25 Best Dress Shoe Brands For Work, Weddings & Formal Occasions

Born in 1928 on the streets of Melbourne, Julius Marlow has a rich history of quality shoemaking and has long been the go-to choice for Aussie men in the know.

The thing that’s always made Julius Marlow shoes so unique is how they combine classic bootmaking and dress shoe aesthetics with cutting-edge, ergonomic yet discreet innovations which make their shoes easy to live with and make looking premium look easy, such as their Crystal Sole and O2 Motion technologies.

Julius Marlow are mostly known for their Oxford shoes but you’ll also find plenty of loafers, Derbys and other styles in their range.

Founded way back in 1876, GH Bass has remained committed to producing a huge range of shoes that encompass both classic designs and styles along with good-looking pairs that are a little bit more ‘out there’. The best thing about GH Bass, however, is how well their shoes are priced.

If loafers are what you’re after, then you’ve come to the right place, with nearly 100 pairs to choose from. You will find a few pairs of Oxfords and other lace-ups, but for slip supremacy, there’s nowhere better to go.

Think formal attire and you can’t really skip past Hugo Boss. The high-end German menswear brand is somewhat synonymous with formal dress, with its suits being among some of the best in the business.

Why stop there? the design team asked. Why not outfit guys from head to toe in Hugo Boss? That’s exactly what you can do with the brand’s considered footwear collection. Derbies and Oxfords dominate the lineup, with both styles being offered in various shades of brown and black, and for those who want to inject some alternative style, you’ll find chunky sole variants too.

Scarosso is an Italian manufacturer of leather dress shoes for men that manages to sell pairs for less than you might expect thanks to a direct-to-consumer sales model. The company encompasses all the major dress shoe styles, from Oxfords to Derbys to loafers and monk straps, and with all pairs being handmade and incorporating a variety of construction methods, including both Blake and Goodyear welts, along with a combination of the two, you can be sure of a long-lasting pair that will look good for years to come.

Born in America in 1922, Allen Edmonds decided to employ some new shoemaking techniques in a bid to create even more comfortable dress shoes for men. This saw the company do away with nails of any kind, as well as the metal bar that many other companies use under the instep.

The decision continues to prove to be a successful one, with many claiming Allen Edmonds shoes to be incredibly comfortable. You’ll find a range of styles and designs within the company’s range, including Boulevard Cap and Wingtip Oxfords, along with a multitude of colours that will work with any suits you have in your wardrobe.

American footwear giant Cole Haan is in the business of providing everyone with the perfect pair of shoes. With many pairs being available in extended sizes, widths, and all pairs being ready to wear right from the off with no real break-in period required, they’re proof you don’t need to resort to centuries-old brands for great quality men’s dress shoes.

British fashion label Reiss nestles neatly in the space between high-street fast fashion and truly high-end designer, offering guys an affordable premium collection of clothes, accessories and footwear that favours neutral tones and plain designs across formal and casual pieces.

Reiss’ dress shoe range isn’t the largest ever, and you won’t find any Oxfords, but instead, you’ll be able to choose from Derbies, loafers and plenty of monk straps, all of which use high-quality leather and are made in Italy.

A name heavily associated with all things business and formal is Charles Tyrwhitt. The British label was founded on London’s Jermyn Street and has since become a force to be reckoned with within the dress shirt space.

Charles Tyrwhitt also has a generous selection of dress shoes for men to match, ticking off all major styles. Goodyear welted soles feature across much of the range, as do both leather and suede.

British luxury clothing brand Ted Baker has asserted its place within the fashion sphere through predominantly word of mouth, since they don’t really do advertising. Ted Baker aims to inject humour into its pieces, along with other quirks such as coloured laces or interesting patterns and prints.

Ted’s dress shoe range encompasses all your classic styles including loafers, Derbies, brogues, Oxfords and various styles of boots, many of which introduce subtle pops of colour, lending them to being versatile enough to be worn for semi-formal and formal events.

