OV9

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:16 pm**

OV9. The thrill of work shoes conversations.

I was always told you should never skimp on anything that puts you in contact with the ground: shoes, matresses and tires. Alas, being a nerd and being constantly reminded fashion isn't my strong point

I struggle to really give a shit about good shoes.

For me, £50 was always "decent" and £80-£100 was "saved for best" - might be a bit outdated, as a conversation about work shoes on another forum (not PH, but equally London-centric) had people turning up their nose at anything <£100, and £150 was where it was at to start for something that actually lasts. My working class roots don't let me spend that much.

M&S were my usual, but they've let me down recently....so recommendations are welcome.

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:30 pm**

I try to keep it in the £80-150 range, but am quite limited by having size 14 feet, not many options, often quite expensive.

£80-100 isn't unreasonable, when a decent pair of (VAT exempt) kids shoes easily cost half that.

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:41 pm**

i wear trainers to work…

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:50 pm**

Current pair are £10

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:55 pm**

Take the below with a pinch of salt as someone who works in the City and therefore fully realise it is not "typical"...

I would say Barkers are a good entry into Northamptonshire formal shoes. They look to be c.£200 now but I think commonly on discount (see https://herringshoes.co.uk/products/bar ... qEEALw_wcB for example) and in the budget your talking about probably don't have any competitor.

Prices overall have spiralled ridiculously in the last 10 years. Years ago I would generally buy Church's on seasonal discount and I think would generally have been mid to high £200s. I would have them resoled at the factory for I think £70 and I believe two pairs got me pretty much 3 years of daily wear. Then they went nuts and re-priced the same shoes for £700 and looking again now they're actually now £900

After that I switched to Crocket and Jones which are c. £500 but again buy when they're on discount post Xmas at c.£300. Quite topically I've misplaced the pair I wear daily in the house move and have dug some Church's out the cupboard complete with holes in the soles. Annoyingly they are better than the C&J pair which is very annoying as I'm not spending what they now retail for out of principle.

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:04 pm**

Like most “blokes”

£50 or so for trainers
£50 each for a pair of Black and Brown dress shoes

But

£300 for hiking boots
£150 for hiking shoes
£150 for Golf Shoes

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:09 pm**

Trainers seem to be about £100, but last years and years. I’m weirdly fussy about what I like, so I’ve bought three pairs in the last 6 months but probably won’t buy any more for about 5 years.

Work shoes are some all black Nikes which were about £50.

I have one smart pair of shoes which were about £100 from jones’ and bought for a wedding a couple of years ago. Thinking of using those as work shoes to get some use out of them.

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:49 pm**

Around £100 for trainers/walking shoes if I have to but ideally £60 if I can, but don’t buy cheap- I always aim to buy good stuff cheap, eg just got some Salomon x-ultra 360 edge gore tex shoes- full rrp is £140 but bought with discount under £100

Steel toe work boots around £50-£70

Proper shoes just whatever next have will do as they only come out for weddings and funerals

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:56 pm**

What's work?

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 8:00 am**

I spend the most on running shoes, usually £100-£150 a pair, once a year, because that’s what they cost.

For work shoes I also wear trainers but go for the street trainers that are usually in the £50-£100 bracket.

For smart wear I’m a bit of a sucker for Jeffrey West, have some shoes and some boots, although they rarely come out the cupboard these days. New they’re £200+ I think, but I only ever buy discounted or preloved (if they’re in amazing condition)

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 8:22 am**

Clarks work shoes. about £60 in the sale
Clarks casual/walking shoes, about £60 in the sale
Clarks trainer style shoes, about £60 in the sale
Running shoes, about £90 in the sale
Crocs, about £30, probably in the sale

edit: I've remembered I still have, and occasionally wear, a pair of slip on black shoes I bought in New York in 2004. They were probably $40

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 8:35 am**

GG. wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:55 pm Take the below with a pinch of salt as someone who works in the City and therefore fully realise it is not "typical"...

I would say Barkers are a good entry into Northamptonshire formal shoes. They look to be c.£200 now but I think commonly on discount (see https://herringshoes.co.uk/products/bar ... qEEALw_wcB for example) and in the budget your talking about probably don't have any competitor.

