SHOES EVERY MAN SHOULD OWN

Just as Batman needs batarangs, smoke pellets and a grapple gun to get through the daily grind of beating up bad guys, a man of style should have an arsenal of proper shoes to take him through his week, whatever it may involve. Think of them as items for your sartorial utility belt. The styles should a) veer from formal (Oxfords) to casual (driving moccasins); b) come in different materials, and shades of leather; c) hail from a variety of shoemakers and d) have soles that are appropriate for all weather conditions. We do not view the list below as exhaustive, merely an elegant foundation. If properly cared for, it is not uncommon for the hard-soled shoes on this list to last 15 years, so we have erred on the side of timelessness when it comes to the styles selected.

Just like shortbread, whisky (well, at least the kind without the “e”) and Sir Sean Connery, brogues are a Scottish creation that have proved popular the world over. The term “brogue” is more about the decoration on a shoe rather than its cut, referring to the way that the surface is punctured and stitched to form a pattern. Originally developed for outdoor use, the distinctive perforations were designed to allow water to drain out of the shoes. Wing tips, such as these from George Cleverley, are a flash member of the brogue family, thanks to a decorative detail on the toe. Cleverley was the shoemaker of choice for Sir Winston Churchill and Mr Charlie Watts. And like the latter’s drum backbeat, these are quietly powerful, yet have a jazzy flair.