The average guy owns upward of a dozen different types of shoes, but do you have the essentials covered? No matter what type of work you’re in, or what you find yourself doing on a daily basis, having a wide range of different types of shoes to wear will go a long way toward ensuring that you’re dressed properly for any situation that you find yourself in.
Far too many men stock their closet with a half dozen pairs of the same type of shoe, and that’s a serious problem. You need a little diversity in your life! Below you’ll find seven shoes that should be sitting in your closet today. How many of them do you have already?

Dark Brown Oxford

The dark brown oxford is a staple of the office, and one item that every man should have at least one pair of. Not only do they go great with a suit, but they can just as easily dress down as well. When the temperature drops, you can also pick up a dark brown boot version of the oxford, which retains the classic cap-toe look, but gives you added warmth in the winter months.

Slim Black Oxford

The slim black oxford is another staple of the business world, but the great part about either the shoe or boot version of this classic piece of footwear is that you can also use it as a substitute for the patent leather shoes that you traditionally wear with a tuxedo. Not only will they be just as good looking with a tux, but you’ll get more use out of them than just the few times in your life where you need to wear a tuxedo. Just make sure to get them polished regularly.

Casual Work Boot

The casual work boot is an extremely important boot that is often overlooked by guys who are trying to up their style. After all, why would the average office worker need a casual work boot? The easy answer to this is for all the times where you’re going to get a little dirty or you need something that will keep your feet protected in inclement weather. Not only will a good casual work boot look better in those situations, but having a good pair of work boots will help you save your other shoes and boots from unnecessary damage during a rainy day or a weekend of work that necessitates wearing boots.

Chelsea Boot

The Chelsea boot is a great one to wear when the temperature drops, but when you still need something to wear that looks good in the office. These boots are laceless, so they are much better at keeping your feet and ankles warm, and you can find many great looking Chelsea boots that integrate modern soles, so they’re also extremely comfortable as well. Chelsea boots pair well with business casual clothing like jeans and cords.

Chukka’s

The Chukka, or Desert Boot, is a staple of hipster culture across the country, but it also finds its way into the closets of many men because of its classic looks and casual attitude. The latest trend is to get Chukkas in a softer material like suede, but having a leather Chukkas is a far better long-term decision. The leather Chukka is a classic, and one that can stand up to a surprising amount of punishment. You should pair these boots with a nice pair of jeans for a night out on the town.

Dress Boots

Dress boots can mean a lot of different things to a lot of people, but the general idea here is to have something that is very distinctive, but which you only wear for special occasions. In the South, this might be a nice pair of cowboy boots, and in the northern part of the country you might opt for a pair of wingtip boots. The key is to make them distinctive and a truly special part of your wardrobe.

Rugged Work Boot

Unlike the casual boot mentioned above, there are some situations that call for a serious piece of footwear that you can put into almost any situation that you find yourself in. Having a rugged work boot is less about style than it is about keeping yourself safe, but that doesn’t mean that they have to look bad. You can find plenty of work boots that look great, but that fit the rugged boot criteria. What exactly is that criteria you ask? You should be looking for a rugged boot that is waterproof, has a steel toe, and that has safety ratings for electrical shock and other hazards. The reason that we separate casual work boots from ruggedized ones is that the safety additions to many rugged boots give them less freedom of movement than more casual boots, and make them less comfortable. That being said, there are some situations which call for a greater emphasis on safety than on comfort.

Which boots described above are in your closet already? Which do you need to invest in sooner than later? Let us know in the comments.

7 Leather Shoes Every Man Should Own – High Street Gent