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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DizzyG who wrote (665903)	12/22/2004 11:48:58 AM
From: tonto	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

Kenneth made a big deal out of his $200 pair of shoes and having a fax in his office. Very good shoes cost much more: Whatever the origin, a good pair of high-end men's dress shoes usually starts around $350. As with comparing a pricey bespoke suit to an inexpensive off-the-rack number, high-end and low-end shoes are worlds apart, despite the basic similarities. Fit is the most basic difference. A well-made suit fits the wearer perfectly. The quality of the material is equally important, and if you don't think so, hold a Savile Row suit next to something from Men's Wearhouse sometime and you'll see it immediately. Last is durability. With proper care, a good suit, and a good pair of shoes, can last for years, if not generations, making it the more cost-effective buy over time. There is also more variation to men's shoes than many people might think. Sure, there are the basic black Oxfords and penny loafers, but there is also a wide range of other styles, colors and hides that can suit any professional or social situation. Image consultant Solomon, for instance, recommends a lace-up cap toe with a few embellishments for the office; a "fabulous" slip-on with a clean front for the same; a monk-strap that's slightly more casual for Fridays or at the yacht club on the weekend; and another equally casual cap toe for the same. As for color, it's two blacks for the office, a burgundy or ox-blood for one of the semi-casuals, and a honey or cognac for the other one. "Stay away from brown, which is just not versatile," adds Solomon, echoing Frank Zappa's classic admonishment: brown shoes don't make it. "Otherwise, if you have great belts to go with your shoes in all these colors, you've increased your wardrobe multifold." To start you down the path of sartorial shoe splendor, we've selected nine shoemakers that will help you put your best foot forward. They range in price from $360 to $1,000-plus; in manufacturing from custom-made to factory produced; and in style from edgy contemporary to classically traditional. And they're all ready for stepping out. forbes.com