"You don't trust a guy who wears $800 shoes..." ...The above is a quote from the trailer to a Christmas movie which I just watched. The line was funny, but got me thinking about the topic of expensive men's shoes. So? Share your thoughts! What do you think about the kind of folks who spend big money on shoes? What does it say to you about the wearer of them? How much is the most expensive pair which you have ever bought for yourself? I got a nice pair at Nordstrom for $300 once, but they wore out and looked awful in less than a month. I discovered that soft, unusually expensive leather wasn't for me, and since have been purchasing pairs at Payless Shoe Source and JCPenny in the $20-80 range. And while we're on the topic of shoes, I figured I'd throw in the poll just for fun.
I more or less refuse to spend more than $50 on shoes. I wear dress shoes a lot (work attire is dress casual) and I can usually find a nice pair for about $40-45. I wear Vans skate shoes on days off, which usually run about $40 as well.
I paid $100 for a pair of combat boots when I was in HS I also paid $20 for a pair of combat boots in HS when the $100 pair got ruined. Now I wear $30 work boots...I would never pay more than $50 for shoes or boots now. The only way I would pay $800 + for shoes/clothing is if it was collector pair of anything worn by Rita Hayworth
I live in a very casual environment (fortunately) so I would consider anything past $30.00 a bit excessive for footwear. I'd make an exception for Spock's anti-grav/rocket boots in The Final Frontier. I'd definitely pay $800.00 for those suckers - even if they were the wrong size!
Most I've ever paid for shoes is $80 for a hell of a nice set of work boots. Most of the time, I'm spending in the $20-40 range, though.
Seconded. Shoes serve one purpose, and one purpose only: To protect the feet. Anything beyond that, I consider not important.
It all depends. If you're broke as hell and spending that much on shoes, you should probably get your priorities straight. If you've got the money, why not? I generally buy the same pair of New Balance shoes over and over, and they're about 60 bucks. They serve me well. As far as dress shoes go, I have a pair of deerskin shoes from mens' warehouse that cost about 80. Those will probably last me the rest of my life, because I've only worn them twice in the course of a year.
The most I've ever spent on shoes is about 65 dollars--for comfort, supportive, casual hiking shoes--my Merrell jungle mocs. And I wear them almost every day, sometimes for YEARS, until they wear out. And then I get another pair. Best. Shoe. EVER. As long as my feet are happy (and that is hard to achieve), I'll pay as much as I can afford. I think 75 would probably be my limit, though.
I have plantar fasciitis, and ever since Worldcon my feet have been feeling like they're constantly on fire, so I'm very conscious of what I'm putting on my feet. When I went to a chiropodist some years ago, he recommended Rockports, so that's what I've been wearing ever since. I actually had to buy a new pair today, because I discovered a few weeks ago that the ones I'd been wearing basically had no sole left in parts of the heels. (I would have gone when I first discovered the problem, but I was going to be out of town on two consecutive weekends and last weekend was spent catching up on email and laundry.) So I went to the Rockport store this afternoon, where I found the style I like for $180, but they didn't have my size. The clerk suggested I go to another store across the street, where I did find the same style in my size... for only $90. Quite a difference. I know where I'll be getting my Rockports from now on.
I wear size 14s, so sometimes it's hard to find a good pair, and they're generally more expensive. But even so, I think the most I've ever spent was about $130 on a nice pair of hiking boots. At home, around town, and off-work, I'm a casual shoe kind of guy. I wear Vans or Docs, mostly. Sandals when I'm feeling lazy. For $800, shoes better hover and play your own blaxploitation theme music as you glide down the sidewalk.
I'm in the same boat as you, I wear a 13 EEEE so my options are pretty limited. Either Docs or New Balance for me. On occasion I can find Adidas' wide enough.
You know what they say about men with big feet? That it's really friggin' hard to find shoes that look nice and fit comfortably.
I spend between $100 and $200 on shoes that I'll wear regularly, for work, or for hiking. Otherwise a bit less, maybe between $50 and $100. $800 is a bit too much. Maybe one day.
I bought a good, heavy durable pair of Clark's walking shoes. Probably about $200. Running shoes are one of those things where I don't like to wear them except when I'm exercising of course and I found a great Nike sports backpack that actually has a compartment to put shoes in so I don't have to wear them except when in the gym.