Buy It For Life
Dress Shoes

Updated Jul 20, 2026

Buy it for life: the most durable dress shoes,
according to r/BuyItForLife on Reddit.
Recommended by people who have owned them for years. How we pick.
Do you know of an item that should be on this list? Let us know!

Allen Edmonds dress shoes

Resoleable Goodyear-welted dress shoes often praised as a strong step up from mall brands.

Resoleable and maintainable
Better than mall shoes
Can last for years with care

I recently bought a pair and they have been going strong as a daily work dress shoe. Going on year 2 and they still look brand new.
– DegenerativePoop

My AEs have all been far better than any mall shoe.
– Elvis_Fu

I currently wear a pair of Allen Edmonds that my dad bought when he was in his 20's and now im in my 20s if thats any indication.
– Cautious-Fuel4587

Bruno Marc Prince 16

Budget-friendly synthetic dress shoe noted for comfort and decent occasional-use value.

Very comfortable
Good for occasional use
Upper held up well for one user

I daily wear bruno marc prince 16. They are very comfortable and the upper leather material has held up fantastic.
– Goop290

Meermin dress shoes

Well-regarded value dress shoes frequently recommended for strong quality at the price.

Excellent value
Strong quality for price
Multiple owners recommend them

Meermin are pretty amazing quality for the price point
– kylife

Meermin. Best quality for the price. I own two pairs.
– unknown

Available at meermin.com

Rockport Style Leader 2 Bike Toe Slip-On

Comfort-focused slip-on dress shoe praised for surprising all-day comfort and durability.

Unbelievably comfortable
Nice looking
Holding up well after years

They are very nice looking, but they are unbelievably comfortable.
– Anadyne

I'm on year 2-3 of wearing them and they look brand new and will last a while longer I think.
– Anadyne

Cole Haan Oxfords

Dressy comfort-oriented oxfords mentioned as suitable for long workdays on your feet.

Comfortable for long shifts
Durable in regular use
Smart enough for formal work

I can vouch for my Cole Haan Oxfords. Have had them for about 6 years now, regularly wear then 10+ hours per day, and they look as good as new with zero discomfort at the end of the day.
– bloomcnd