Andrew writes: Here is my problem: Corporate casual dress code. Leather soled shoes. Rain. What is a good choice to prevent the ruination of good shoes? Rubber soles? If so, what are good ones?
Well, we’re pretty ambivalent about rubber-soled dress shoes generally. It can be done well, but it often isn’t. For that reason, we’re hesitant to steer you in that direction.
If you have dress shoes you like, you can buy a pair of Swims or Tingley’s overshoes. These slip over your dress shoes, protecting them from the rain. We live in Los Angeles, so we don’t have much use for them, but we kind of want a pair because they’re really neat. Swims have the added benefit of being lined, so they won’t dull the finish of your shoes.
Many folks also simply wear rain shoes to and from work, which we’re not opposed to, either. You can either lug your good shoes with you, or leave a pair in your desk during rainy weeks. When it rains outside, I get so excited that I get to wear my duck boots that it’s a non-issue.