Straight-tip footwear comes in many styles and variations. Some of the most popular are professional and dressy options for both men and women. Women’s are often seen in flats and kitten heels, though they come in all sorts of styles. Continue reading below for a more descriptive look at some of the most commonly seen choices.

• Western: Western style footwear is often seen with a squared end and is most common with cowboy boots or western work boots.
• Dress: Formal attire is commonly found to have a squared point for both men’s and women’s footwear.
• Heels: Heels with straight toes are usually in the form of boots, though there are also full-coverage high heels, including pumps, stilettos, and kitten heels.
• Sneakers: Sneakers are an athletic style of footwear that usually have a rounded toe, though there are styles available with a straight tip.
• Clogs: Clogs are a comfy choice of footwear that’s generally wide by design but there are a few options that have adapted to the squared look.
• Loafers/Moccasins: Loafers and moccasins are both slip-on styles that commonly have a straight end. These styles of footwear are loved for their low-key versatility.
• Flats: Flats have no heel at all and commonly include straight toes.

The tip is the part of the design where your toes sit and there are lots of different styles and shapes. For this guide, we’re talking specifically about squared ones so we’re not going to get too much into the other shapes. There are a few differences among these designs, including the strength of the shape. Here’s a look at the two differences commonly seen:

• Chisel: A chisel style has flat angular sides that gently taper inwards. They also have a sloped appearance on the topside and a squarish toe-box. This style is considered to have an elegant appearance and is highly regarded in the fashion world as being the best of the squares available.
• Squared: Footwear with this shape has a rectangular shape to the toe-box and gives the illusion of smaller feet. This is because of the “chopped” appearance that the rectangular shape gives. The Squared is the bluntest of any type of footwear that has a rectangular shaped front.

The level of comfort a design offers is dependent on many things. Some of the key aspects to consider are arch support, heel height, cushioning, airflow, and the materials it’s made from.

For a design to provide adequate arch support, it must offer a good amount of padding in the footbed. A properly cushioned insole will protect the delicate underside of the foot from shock waves which travel through our feet with every step. While the insole should provide a supple cushion, it should also be firm enough to support the foot rather than allowing the arch to sink into the padding.

The height of the heel will dictate how easy a design is to walk in. Higher heights are much more difficult because they make for an unnatural arch in the foot. When you’re walking in a heel, the platform with which the backside of the foot falls is much narrower than if you were to step down on your heel and can throw off the natural balance of the foot. This makes balancing much more difficult, thus resulting in a strained walking experience.

Airflow is another huge part of how comfortable a design feels because, without airflow, your feet will overheat and start sweating. When sweat builds up, it causes a growth in odor-causing bacteria that quickly leads to smelly insoles and feet. This is why the right materials are important to keep you feeling cool. One of the best materials for breathability is leather because it allows for great airflow while also pulling moisture away from the skin and towards the outer rim. Mesh is another extremely airy material that lets your skin breathe and prevents overheating.

The materials used in the construction of a design is an aspect that has to be taken into consideration. Certain materials provide better airflow than others and prevent a build-up of sweat and odors. Leather, as we mentioned in our Comfort section, will allow for much better ventilation than a heavy fabric; it also pulls moisture away from the skin in a process called moisture wicking.

Heavy fabrics tend to trap moisture next to the skin, which leads to the development of bacterial and fungi infections and mildew. Once odors set in, it’s next to impossible to remove the stink from your shoe and it can actually ruin a perfectly good pair of footwear.

Mesh is another material that allows for complete breathability and is highly recommended for warmer weather. It is porous and allows air to freely flow in and out of a design, making it wonderfully ventilated. That’s why mesh is one of the key materials used in running and other athletic type footwear.

Materials to avoid are heavy fabrics that have a dense weave. These will block air and prevent moisture from escaping the design. A moist feeling inside of your footwear is a terrible feeling that can make you most uncomfortable throughout the day. It can also lead to rubbing, which overtime causes painful blisters to form. Once you end up with a blister, it will be days, if not weeks, before your foot is fully healed, meaning you’ll be in pain for a long time to come.

While it is important to choose a design made out of high-quality materials, it is also important that you don’t lose sleep over this. If it so happens that the option you like is one that is less favorable in terms of materials - get it anyway! Chances are, it will still be comfortable enough to wear on occasion, albeit perhaps not as durable as high-quality items. At least you will be able to enjoy a couple of seasons of a great-looking design before you’re due to replace it.

Color is a big part of the overall appearance of this type of footwear. We arrange our outfits according to color, we go shopping with a specific color in mind, and we build our entire wardrobe collections based on the colors that we like and those that go well together. This is why it’s no surprise that we also ranked the items on our list according to how attractive, or how versatile their hues are.

Dark, solid tones will look the best with a pronounced geometrical shape because they will lessen the harsh lines, whereas lighter colors or patterns will accentuate the drastic lines often found with the boxed styles. Black, brown, dark blue, and greys are the best shades to opt for if you’re in the market for an elegant pair to wear while you’re at the office. They’re neutral, not drawing much attention to themselves, and they go well with practically any outfit and any color combination.

Lighter colors and patterns, in turn, will be fine with a more subtle curve because they give the illusion of a more rounded silhouette. If your footwear has a barely noticeable rectangular curve opt for lighter colors or patterns because it will give the illusion that the front is actually round.

It should also be mentioned that, if you feel like, don’t be afraid to experiment with colors! If you like that bright red, go for it! If you’re taken by that polished silver (like in the Anne Klein Unitee), then by all means, don’t let us stop you! Life is too short to worry whether or not a certain color will look good on you or fit with the rest of your wardrobe. If it caught your eye - treat yourself! You’ll figure out how to make it work with what you have in no time.

We all have feet of different shapes and sizes. Some come in standard sizes, while some require special options, such as a narrow, a wide or an extra wide. This is all completely normal, though sometimes it can pose a quite nuisance when hunting for that great pair of shoes.

Adjustability is the obvious solution to this problem. If you get a design that has some great options to adjust its fit, then you don’t have to worry about it being too tight or too loose!

The factor of adjustability is most commonly reflected in the type of closure of a design. Those on our list come with a variety of different closures, including zippers, laces, and buckles, and we also have those which are just slip-on styles.

Zippers are often preferred for their ease of use as well as their stylish appearance. However, the downfall to this option is that you are unable to adjust the fit and have to wear them at the standard level.

With laces, you have much more control over how tight you tie them up, though they have a tendency to come undone or snap.

Buckles are often found on dressy designs and offer a good level of adjustability with hardly any downsides, making them a great choice for footwear.

If you are someone who is unsure about the size they need, a little adjustability goes a long way. Whether you opt for laces, buckles or a simple slip-on with stretchy panels in the upper, you won’t regret being able to customize the fit to your liking, and thus having a design which you can wear for as long as you want without any issues!