Best Affordable Style of 2017 – The Shoes

The end of the year means it’s time to hand out some awards.  No, there’re no little statues to pass along, but over the next few days we’ll still highlight some of the best in affordable men’s style from this past year.  And it was a good one. Feel free to send in additional nominations to joe@dappered.com.

 

Allen Edmonds x Massdrop Chukkas – $179.99 (2nds) – $239.99 FINAL

A personal pair with a few months of wear on them.

No, it’s not the flippin’ Nike Killshots.

Absurdly soft suede (like I had never felt). Made in the USA. Goodyear welted. And thanks to a sole that’s slim, they’re super easy to dress up or down. Heck, you can even easily wear them in the dead of summer.

Is $240 cheap? No. But the materials and construction add up to make these a luxury shoe at a more than reasonable price.

Now, some buyers reported quality control issues. But many of us received chukkas so nice we bought em’ twice. As in, we bought them in another color when Massdrop put these shoes up for a 2nd and even 3rd drop as the months of 2017 ticked by.

Three shades, multiple drops.

In December Massdrop even launched a drop for the Factory 2nds that were destined to be produced by those multiple production runs. So if $240 was too steep for you, an opportunity to pick up a scuffed or nicked pair for much less materialized later on.

Massdrop got on a nice roll in 2017, and these Chukkas from Allen Edmonds was a big reason why. Nobody knows what’s in store for 2018, but repeating the chukka drop and/or adding another Allen Edmonds x Massdrop exclusive collaboration would make many of us very, very happy.

Also Receiving Votes: Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers (far superior to Killshots, even with the recent price hike by Adidas from $60 direct to $75), Banana Republic’s Made in Spain Goodyear Welted Wingtips, pretty much anything had on a deep discount via the Allen Edmonds Factory 2nds Shoebank Website, H&M’s made in Portugal suede “Premium Quality” line, J. Crew’s Goodyear Welted Kenton Boot Line, Nordstrom’s 1901 line of house-brand shoes.