1. Do not wear square-toe shoes. Buy a classic, rounded-toe style.
2. Dress shoes and sneakers are different beasts—do not attempt to consolidate the two with a “fashion sneaker.”
3. You moisturize your face; your shoes need regular moisture too. A shoeshine costs $2.50 at Eddie’s Shoe Repair (30 Rockefeller Center, Concourse level; 212-581-3463).
4. A black-leather lace-up, worn with a dark gray sock, will go to 90 percent of your formal occasions.
5. Spend as much as you can afford—nice shoes last longer. And invest in fitted cedar shoe-trees ($95 at Church’s), which extend shoe life by years.