Robb Recommends: The Armoury’s Latest Dress Shoe Delivers Style and All-Day Comfort
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Robb Report may receive an affiliate commission.
Welcome to Robb Recommends, a regular series in which our editors and contributors endorse something they’ve tried and loved—and think will change your life for the better.
More from Robb Report
The 10 Best Boonie Hats for Men to Wear This Summer and Beyond
The 10 Best Floating Shelves for Showcasing Books, Spices, and Everything in Between
Robb Recommends: This No-Fuss Ice Cream Maker Creates Delicious Frozen Magic Without Any Hassle
Something has gone very wrong with dress shoes in America.
From the after-work happy hour to the halls of power, men are increasingly spotted in unsightly hybrids that join a “dressy” leather upper to a sneaker-style outsole, resulting in a Frankenstein’s monster that’s neither appropriately formal nor casual.
The defense for these footwear faux pas is that they’re comfortable. Fair enough. But you don’t need a white rubber cupsole or memory foam injections to make standing in a dress shoe all day tolerable. What you need is the right last.
That’s where The Armoury’s Berkeley captoe Oxford comes in. Designed in collaboration with Simon Bolzoni of the bespoke English footwear brand Canons, the new style is as classic as an Oxford comes, with a close Goodyear welt that will allow it to be resoled in the future.
The Armoury Berkeley Captoe Oxford
But its most distinct feature may also be its most subtle. The Northampton-made shoe is built on the FS05 last with a rounded toe and a wider forefoot, affording extra room without looking orthopedic. It’s a particular godsend for someone like me, whose spade-shaped feet tend to be pinched by the faintest taper or chisel. Relatedly, its still-sleek profile and the soft rounding of its toe make it a match for any wedding, funeral, or unforeseen court appearance, while keeping it less “dandyish” than the aggressively sculpted footwear that proliferates from other makers.
In other words, it’s a living, breathing example of that hoariest of clichés: “the one dress shoe you need in your closet.” But some clichés persist for a reason.
Best of Robb Report
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
