Spend entire days on your feet for work? When our job requires us to be standing all day on hard, concrete floors, they can pretty tired and sore by the evening. Furthermore, we’re often required to adhere to dress codes, which can be uncomfortable.
Fortunately, we’ve tested many a shoe to bring you the ultimate guide to the best men’s dress shoes for standing all day:
- Oxford Shoe: Wolf & Shepherd Closer
- Oxford Shoe: Beckett Simonon Dean
- Dress Boot: Wolf & Shepherd Breakaway
- Formalt Boot: Beckett Simonon Lopez
- Brogue Shoe: Allen Edmonds Strandmok
- Brogue Boot: Allen Edmonds Dalton
- Jodhpur Boot: Beckett Simonon Douglas
- Business Casual: Mephisto Cap Vert
- Brogue Shoe: Rockport DresSport Business 2
- Formal Loafer: Ecco Seattle
Looking for a particular style that’s listed above? Use the links to jump ahead or keep scrolling to read more! Additionally, we’ll talk about what features to look for that ensure comfort when on your feet all day at the end of this guide.

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- Style: Oxford Shoes
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $345 [Buy From Wolf & Shepherd]
A young albeit celebrated premium footwear brand, Wolf & Shepherd has garnered a cult following thanks to its innovative designs. On the exterior, their footwear looks like traditional dress shoes with full-grain calfskin uppers. However, the interior is a very different story.
For instance, they’re equipped with EVA heels, memory foam cushioning, lightweight PheonixTECH outsoles, and engineered support. As a result, they’re made for comfort. Although we were initially sceptical, we’ve tried enough of their shoes to realise how beneficial they are when standing all day!
"Designed with comfort in mind, the precision-crafted support and cushioning prevents sore feet when standing all day."
- Style: Oxford Shoe
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $160* [Buy From Beckett Simonon]
* With “BU20” Discount Code
Should you have a preference for traditional craftsmanship, Beckett Simonon is an alternative and more affordable brand that we would recommend instead. Indeed, Beckett Simonon shoes are benchmade in a Colombian workshop using time-tested techniques.
Beckett Simonon craft their shoes using a Blake stitch construction. Although Goodyear-welted shoes are often regarded as being a better choice, Blake stitched shoes tend to offer greater flexibility as well as a faster break-in time. Both of these are quite beneficial when on your feet all day.
- Style: Blucher Boot
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $395 [Buy On Wolf & Shepherd]
Wolf & Shepherd also produce high-quality boots, which are worth considering if the dress code permits it. Indeed, they’re produced with all the same features as their Oxford shoes. However, the boots also offer added ankle support, which is great when spending a lot of time standing.
Nevertheless, the Breakaway boot is not quite as formal. While the cap toe does add some dressiness, it can’t be worn in any formal situation. Therefore, you’ll need to consider whether it’s appropriate.
- Style: Chukka Boot
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $184* [Buy On Beckett Simonon]
* With “BU20” Discount Code
Taking inspiration from the original First World War service boot, Beckett Simonon have rendered the Chukka boot more formal. Indeed, unlike most boots in this style, the Lopez is quite a dressy option.
Constructed with the same Blake stitching and calfskin leather, it’s beautifully made and offers additional ankle support. Furthermore, the rubber outsole provides some shock absorption and a vachette lining prevents rubbing.
- Style: Brogues
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $345 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Thanks to Allen Edmonds’ own 360° Goodyear welt, the Strandmok is surprisingly cosy! Indeed, it’s considerably less stiff and quicker to break in than most other Goodyear welted shoes. Furthermore, the Dainite rubber outsole adds significant additional shock absorption with every step.
We’ve been very fond of the Strandmok ever since we reviewed it and it continues to perform well all these years later. The calfskin leather patinas beautifully and becomes effortlessly supple with time.
- Style: Brogues
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $445 [Buy From Allen Edmonds]
Brogue boots are particularly popular these days. While there are many options on the market, we’re extremely fond of the Dalton by Allen Edmonds. Like the Strandmok, they’re constructed using a 360° Goodyear welt as well as calfskin uppers.
Furthermore, they’re available in a variety of styles. You can opt for leather or Dainite soles and there’s even a model in Cordovan leather. Whatever your choice in upper, we’d insist that you opt for the Dainite soles in order to benefit from their additional comfort.
- Style: Jodhpur Boot
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $184* [Buy From Beckett Simonon]
* With Exclusive “BU20” Discount Code
Jodhpur boots are a rarity but they can be very stylish when worn well. Although we didn’t initially expect it, we were very impressed by their level of comfort. Rather than using laces, a single strap wraps around the ankle with a brass buckle.
