The 16 Best Dress Shoe Brands You Can Buy Online

Shop Alden at Todd Snyder Shop all Alden

In my opinion, Alden is the best shoe shopping you can do stateside. Even some of Esquire's favorite international brands—Fortela, comes to mind–love Alden. Founded in 1884 in Massachusetts, the brand has much of the same pedigree you get from bench made shoemakers in England. But, because it's made close to home, these represent a better value for American customers.

The brand is famous for its suedes, especially what it calls "Snuff." I also love Alden for cordovan, especially for something more formal or a pair of boots.

If you're not already a style guy, I'd recommend just shopping through the selection that Todd Snyder stocks. It features everything you need, but not the entire overwhelming catalog. But if you're menswear enough, just go straight through Alden. Better yet, find a location near you, and go figure out what last fits your foot the best.

Shop Cole Haan Grand Revolution

I was very surprised when our fashion team showed me these Cole Haan whole-cut oxfords. When I think Cole Haan, I think those Frankenstein dress shoe uppers with white sneaker bottoms. These are certainly not that. The Grand Revolution is a more grown up line, a new way to do that comfy dress shoe thing. Essentially, they're made to look like stacked leather (very convincingly, I might add) with a lot of foam and squish on the interior.

This whole-cut oxford is a fun, modern swerve if you already have a mainstay pair of dress shoes. But the cap toe oxfords, which are also $310, will fit more for the first-time dress shoe buyer.

For me, I see $310 and think "Well you're not that far away from Alden," or hear about comfort and think "well-made dress shoes are comfortable. But that's my menswear mind playing tricks on me. At this price we're more than half of what "good" dress shoes would cost, and to an average buyer, $300 is a real investment. If you're not a proper Esquire dandy, I think you'd do really well to buy a pair of these.

How many times do you have to hear about G.H. Bass, the true creator of the penny loafer. Though we know the price has risen, a Bass Weejun is about the most well-priced shoe you can find. Esquire editors adore this shoe. Once you get a pair broken in, it feels like a slipper, and they're easy enough to take to a cobbler for a sole repair.

As for formality, a penny loafer is not "dress" in the traditional sense, but it certainly qualifies now. For all but the most formal of occasions and suits, you'll be perfectly fine in a pair of Weejuns.

Shop Church's

If a man asked me what is the one shoe he should buy to wear with anything, it'd be a Church's Shannon derby. In this day and age, it can handle almost any formal occasion, but as a classically casual shoe, it just looks phenomenal when you dress it down. That double sole, the simplicity of the shoe—it's just a work of art.

Of course, Church's is still one of the big names from Northampton, England, so you can go there for just about anything. All its lace-ups, loafers, and boots are well worth the price. I just have to give special love to the derby.

If you are in a job or position that requires you dress up every day (or if you just like it, which is allowed), Crockett & Jones is a very good brand from which to get some very good shoes for the job. The brand makes shoes and it makes them well. The shoes—boots and dress shoes alike—have easy-to-wear modern shapes that feel updated. But they’re not trendy, really, so they’ll look great for seasons to come.

While we're on a roll of the highly regarded British shoe makers, let's talk John Lobb. The brand is another one of these founded-in-the-mid-1800s bootmakers. But I think of John Lobb as having a bit more fashion credit because Lobb was one of the first shoemakers to open a store in Paris; that happened in 1899. It's anchored in that British tradition, but it has a bit of worldliness from going international so early. You can see that in the Freddi boots, Lopez loafers, and the single cut oxfords pictured.

These oxfords are actually the Manchester Essence, a tweak on the regular Manchester because they're made with a single-cut piece of leather.

There's a lot to like in the Jimmy Choo catalog, but I'm especially smitten by these Wilder boots. The concept is simple: high heel, side zip, black leather. Rockstars have worn this for decades. This one just takes it to another level with a two-inch heal and metal detailing on the stitch. It's the ultimate rockstar boot; none else can compare.

