[distantaidenn]

Same, I bought a quite expensive pair of Chippewa brand engineering boots ($500 US) and they're going on 5 years strong. The only care I need is the occasional wax, scuff removal, and a re-sole.

The cost may seem a bit much at first, but compare it to buying a cheap pair once every couple of months.

Shoes really are one of the few things in life you shouldn't skimp on.

As an aside, price isn't the only import factor in buying quality shoes. Chippewa are handmade in the US, and it shows. I also bought a pair of relatively expensive Timberland boots for about $250. They were made in China, and the upper lining of the boot came off in less than 6 months. It seems all I paid for was the name.

[asark]

With you on that, been really happy wearing nicer leather "work"-style boots. They look good, they wear great (after the first couple foot-destroying weeks), they last for-friggin'-ever, and beating them up doesn't really hurt their aesthetic, so far as that goes. I've gone the Redwing Heritage route, getting one pair at a store and using that sizing to buy a couple pairs of seconds in other styles at ~40% off retail for firsts.

I've also become a loafers fan. In US fashion, at least, a good pair of black or dark brown loafers can be worn all the way up to business-formal, to weddings, funerals, et c., but also dressed down to business- or smart-casual, and if they get beat up they just become toss-on-and-go shoes for any occasion, even if it's just mowing the lawn. Again, they last a good long time if they're US- or European-made. I don't think either beats cheap sneakers for price over a lifetime, but then you get whatever benefit a nicer look and a little more formality-range gets you from going for well-crafted leather, and they aren't so much more expensive considering that and how long they last. Sure $200+ for a pair of shoes is a bit of a shock at first, but when they're in your rotation for 10-20 years it seems less crazy.