new shoes - which brands to start with?

[jclin10]

Hi all
I haven't purchased new shoes in years, mostly because dress habits have changed to less formal and I had a change in job to something with more casual dress. But now, I need to get some shoes and the "fashion" shoes that I've owned like Lanvin and Saint Laurent just aren't as durable or comfortable as I need.
I'm happy to invest in good shoes if they last and remain comfortable for the next 8-12 years (or more). I'm an E width, need some arch support and a good sole. I also happen to live in New York where we have an abundance of high-end shoe stores. I don't want anything old and stuffy, but I also don't want anything too fashiony that will look outdated in 5 years.
Any recommendations on brands to start with? I happened to try Bontoni at Bergdorf Goodman, which were quite comfortable, though they didn't have the style that I was looking for. I've seen some nice Tom Ford shoes, but those seem narrow and my guess is that the quality isn't as good as one might expect given the price.
Thanks in advance!

 

[paxonus]

Carmina is popular here. They have stores in NY as well as an outlet.

 

[epsilon22]

Go to Leffot, the owner is quite helpful with questions about fit and styling.

 

[jclin10]

Thanks all!

 

[jazznpool]

Thanks all!

I’d suggest buying quality rather than quantity and learning to properly care for fine footwear (if you don’t already know how). Classic shoes and boots are always in style. Edward Green, Gaziano & Girling and Crockett & Jones are the ready to wear brands I like the most. Finding lasts that work for you within brands is critical to comfort and satisfaction. Good luck with your footwear journey.

 

[William Kazak]

Go to Leffot, the owner is quite helpful with questions about fit and styling.

Good recommendation. I remember a small shop in Hammond, Indiana. The owner was very personable and I was blessed by his advice. Later in life, Church's in Chicago. It was a store front on Wabash. I would stop in whenever I was in town. Over the years, their advice and showing me their stock, measuring my feet resulted in my gratitude. I have a number of their shoes even now. Quality. Polish and condition occasionally.

 

[ZRH1]

I second to buy fewer shoes but from a better brand. I started with C&J, dabbled into "SF" brands like TLB Mallorca, Scafora, Meccariello, St. Crispins and Sons Of Henry, but ultimatively I am sticking with EG only. Note: Meccariello has astonishingly good leather and St. Crispin was beautifully made, but both did not fit me.

 

[Ypuh]

The recommendations above are pretty expensive (to me at least). I'm not sure what your budget is, but would already consider C&J a premium brand (it's about the midrange sweet-spot for higher end GYW footwear).

I could also suggest Loake, Carlos Santos, Meermin, TLB Mallorca, Carmina, Barker, Sanders & Sanders, Allen Edmonds, but most of those brands leave a few things to be desired. With C&J you take most of the guessing/luck of the draw out of the equation and should receive a nicely lasted, well finished, high quality product. The top brands (EG, G&G, JL) offer a premium on top of that, but my suggestion would be to build up to that level so you may appreciate the differences more.

I'm also for quality over quantity (which is a bit of lie honestly, as many of us do both), but you do need some time to discover your preferred style and last, so I would expect some fitting/buying/selling to get this right.