Doc Martens for dress shoes, you say? They can be. Sure, we’re mindful of the intensely British, chunky shape, with iconic yellow stitching. It’s all done up on a decidedly informal rubber sole, and Goodyear welting is not everyone’s style. But for a man of certain age and tax bracket, the mono color styles can be dressed up. It’s a good one to try. These are cool without feeling too trendy, and they look great dressed up or down. Like any Doc, however, they will inevitably take some breaking in to get comfortable. Smooth sailing after that, though.

Chicago-based Florsheim shoes are an American office-wear classic. The company traces its story back to the 1850s, so its leather shoes have a long history of combining good construction with reasonable pricing. It’s our most recommended brand to head to if you need to wear dress shoes every day without breaking the bank. The brand makes all the classic shapes—oxford, monk, even some great dress boots—that generally cost between $115 and $140.

J.Crew has always had a sneakily good footwear selection, and it’s improved under Brendon Babenzien, though it’s still a quite small collection. The brand will make a few pairs of shoes—dress shoes, boots, maybe a sneaker—and make them well. Because there don’t tend to be a ton of options, these are easy shoes to choose. Plus, they’re designed to look good with any J.Crew-adjacent fit. Grab a derby, loafer, or oxford. Or all three.

Grenson is a British dress-shoe stalwart, and brogues are the specialty. They are expertly designed, with a consistently excellent combination of legacy craftsmanship but slightly more modern shapes and colors. Plus, Grenson introduced Goodyear welting into shoes, which we stay grateful for. They are the kind of shoes that you wear with a suit or chinos and know, in your heart of hearts, that you look damn good. The pricing varies widely depending on shoe-specific details and design.

If you think you’ve worn uncomfortable dress shoes now, just imagine what they were like before Allen Edmonds. Made with metal shanks and nails. Nothing less stylish than bleeding heels and swollen toes, right? Instead, the brand made a more comfortable cork footbed, and it has maintained that classic American style while introducing materials and designs that make any dress shoe easier to wear. The bulk of Allen Edmonds dress shoes cost around $450, although there is a more expensive Cordovan line made with Horween shell leather. And if you’re in the market, you can design your perfect dress shoe at the Allen Edmonds Custom Shoes Shop.

Shop Berluti or Shop Berluti on Mr. Porter

Shoemaking, in menswear, is dominated by British names, but I love Berluti. Started by an Italian, Signore Alessandro Berluti, in Paris in 1895, it has since become a full-service maison. But at the heart is an incredible benchmade shoe catalog, and an even more incredible bespoke service. I've seen the Berluti Paris atelier myself, and Esquire has written about the brand's leather goods. I cannot recommend anything to a higher degree. It's a special place that makes incredible shoes.

If I were to pick a single shoe to wear with a single suit for the rest of time, it would be one from George Cleverley. The shoes are impeccably designed and they look expensive (also, they are) but without being gaudy about it. You can shop the normal ready-to-wear selection, but you can also get bespoke shoes. Bespoke shoes! Nothing compares.

If any designer knows how to make classic men’s shoes infinitely more interesting, it’s Edward Green. The British brand has been making—excuse me, handmaking—shoes in Northampton, England, since 1890. The point of this story is shopping for shoes you can buy online, but I would personally be booking a trip to HQ if I’m going to ball out like this. (There is, of course, also an option for custom-made shoes.) The dress-shoe styles are always based on something classic but have some sort of detail that makes them even cooler, like a tassel or an interesting sole.

If we’re living life like we wear linen suits on Italian beaches, we’re wearing Santoni on our feet while that’s happening. The shoes are old-school but made for the modern person. The shoemaking process involves skilled hand-detailing and small-scale attention to detail that can feel rare right now. The luxury shoes are good enough to pass down.

Photographed by Florence Sullivan for Esquire

Styled by Alfonso Fernández Navas

Model: Jake Foreman