Although your feet feel securely held in place, the buckles don’t apply too much pressure. Similarly, the uppers are quite minimalist so you don’t experience any chafing against the tongue. Consequently, they’re quite comfortable for wearing over long periods of time.
- Style: Penny Loafer
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $350 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Although we appreciate Mephisto’s quality and renowned comfort, we tend to avoid them as they’re not particularly attractive. However, the Cap Vert is certainly an exception. As penny loafers, they’re a business casual option. Therefore, we wouldn’t pair them with a suit but they’re an excellent choice when being up on your feet all the time.
The padding tongue reduces pressure points. Meanwhile, an extra soft leather lining is designed with a special Air-Relax cushioned insole for additional breathability. Therefore, they’re an excellent option in any season.
- Style: Brogues
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $110 [Buy Now On Zappos]
The DresSport Business 2 is a brand new range by Rockport that builds upon their orthotic expertise. Indeed, they’re much more attractive than their usual creations. Furthermore, they’re quite affordable too! If you were tempted by Wolf & Shepherd but didn’t have the finances, this would be a great alterantive.
However, you do exchange quality for affordability. Therefore, while they’re cheaper, they won’t quite look as elegant and may not quite last as long as Wolf & Shepherd’s shoes.
- Style: Venetian Loafer
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $130 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Ecco have a somewhat similar reputation to Mephisto in terms of aesthetics. Even if they’re more affordable, they don’t tend to be particularly attractive. That being said, the Seattle range offers an excellent balance between aesthetics and functionality.
The shoes feature a removable footbed and PU sole as well as a so-called Comfort Fibre System for improved air circulation. You can choose between laced or slip-on loafers. We’d suggest that the slip-on is a particularly good option for people who work in either hospitality, catering or even the medical sector.
Standing All Day In Dress Shoes
Whilst many of us spend our eight hours sat firmly behind a desk, which isn’t particularly healthy either, there are other professions that require being on your feet all day.
Catering, retail, security and education are but a few where you can find yourself standing for hours on end. Although standing and walking are indeed healthy activities, there gets to a point where it becomes too much.
In fact, prolonged standing is a major cause of disorders such as Plantar Fasciitis, which can become a chronic condition. Otherwise, you may suffer from sore and tired feet, which puts you out of action by the time you clock out.
Additionally, many of the professions where you’d be required to stay on your feet may also have relatively strict dress codes. As such, you’ll be obliged to remain rather formal, which rules out more comfortable footwear such as sneakers.
Dress Shoe Features For Standing All Day
Shoe brands have learned to change with the times and are now catering more and more to comfort. Once a shoe that was associated with rigidity and discomfort, many now feature characteristics more associated with athletic shoes.
From PU footbeds to EVA midsoles, we’re beginning to see a revolution in modern footwear where the traditional dress shoe is becoming a comfortable option.
However, whilst cheap dress shoes tend to skimp on quality, which can make them quite uncomfortable, the traditional construction of premium footwear can actually be quite comfortable too. Nevertheless, here are a few modern features that the best dress shoes for standing tend to feature:
- Cushioning: Cushion has been around for a long time but has only recently become serious. Originally, just a few symbolic pads were found on the heel, which didn’t do much. Today, quality shoes for standing offer deep cushion, which take pressure off the contours of your feet.
- Stability: Although best for when walking, lateral stability makes it more comfortable for standing too. This means that your feet don’t need to strain themselves to stay upright.
- Shock Absorption: Thin leather soles don’t offer much shock absorption and can become very uncomfortable over a period of time. Quality shoes tend to have thicker leather and rubber soles as well as newer materials like EVA and PU, which offer some bounce and padding when on your feet.
- Arch Support: Absolutely essential for preventing disorders like Plantar Fasciitis, arch support cups the bottom of your feet so they aren’t strained when standing. Just make sure that they match your foot shape as too much arch support can cause bruising.
- Natural Materials: Although some synthetics can breathe quite well, the best option for dress shoes still tends to be leather. This is because it works as a membrane and actually exchanges moisture. Most fake leather shoes don’t do this and the build up of sweat can cause blisters.
- Ankle Grip: Features like ankle notches or collars prevent your feet from slipping out of your shoes. This reduces friction and prevents blistering when walking.
What Next?
Now that you have read about the best men’s dress shoes for standing all day, take a look at our related footwear guides:
Good afternoon…
I wear prescription orthotics for flat feet and need both men’s dress and casual shoes that can both accommodate the orthotic and that provide ankle stability, so that my foot stays in the orthotic.
Can you provide me with any suggestions please?
Hi Joe,
If it’s dress shoes with removable footbeds that you need, you’ll find a few examples in the following guides:
https://bespokeunit.com/shoes/plantar-fasciitis/dress/
https://bespokeunit.com/shoes/flat-feet/
All the best,
CP