When you’re an official supplier of footwear to the US Presidents, then you must be doing something right. That’s certainly the case for Johnston & Murphy, a footwear and clothing company that can have its history traced back to 1850. In the 170 years since, Johnston & Murphy has continued to produce high-quality shoes made using traditional techniques that will be guaranteed to last you countless wears.

While J&M does blur the lines between formal and casual for its main shoe collection, the company also has a range of dress classics, which comprises several pairs of Oxfords in various colours. The company’s XC4 range (which is performance focused) also encomapsses pairs that can be worn in more formal situations.

Not just a supplier of shirts and chinos to preppy college boys, J. Crew completes the outfit with its own range of footwear. Select collections are made in collaboration with other well-known footwear brands, but J. Crew’s solo efforts are equally appealing.

The dress shoe range is made up of a fair number of loafers which lend themselves to being worn with more semi-formal and business-casual outfits too, alongside Derbies, that can be resoled in the future thanks to their Goodyear welt construction and well-fitting thanks to a generous selection of sizes.

Doucal’s is something of a revelation within the men’s dress shoe industry. The Italian company was only founded in 1973, meaning several of its peers have at least 100 years head start, yet the brand has already cemented itself as one of the big players for men seeking formal footwear everywhere. Doucal’s secret is combining the quality and comfort of Italian leather, but using it to create shoes in an unmistakably British way. After all, it’s the Brits who have really put their stamp on the luxury footwear scene, and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

Doucal’s shoe range encompasses all the major styles and colours, and offers select pairs with varying heights of heel to help you achieve the perfect look for you.

Swedish footwear brand Myrqvist employs a direct-to-consumer approach so that it can offer customers handcrafted dress shoes for men for a much more affordable price compared to its competitors. Leather and suede are sourced from France and the UK respectively, and all shoes are put together in Portugal.

All dress shoe styles are catered for in Myrqvist’s collections, with both leather and suede used across the ranges. In some instances, you can even customise the sole to be either full leather or half-leather and half-rubber.

German footwear brand Lloyd was founded in 1905, setting up a factory in Sulingen, where it remains today. Each pair of Lloyd shoes is distinguished by a red stripe found on the bottom of the heel, a mark they have adorned since 1968. While Lloyd shoes aren’t all produced by hand, they do at least get seen by real hands for the finishing process. However, the factory production method allows them to not only produce a varied and extensive range but also allows them to be much more affordable than some other brands on this list.

You can still be confident of a well-made pair of Oxfords or Derbies if you invest in this brand as Lloyd is keen to uphold its years-long reputation for being a manufacturer of choice for businessmen the world over.

This Marjorca-based shoemaker has been producing its eclectic range of dress shoes for men on the island since 1866. The fact the company is still going strong today should tell you all you need to know about the quality of the shoes that walk out of the factory. Carmina is dedicated to sourcing the finest quality leathers to use for all of its handcrafted shoes and as a strong supporter of the Goodyear welt, Carmina shoes will last you for many, many miles.

Grenson was founded in the same year as Carmina, albeit in Northamptonshire, England. Although Grenson didn’t adopt its company name until 1913, by then it was already well established and, like Carmina, was known for its commitment to using the Goodyear welt construction method, resulting in durable dress shoes for men that offered style and substance in spades. Grenson remains synonymous with luxury and quality today and is best known for its use of brogue detailing across shoes and boots. In fact, it’s hard to find a pair of Grenson shoes without the detailing, so if it’s a formal pair of men’s dress shoes that can be worn casually with jeans and a blazer you’re after, Grenson is a tough brand to beat.

Another prestigious shoemaker to hail from Northamptonshire is Crockett & Jones. The English company, like others on this list, has an illustrious history in the shoemaking game, having been founded in 1879. C&J specialises in Goodyear welted footwear and in a bid to retain its high-quality craftsmanship and reputation, remains family-owned to this day.

Crockett & Jones has been the official boot supplier to the British Army during WWI and has been on the receiving end of a few awards direct from the British Monarchy. With a number of boutiques in high-end fashion destinations including London and Paris, C&J represents the absolute pinnacle in quality.

