the heart of England's most famous shoemaking town, Crockett & Jones again specialise in the manufacture of high quality Goodyear-welted footwear. They get the balance between tradition and keeping up with the times, just about right. Check out these beauties:
5. Oliver Spencer: New Kids on the Block
Oliver Spencer is the new kid on the block with the eponymous label being founded in 2002. Since then, Oliver Spencer has established himself on the international menswear stage; showcasing two collections a year as part of London Collections: Men, along with a pretty neat collection of shoes too. The wing brogues are the pick of the bunch coming in three colour options:
What do you think is the pick of the bunch? Or who would you like to add any brands to this list? I'd love to hear from you at the @dapper_chapper or www.dapperchapper.com
Photo credits:
Loake
Grenson
Chris Zenger
Crockett & Jones
Oliver Spencer