Best foot forward

SIR – Jeremy Langmead’s article, “Why don’t men wear proper shoes anymore?” (September 21), gave me pause for thought.

Now retired, I do own two pairs of trainers, but can’t imagine wearing them to any event remotely formal in nature. It must be a generational thing.

When I started work in the City in 1975, the mantra was: “No brown in town.” I recall my first visit to the floor of the London Stock Exchange. There was a rumbling followed by banging from the far side of the floor. When I asked what was going on, I was told that somebody had been found wearing brown shoes and was being removed.

I also remember my grandmother saying: “You can’t trust a man who wears suede shoes.”

I now have to admit to falling foul of that particular lore most days of the week.

Tim Oldfield

Wye, Kent