The 5 Best Dress Shoes You Need to Know in 2022

Last Updated 22nd February 2022

In the world of modern fashion, formal footwear can be extremely confusing and frustrating to navigate – especially given the rise in popularity of sneakers, sliders and even Crocs over the past few years we’ve spent in leisurewear, dressing only our top half for work and forgetting about the realms below the waist (looking at your working-from-homers!) and effectively leaving the shoes once associated with the drudgery of your 9-5 null and void.

However, we’re now returning to quote-unquote “normal” those occasions that make dress shoes necessary are also making their return, but that doesn’t mean that previously felt confusion and frustration has to come alongside. What previously made dress shoes seem dull, boring or a simple stalwart of your workwear or occasion wear collection has been eradicated by incredibly compelling craftmanship and stunning designs that have us reaching for these over reams of other footwear options.

Which brings us to our next port of call, what is actually meant by “dress shoes” in 2022? Oxford shoes and brogues certainly still fit the bill. But how about boots? Are bold colours acceptable? Can I wear them with something other than suits? In short, the answer is yes. And now with people making a return to the world of office work and an influx of rescheduled weddings soon to be flooding your calendar, there’ll be no shortage of dress shoe necessities in 2022. But regardless of events dressing, in the age of mixing and matching what was traditionally smart with casual you’ll never be without reason to wear a pair of so-called dress shoes – which is why every man should wear at least one pair. So here are our top 5 dress shoes you need to know in 2022.

Known for their signature and now-ornamental puncture marks, that were once a design function that allowed water to drain out when used to trudge through Irish bogs, brogues are a key mainstay of any formal footwear collection. The Goor Black Brogues are a fail-safe place to start if you’re looking for a dress shoe that’s best known for its versatility, pairing perfectly with almost anything you can think of. Suits? Check. Chinos? Check. Even jeans? Check!

Not sure black is for you? Then tan is a great choice too! Pairing better with hues of blue such as navy suits, dark wash jeans and navy chinos, the Goor Tan & Navy Brogues are much easier to dress down into a more casual style outfit since they give off a less formal air than their black leather counterpart.

Oxford shoes are yet another dress shoe that’s stood very much at the forefront of men's formal footwear, having the most recognisable dress shoe structure around so if you’re going to add only one shoe to your closet, make it an Oxford. It’s a style that can go with pretty much all of your formal options, so you’ll never be caught short for a big event that requires you to throw on your best suit. Whilst still showing the classic V shaped leather that stretches down your instep towards your toe, the Goor Grey Toe Cap Oxford Shoes offer something a little extra to catch an eye or two with its alternative grey colouring that's seldom seen in the realms of formal dressing.

When the situation arises where the occasion calls for the formality of a dress shoe, but the elements have other things in mind, a dress boot is a great avenue to venture down. There’s nothing worse than standing all day at an event or work with soggy socks after stepping in a deceptively deep puddle on your travels. Avoid that completely by investing in a pair of Romers Brown Leather Boots a classic derby structure with a hint of something different thanks to the element of chunky padding that wraps around the ankle, the zip detailing on the inner side and a lightweight, yet protective, sole that is well engineered to tackle whatever Mother Nature has in store. Made from a darker brown leather that’ll sit nicely under a tweed-weight pair of suit trousers or rolled cuff chinos alike, which is way better than letting your feet simply brave the wet and cold every single time.

Already someone who wears dress shoes on the regular and are looking for something a little bit different to what you’re used to? Enter, the Goor Blue Brogues. Maintaining the aforementioned brogue structure, these electric blue beauties well and truly push the boat out when it comes to wild formal footwear. Not necessarily appropriate for every single formal setting you may visit, but a brilliant choice for when you’re looking to up your footwear game for a more relaxed, but still smart, scenario.