Paul Smith is a British brand that can be consistently relied upon when it comes to quintessential British sartorial style. Whether it be suits, shirts or shoes, Paul Smith has you covered for all bases. Paul’s dress shoe range includes Oxford and Derbies and with them, you can expect 100 per cent leather and comfort guaranteed.

Italian luxury footwear brand Tod’s is perhaps best known for its range of high-end suede driving shoes and loafers, making it the go-to company for summer-orientated footwear. Did someone say sprezzatura?

Also muscling its way into Northamptonshire-based luxury shoemaking is Edward Green. Edward’s shoes were favoured by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and the Duke of Windsor shortly after the company found its footing in 1890.

The company remains in northern England today and produces around 350 pairs of shoes a week. It might not sound like many, but considering they’re all handcrafted proves just how much time goes into creating each individual pair. Edward Green also prides itself on its lasts (the ‘mould’ for want of a better word, that each pair is based on) as they offer unique profiles and supreme comfort. You’ll find pairs encompassing the Oxford style, double and single monk straps and even whole-cut shoes, which are made from a single piece of leather. Fancy.

Church’s is certainly one of the more famous shoemaking companies to come from Northampton, and, likes its peers, was founded in the late 1800s. The company initially had workers producing shoes from their own homes before finally bringing production under one roof, and the company really found its footing when it launched an ‘Adaptive’ collection of shoes that offered customers the chance to essentially customise their dress shoes in various widths, materials and even half-sizes (something not offered by most other rival manufacturers).

Today, the company continues to exude luxury, with all of their dress shoes for men being put together by hand using soft and supple leathers, Goodyear welts and lasts that have quite literally stood the test of time. If you have a pair of Church’s in your dress shoe collection then you can confidently claim to be at the top of your footwear game.

Another brand sitting at the top end of the budget spectrum is John Lobb, but there’s a good reason for it. The British company, which started life (and is still best known for) as a boot maker before expanding into dress shoes for men too, is a true master of its craft. Minute details on every pair of shoes, such as seamless back pieces and whole cut quarters only add to their luxurious nature, not to mention the use of Goodyear welts and hand-finished touches all over to leave you with a pair of shoes that will last numerous wears.

John Lobb not only has pairs of shoes covering Oxfords, monk straps, loafers and Derbys, but also offers a bespoke service, allowing you to order a pair of shoes that are cut to fit your exact dimensions.

Founded in 2014, TAFT is a men’s footwear brand specialising in unique, bold shoe designs. TAFT shoes are produced in Spain and Portugal with premium textiles ranging from suiting wool, to woven upholstery fabric, to Charles F. Stead leather. Meticulous in their work, intentional in their designs, and obsessive over what makes the cut, TAFT has become well-known for their extremely well-made unique men’s shoes.

TAFT has a huge range of extremely well crafted dress shoes for men, all made with premium leather, in a variety of unique styles that’ll make you stand out in a crowd.

Founded in 2013, Jack Erwin was launched with one sole purpose: to create truly timeless men’s shoes. Partnering with the finest factories and artisans in the world, creating custom styles, and eliminating costly markups and middlemen that drive up the costs of other quality men’s dress shoes, Jack Erwin produces some of the best men’s footwear available that’s surprisingly affordable.

Modern yet timeless, Jack Erwin has a huge selection of dress shoes for men that are refined, precise, and unadorned for an extremely reasonable price.

Founded in 2012, Ace Marks believes that men shouldn’t have to spend obscene amounts for a handcrafted world-class shoe. Using modern technology, to cut out middlemen and their markups, Ace Marks can directly deliver cleverly contemporary, utterly luxurious shoes (which rival those of the top luxury brands) all at an attainable price.

With a huge range of dress shoes for men – and with every style from monk straps to oxfords on offer – you’re sure to not only feel comfortable but also make a lavish powerful statement when rocking a pair of Ace Marks’ men’s dress shoes.