Prices overall have spiralled ridiculously in the last 10 years. Years ago I would generally buy Church's on seasonal discount and I think would generally have been mid to high £200s. I would have them resoled at the factory for I think £70 and I believe two pairs got me pretty much 3 years of daily wear. Then they went nuts and re-priced the same shoes for £700 and looking again now they're actually now £900

After that I switched to Crocket and Jones which are c. £500 but again buy when they're on discount post Xmas at c.£300. Quite topically I've misplaced the pair I wear daily in the house move and have dug some Church's out the cupboard complete with holes in the soles. Annoyingly they are better than the C&J pair which is very annoying as I'm not spending what they now retail for out of principle.

Like GG, my use case is probably not what you're after Matt but at the £150 mark, brands like Loake have a range of shoes which appear nice but actually are very much made down to a price. You definitely need to get to look hard to find decent quality these days, and fit is as important. Herring Shoes (before being taken over by Pavers) used to do a range of own-brand shoes which I think were made by Barker - certainly one of the traditional UK manufacturers - and were excellent quality and I have I think three pairs of those which I get re-soled every couple of years for about £100 a time. But even finding a traditional cobbler who re-soles shoes is a struggle now; Timpson don't do Goodyear welted sole replacement.

Anyway, I'd suggest going to a department store and trying different brands for fit, and buy in the sales.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 8:51 am**

As a Northamptonshire-ite? it was always Loake that people talked about, but @Jobbo has thoroughly pissed on those chips.

To be honest, I got a cheap pair of Asos Derbys and they have probably been the most comfortable and hard wearing pair of shoes I've owned (wanted to buy another pair, but the particular ones seem to have been discontinued). I would like a nice pair of shoes to keep long term, re-sole etc but realistically my work use often involves visiting sites and they'd just get wrecked anyway so it's really not worth it.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:01 am**

For trainers 80s Casual Classics website is all you need.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:05 am**

Bookmarked!!!

Cheers Duncs - great site..

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:09 am**

It depends but Aslong as the shoes can be resolved and are proper leather that's fine by me. My current pretending to be a grown-up shoes are about 10 years old and have been resolved twice.

Trainers are mainly Air Force Ones of some type and I'll get a year from a pair but have 3 or 4 pairs on the go at once which helps.

Work boots are done by 6 months and are the best value at about 80-100 a pair.

Hiking boots are £200 ish and normally around there.

Kids shoes annoy me as the quality is awful, Clark's, especially last my kids about 3 months before the heal is ruined and the leather doesn't tolerate rain so softens.
I can't remember where the current school shoes are from but they are wearing well and just get a wax polish once a week.

UK size 12 which is hard enough so my sympathies to anyone larger.

Dave!

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:41 am**

I’ve got a pair of solovair Monkey Boots if I need to wear black shoes but otherwise I live in Terrex trainers these days. Generally in the £100-£150 range.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:44 am**

Like most things : depends on your needs.

I don't spanner every day, so I am very happy with Bahco sockets and pliers etc, although I am sure pro mechanics want/need betterer.

I don't need "formal" shoes for work, so for me they fall into the "wear when absolutely necessary" category only. For which think weddings/funerals, and... not a lot else. If I had to wear them all the time, I'd undoubtedly spend more and do some research to appreciate where my extra money was going (I do quite enjoy vids of proper cobblers at work re-soling or reconditioning expensive shoes).

I bought a pair of these from Oswin Hyde just a few weeks back for a family funeral. I can't imagine anyone who buys premium formal shoes would be impressed, but they suit my needs well, and came in at £50 with all the discounts. Leather is good, and they were/are incredibly comfy straight out of the box. The additional niceties (extra (bolder colour) laces, little conditioner pad, shoe horn and individual shoe bags are purely garnish, but they did make the experience feel more special for a not-a-cobbler, or shoe expert).

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 10:24 am**

duncs500 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 8:51 am As a Northamptonshire-ite? it was always Loake that people talked about, but @Jobbo has thoroughly pissed on those chips.

To be honest, I got a cheap pair of Asos Derbys and they have probably been the most comfortable and hard wearing pair of shoes I've owned (wanted to buy another pair, but the particular ones seem to have been discontinued). I would like a nice pair of shoes to keep long term, re-sole etc but realistically my work use often involves visiting sites and they'd just get wrecked anyway so it's really not worth it.

If you get Loakes made in the UK they should be up to the old standards - it's the 'cheaper' ones which aren't as good.

Posted: **Tue Apr 28, 2026 11:00 am**

duncs500 wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:01 am For trainers 80s Casual Classics website is all you need.

Ohhh yeah that’s cool

thanks!

I sometimes trawl through House of Fraser’s site, because they have a massive range and since they were bought by Sports Direct they do often have sales and decent deals too.

OV9

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