![\"The](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/\/2016\/09\/3-Shoes-Header-1-e1474479025599.jpg\")
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Last month we gave you a rundown of the differences between the nine major types of men\u2019s dress shoes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Those with an ample budget, and the sartorial inclination, might consider owning a pair of each kind, so they always have exactly the right shoe for a particular outfit and a particular event.<\/p>\n But what about other fellows who, for either budgetary or philosophical reasons, do not wish to acquire many pairs of shoes, and would rather keep things simple? What\u2019s the minimum number of shoes a man can get by with, while still being able to look sharp and show up dressed appropriately in various situations?<\/p>\n The answer is three. (We\u2019re not counting shoes designed for specialized activities like running shoes or hiking boots — just the shoes you wear on an everyday basis.)<\/p>\n Today we\u2019ll walk you through the characteristics of each pair, and why they form the minimal backbone of a man\u2019s footwear line-up.<\/p>\n We live in an increasingly casual world, and you need a shoe to wear for all your casual outings — going to class, watching the game at friend\u2019s house, running errands, attending a BBQ, etc.<\/p>\n For many men, their casual shoe is a sneaker — an athletic version that doubles as a running shoe, or looks like it might. But it\u2019s stupidly easy to take the casual sneaker up a small notch by replacing it with the canvas variety. You know, All-Stars<\/a>, SeaVees<\/a>, PF Flyers<\/a>. With their long history and solid color scheme, they look more classic and less busy and athletic (even if they once started out as sports sneakers) than the trainers you wear to the gym.<\/p>\n Canvas sneakers will be your go-to casual footwear from spring to fall. In summer, you can easily upgrade your look<\/a> by skipping the juvenile flip-flops and wearing them (if they’re low tops) with shorts and without socks.<\/p>\n Once colder weather sets in, it\u2019s time to transition to a brown leather boot.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure there\u2019s a more versatile piece of footwear than a pair of brown leather boots<\/a>. In the colder seasons, you can pair them with all your casual clothes, from t-shirts\/sweaters\/henleys and jeans, to sports coats and khakis. In the warmer months, they get a bit heavy for everyday wear, and you\u2019ll want to swap them out for canvas sneakers when you\u2019re just wearing tees. But they still work for when you need to get a little more dressed up and put on a sports jacket. They\u2019re handsome and handy for pretty much anything short of a suit.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been incredibly happy with my Wolverine 1,000 Miles<\/a>, and Chippewa<\/a> is another renowned brand in this category. Check out Thursday Boots<\/a> for an upstart whose offerings come in at half the price of the heritage companies.<\/p>\n If you live in the West and have the personality\/profession to pull them off, cowboy boots<\/a> can be substituted in this category.<\/p>\n If you live in a place where it\u2019s warm year round, consider substituting a suede desert boot\/chukka<\/a>, which has the same versatility as a leather boot, but is lighter. They do look a little more casual with a sports coat, however.<\/p>\n For your last pair of shoes, you need something you can wear with a suit on formal occasions — everything from a funeral to a black tie New Year\u2019s Eve party.<\/p>\n The authors of The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men\u2019s Clothing<\/a><\/em> cite John Isaacs, co-owner of the former Barrie Ltd<\/a>., for some very helpful specifics as to what a man\u2019s one and only pair of formal dress shoes should look like: \u201cblack cap-toe with balmoral lacing in a regular-weight leather and a \u00bc inch thick leather sole.\u201d If you want to make things even simpler, basically what you need is a pair of black, closed-lacing oxfords. For a top-of-the line example, one can’t beat a pair like this from Allen Edmonds<\/a>; if you’re on a budget, check out JC Penney, which often has surprisingly decent menswear items.<\/p>\n This kind of oxford will go with the first rung on the suit ladder<\/a> — a charcoal gray number — which, if you\u2019re dedicated to having a minimal wardrobe, is probably the only rung, and only suit, you\u2019ll ever acquire. They\u2019re also appropriate for wearing with a tuxedo<\/a>, should you be invited to a swanky affair.<\/p>\nPair #1: Canvas Sneakers<\/h3>\n
![\"Canvas](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Canvas-Sneaker-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPair #2: Brown Leather Boots<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nPair #3: Black Leather Dress Shoes<\/h3>\n
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