Holiday Parties - What To Wear??

I guess as we grow up, we stop thinking about what Christmas presents we are going to get or what's going to be under the next flap on the advent calendar and we start planning out which holiday parties we are going to grace our presence with. More importantly, we think about what we are going to wear in order to look better than everyone else at the party. Well, if your idea already involves Kenneth Coles, Steve Maddens or anything square-toed or plastic looking, you have already nominated yourself worst dresser at every party you go to! But if you are not committed to these shoe blasphemies that I stated previously, then please, allow me to enlighten on what could leave you taking the most possible compliments.

Top Row: Gaziano & Girling (both)
Bottow Row: Left - Salvatore Ferragamo; Right - Alden

What you will notice (when you get to the party) is that the most common dress shoes, purchased in America, are the standard black cap-toe and black apron-toe. These are also the two most boring shoes.....in the world! That means that if it is a dress "nice" party, most people will be wearing one of these two unless you live in Seattle where everyone still wears square-toed Kenneth Coles shoes. Because this is a simple fact, it will not be hard for you to stand out from the boring crowd. Now what I would personally do, is probably wear some dark gray or maybe navy shoes, but for the sake of simplicity, I am going to recommend that unless you are feeling bold, stick with black (or burgundy) but switch up the style of shoe. So I would say, go for either a plain toe (with or without a perforated medallion), some sort of brogue (although I would stay away from an oxford full-brogue because sometimes they can be a little 'stuffy') or a very nice dress boot (zip or chelsea). And of course, get a shine before going, because those scuff marks are not going to impress anyone!

Shoes Above: Scarpe Di Bianco (All)

Now if the parties that you will be going to are more on the casual side, there are still nice shoes that you can wear to stand out from the sneaker-wearing crowd!! For this I would say wear a dark brown leather shoe. Whether it be a saddle, brogue, boot, apron toe or even cap toe. If you can find some nice shoes that will look good with a slender set of jeans and that you could pair a sport coat, or maybe waistcoat with, you will be the best-dressed man at the party!! Good examples of this being done are HERE and HERE. Stay away from light colors though!! At holiday parties people like to get drunk and that alcohol spilled on your light colored leather, will not easily come off if it creates a stain. Now, if you think that these are all boring (dress and casual) and you would want to go a little more bold, as I might do, then try going for something along the lines of the shoes below.

Shoes Top Row: Left - Altan; Right - Markowski
Shoes Bottom Row: Left - Saion; Right - Altan

Now if you just read this, yet the type of holiday parties that you go to involve keg-stands and puking, then disregard everything I said because you are either too young or too ghetto to think twice about wearing nice stuff!