Wardrobe Must-Have: Basic Black Shoes

This season, black is the new black. That's right. Black is in. Black is always in. That's one of the great things about it. Black never goes out of style. Part of its timelessness is the fact that it goes with almost anything. From jeans to a tuxedo, black always works. When it comes to shoes, all those statements still apply. You may not want to wear black shoes all the time, but no wardrobe is complete without them. Man or woman, you should own black shoes.

In the past, when people thought about black shoes they thought about formalwear. Well, that's no longer the case. These days, many athletic shoes are black. It's tough to predict popular fashions or explain them, but at some point professional athletes started switching from white shoes to black shoes. Soccer players have been wearing black sneakers for a long time. Football players and baseball players soon followed suit. But it wasn't until professional basketball players started wearing black sneakers that the trend really caught fire.

Now it can be hard to find white athletic shoes. Some athletes think black shoes make you look like you're moving faster. Others point to more practical reasons. Black shoes don't show dirt and scuffs as much as light colored shoes do. Popular fashion tends to follow the lead of the elite and athletic shoes buyers are no different. Once the pros started doing it, the masses followed. Black athletic shoes match almost any color and work well in a variety of environments. Black basketball shoes look just as good with blue jeans as they do with a pair of polyester mesh basketball shorts. Women athletes are wearing black shoes, too.

Of course, their real-world female counterparts are doing the same thing. Of course, when it comes to formalwear, black shoes are an absolute necessity. Men can get away with own one pair of nice shoes and odds are that one pair of nice shoes that guys own are going to be black. You can't go wrong with a nice pair of black loafers, or oxfords, or wing-tips, or even formal boots. Black dress shoes are integral to that classic black tuxedo. They go great with jeans and a blazer for that rugged, yet chic look. When attending a funeral, those black shoes will work perfectly.

Women, too, need a nice pair of formal black shoes. Unlike most men, it's probable that women will have more than one pair of nice black shoes. Whether they're flats or high heels, a lady must have some black shoes to choose from to go with that elegant evening gown, beautiful cocktail dress, alluring skirt, professional pants suit, and even blue jeans.

Don't forget to invest in some shoe polish for your black formal shoes. This will keep them shiny and in good condition.

You can't go wrong with a pair of black shoes, whether it's for formal occasions, knocking the stuffing out of a baseball, or hanging out at your favorite bar.

Courtesy of Gregg Hall