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Comment by dbatten | Hacker News Reader

My solution to this with shoes was to start buying really high-quality shoes. Bought some Red Wing Heritage chukka boots that look nice with jeans and business casual attire. I've been wearing them every day at work for over two years now, and they look like they're barely broken in. I expect them to last for a _very_ long time, especially since I can get them re-soled when the soles wear out (which they're nowhere close to).

Did a similar thing with Allen Edmonds dress shoes. Yes, they were expensive initially, but given how little I wear dress shoes, I wouldn't be surprised if they last me the rest of my life.

Now if only I could find a solution for clothing...

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I got a pair of clarks desert boots a couple of years ago and they've lasted ages even though I'm tall and heavy. I thought the crepe soles might wear down quickly but they're still good. I usually have real trouble with soles as I walk almost everywhere and they wear down quickly on cheaper shoes.

Here in the UK, CDBs are £80 vs the £200 you're talking about (or $70 vs $170 that I can see on amazon.com).

Basically avoid really cheap, but you don't have to go to $200 though.

Also, we seem to be in a weird spot fashion wise right now. Hipster fashion doesn't seem to be fading. Reddit's MFA (male fashion advice) was recommending chukka boots and white trainers like 6 years ago and we're still there, same with skinny suits, etc.

Fashion, while apparently highly disposable for women, seems to have stabilized for men. MFA talk about "timeless" pieces, but in reality wearing chukkas, white trainers or slim suits in the 90s or early 2000s would have made you look like a plonker. When I was young Doc Martins were cool, then they weren't, now they kinda are again? I also remember Hush Puppies with a particular look were cool that really aren't today.

Same with dress shoes too, black, square fronted dress shoes were considered good, while pointy brown dress shoes were incredibly old fashioned. Now it's the other way around.

CDBs are the only shoes I've ever worn through the sole of. I wore them the great regularity for 2 years. Rest of the shoe is still fine. Clarks are definitely worth the extra cash.

That said, those crepe soles are like ice skates in the wet...

the D stands for desert after all! :-)

Yes, that is their downside!

Men's fashion just moves at a much slower pace than women's, and things that are sort of out of style are okay for a much longer period.

CBDs and white shoes are definitely on their way out, but it will take years for that to happen, whereas women's fashion changes very quickly.

Source: wife works in production for both men's and women's fashion.

What drives those changes ? And why do they change differently ?

My wife and I have discussed this before and never come to a satisfying conclusion. Best brief answer I've got is that the phenomena is rooted in historical/cultural uses of clothes, involving practicality/conformity for men, and more ornamentation for women (not drawing a judgement here, just considering the last 100-200 years in Western culture).

I'm still of the opinion that skinny suits make anyone over the age of 30 look like a plonker. And I'm seeing double-breasted make a come back, paired with pleated trousers. Haven't seen pleats on pants in twenty years. Men's fashion moves really slowly.

>Did a similar thing with Allen Edmonds dress shoes. Yes, they were expensive initially, but given how little I wear dress shoes, I wouldn't be surprised if they last me the rest of my life.

The average person is probably better off just buying a 30 dollar pair at Target and putting 470 bucks into the stock-market.

Depends what you're going for. Maximizing your financial returns? Possibly.

Not dealing with the hassle of shoe-shopping every 6 months? Totally worth the money.

And time is money too.

Also, get factory seconds and you'll pay WAY less than $500 for a good pair of shoes. I think it was $~200 for me.

How many 30-dollar pairs would such a person have to buy compared to the person who invests in quality upfront? In addition to a quality shoe, it probably also helps to find a competent cobbler who can keep the shoes in good repair to extend their lifetime.

By my back of the envelop calculation, as long as its less than 25 shoes over 10 years, stock market is the winner.

Where Allen Edmond shoes are the real winner is compared to the shoes a level or two below them. Like Cole Haan. They last a lot longer but only cost twice as much.

My 30 dollar dress shoes have lasted 15 years, since I rarely wear casual dress shoes.

> Did a similar thing with Allen Edmonds dress shoes. Yes, they were expensive initially, but given how little I wear dress shoes, I wouldn't be surprised if they last me the rest of my life.

Allen Edmonds are my beater/non-fashion oxfords. I'm going on year five of near-daily wear with them.

They'll last you forever.

Leather soles don't last forever, unless you only ever wear them indoors. If you live wear it rains or walk on sidewalks a lot, nice leather soles will last less than rubber soles. Also, you probably won't want to resole more than 1-3 times. I love my nice dress shoes but lets not pretend that they are worth it purely on longevity.

You can get rubber soles on Allen Edmonds, even their dress shoes. Dainite soles are pretty durable and don't mind the wet.

There is a solution for clothing along the same path as the one you took when you bought your Allens. Tailor made clothes. There are even online shops where you send your measurements and they make bespoke shirts that always fit like a glove. Of course if you're into tshirts and the likes things are more complicated.

I'd love a service like this for denim jeans

Also bought a pair of Redwings for everyday wear almost two years ago, but I went with Iron Rangers since they're easy to pass off as (really, really nice) women's granny boots (that can take a beating). They look great with skater skirts and knee high socks/leg warmers! Which is the core of my usual uniform. I adore them.

Except mine DEFINITELY look a little aged on account of all the daily romps in the woods I do, lots of mud and wet grass. Most other shoes would've been long destroyed by now, though (looking at you, Doc Martens "fashion" boots).

I'd suggest getting some mink oil. Use it whenever the leather looks dry, which seems to happen whenever mine has mud dry on them.

I bought a set of Red Wing Postmans after I started regularly walking home from work—the three-mile walk was tearing through shoes, and causing issues with my feet. After breaking in the Postmans, my foot pain went away, and the shoes are in excellent condition after a couple of years (haven't even resoled them yet!).

I've had less luck with my AE dress shoes, but I think I'm being too harsh on the leather soles.

+1 for Red Wings

I got a pair of their work boots (1412, specifically) five years ago. I've worn them pretty much every day since then, and they're still perfectly usable.

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