Alden if they fit your budget, if not then AE. I'm some of the European brands others mentioned are good too. Just don't get square toes!
"Dress" shoe is somewhat ambiguous. I'm assuming you mean a pair of shoes one wears with business suits instead of blazers and jeans/chinos - in which case we're talking about oxford shoes (balmoral, not blucher imo). For around $400, consider shoes from Crockett and Jones, Martegani, Alfred Sargent, Alden, Allen Edmonds, and certain pairs from Peal and Co. (Brooks Brothers).
+eleventeen. I have all the above, and many pairs, but I STILL for some reason prefer my Cole Haans with the air sole for some reason. Just feel so damn comy. The only downside of owning all of the shoes is getting the scuffs repaired and polished and wood soles replaced so often. It costs a small fortune.
I buy maybe 4 pairs of dress shoes a year. They last so long there's no need to replace every style every year.
Ya'll have me beat...I feel like I am being extravagant when my dress shoes sneak into triple digits. 400 is almost rent.
ok so i got the allen edmonds (walton)..8.5D (medium width)..did not like it. i wore it to work and the toe area was very uncomfortable. i know you're supposed to break in the shoe or whatever but i didnt know how much better it was going to get. so i went back and tried the 8.5E (wider) and it didn't feel all that different. the shoe is heavy, sole is stiff and just feels cramped. salesman think the sizing is perfect but i beg to differ. ended up returning them and now the hunt is on again. i wasn't feeling the "wow" after spending $350 bucks (!!!) the most i spend on shoes is the 150 for the ecco. currently wear a $50 shoe from nordstrom rack.
I need some black dress shoes but I value comfort over style (such as if I were to walk 20 mins straight in them, I wouldn't be feeling it the next day). What's the vote for the most comfortable and long lasting? Bally? Cole Haan? What specific model? Pretty ignorant about expensive clothes, but if it lasts long I'd rather put a premium on quality over price.
the fit/comfort depends mostly on the shape of your feet.....spend some time in the stores to figure out which ones are best for u regarding durability, imo nothing compares to cordovan (horse) leather
i just thought i would try. are u saying i should venture out to other brands that has oxford styles?
In the past, I've bought some really nice deerskin Johnston & Murphy's. The quality lasts longer than the style. Now, I stick with $100 Cole Haan's (and the like). They look more stylish, and while they'll wear out sooner than the J&M's, they'll last a couple of years, and that's as long as you'll really want to wear them anyway.
You can wear pretty much anything with a chino/khaki; the trick is to get those paint tailored. Chukkas, Longwings, wingtips, loafers, plain toe lace-ups will all look good with chinos of any color.