With so many finer details that go into perfecting one's formal ensemble, we've all had the tendency to overlook some of the more important components that can make or break an outfit. While the functional purpose of a pair of shoes is quite obvious, they serve an equally important stylistic role, as well. If they don't properly match the rest of your formal attire, you could be spending your entire evening wondering why everyone is staring down at your feet rather than noticing the new tie you just purchased, fastened perfectly with a Windsor knot. In any event, your shoes should flow into the rest of your outfit rather than be markers for where your ensemble abruptly ends.

            When it comes to selecting shoes for your formal attire, the good news is that you should have plenty of options at your disposal. Depending on the type of occasion you're dressing for along with your personal preferences, there's no shortage of oxfords, derbies, loafers, monk straps, and patent-leather shoes to choose from, with various features and styles within each type. Whether you prefer the ease and comfort of an unlaced loafer or the classic distinguished look of oxfords, you'll have no problem finding footwear that suits your style.

            Even though variety abounds in the dress shoe realm, there are a few things to keep in mind from a style standpoint. At a bare minimum, your shoes should match the color of your belt, as this will provide some balance and visual symmetry to your formal ensemble. The other obvious rule to follow is that shoes meant for leisure or casual wear should not be considered for pairings with suits and tuxedos. While no one can deny the comfort and support gym shoe offer, wearing them with a suit is a faux pas that others will certainly notice.

            Like other components of formal wear, shoes, unfortunately, don't last forever; but if you maintain them well, they can come close. The longevity of your jackets, shoes, shirts, and ties all greatly depends on how you care for them over time. If you wear formal attire quite often, you're probably used to the idea of having more than a few suits in your wardrobe at any given time. Additional variety will reduce wear since you're not going to be putting on the same suit over and over again for days on end. The same relative principle also applies to your shoes.

--Wardrobe Considerations--

            While there's no magic number regarding how many pairs of shoes you should keep in your wardrobe in order to minimize premature wear, having more than one at the very least is a good start. This is a good rule to follow even if you find yourself wearing formal attire infrequently since most dress shoes can be worn for casual outings, as well. Three to four different pairs of dress shoes tend to be a happy medium, but you may want to increase this number if your profession requires formal attire on a regular basis.

Even if you're not wearing dress shoes all the time, having more at your disposal also increases your ability to vary your style. Wearing out a pair of shoes isn't exclusive to a functional context; your personal style can wear down with it if you're putting on the same shoes day after day. At the same time, you don't necessarily want to break the bank, either. If your shopping habits fall on the thriftier side of the scale, consider keeping at least one pair of oxfords, derbies, and loafers in your closet. This way, you can spread the everyday wear and tear across different pairs throughout the week rather than wearing a single pair ragged before the end of the year. Your personal style will thank you for it, too, since you're less likely to get sick of whatever is in your wardrobe when you have more of a selection to choose from. While keeping a decent number of dress shoes on rotation is a good way to increase their longevity of them, it isn't the only way to do so.

            At some point in time, your shoes will get to such a condition that they need to be replaced. This can happen in a couple of years or even decades after you purchased them, depending on how well they have been maintained over a given period of time. Soles get thinner. Leather dries out and cracks. Stitching unravels. While taking your shoes to a professional who can repair them is always an option, this can be a costly endeavor that may not be worth it in the long run unless it's a pair of shoes that is quite rare or holds some kind of priceless sentimental value. In many cases, replacing them ends up being more cost-effective in both the short term and the long term. Opting to replace an old pair rather than having them repaired will allow you to get more mileage out of your wardrobe and save you in maintenance and care down the line.

--Preventive Maintenance--

            There are things you can do yourself to keep your shoes in top-notch condition and prolong their shelf life so having to replace them becomes less of an issue.

            In spite of being sold and manufactured to this day, shoe trees are regarded as a thing of the past, if you've ever even thought about them. These simple devices developed more than 100 years ago allow your shoes to retain their shape when they're not being worn. Originally, shoe trees were made of wood and cut roughly to the shape of a foot that could be inserted into the shoe when it wasn't in use. Some models today are made of plastic, more easily adjustable, and even come with hangers so your shoes (and their respective trees) don't clutter up your closet floor. Combining the perks of keeping your shoes in their proper form and potentially saving on storage space, using shoe trees is a relatively easy and cost-effective way to prolong the lifespan of your formal footwear.

            The other unintended benefit of having some shoe trees on hand is that they can be used to hold your shoes' form while you polish them. Shining and polishing your shoes is a pretty straightforward process. Just make sure that whatever shoe polish you purchase for this purpose is compatible with the material your shoes are made out of. For dress shoes, the choice material is in most cases going to be leather. But this is not universal across the board, so it's important to double-check with the label or manufacturer when in doubt, as some polishes might be too abrasive for certain materials.

            Polishing your shoes shouldn't take too long, perhaps 10 or 20 minutes. To start, take the laces out of your shoes if there are any, and insert shoe trees into them so they hold their form. This will make the process much easier and faster. If you don't have shoe trees, using socks or newspaper as an alternative should work more or less the same way. Before you apply any polish to your shoes, brush them off thoroughly to remove any dirt and dust that has accumulated. Once your shoes look free and clear, you can then apply the polish of your choice, careful to use a cloth made from material that is non-abrasive. Most microfiber cloths will work just fine for this purpose. Once you're satisfied with how they look, let the polish dry; this usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

            How often you should polish your shoes will largely depend on how often you wear them, how they're stored, and the ambient environmental conditions in which they're worn and stored. For leather shoes, as a general rule, polishing should be done every three to six weeks in order to keep them in optimal condition. In all likelihood, you can get away with longer intervals without doing any noticeable harm to your dress shoes. But if you only polish them once a year or not at all, the leather may not last as long as it was meant to last. Gentlemen who wear dress shoes often should especially pay attention to the six-week guideline, but others who may only have to wear formal attire on occasion can afford to be a little more flexible with how frequently they polish.

            While shoes themselves tend to hold their form quite well with proper care and maintenance, shoelaces are usually the first components to wear down. Thankfully, replacing them is an easy task, and you might consider keeping some spare laces on hand and changing them out as needed. The main concern here is functionality rather than style. Even though your laces should be in good condition as they are considered to be one of the finer points in an ensemble's overall visual presentation, it's more important that your shoes actually stay on. As they are inexpensive and don't take up much space at all, there's no reason not to keep a few spares in your wardrobe.

            Since the soles of your shoes should be the only part of them touching the ground, they will all inevitably wear down over time, even with the best maintenance and storage habits. When your soles are no longer in a wearable state, you basically have two options: take them to a professional to get them repaired, or replace the shoes with new ones. There are, however, certain things you can do in order to slow down the inevitable wear. Rotating your shoes throughout the week is going to be the best form of prevention here. If possible, store your shoes in a cool, dry place where fluctuations in temperature and humidity are minimal. If you live in an area prone to excessive dust and dry weather, consider storing them in plastic to prevent debris accumulation.

            In comparison with suits, trousers, shirts, and tuxedos, maintenance considerations for dress shoes often go overlooked. The fact that keeping your shoes in good condition requires much less time than it does to launder and dry clean your clothes also means that it's an easy thing to let fall by the wayside. The first line of defense for premature wear, of course, is your own set of eyes. Paying closer attention to the condition of your shoes will allow you to maintain them as needed, so you can look like a million bucks each time you head into the office or get ready for a night on the town.