Men can be difficult to buy for. Whether you’re looking for a birthday present or just a token of appreciation, you want to get something “nice” — but what do men actually like? Not every guy is going to be thrilled with a toolbox or a television set. For that matter, many gift-givers want to give something truly unique, that will actually be seen and used on a regular basis. That’s a tall order. For that matter, men aren’t always forthright about what they want; you could be buying for your father, your significant other, or just a friend and they might not express exactly what they want. With that being said, it might be a good idea to look into men’s fashion. Men want to look good, whether they say it out loud or not. But for many, shopping isn’t exactly the thrill that it is for women — of course, many women dislike shopping for the same reason that men do. It can be tedious to look for things to wear, and for that matter stressful. Sometimes, it’s nice to have things chosen for you. But what to choose? The answer might be simpler than you think: leather goods. Leather goods range from leather shoes to luxury leather belts, and have the benefits of not only looking good but lasting. Shoes in particular are great buys. Below, we’ll look into a few things you should know before buying leather shoes for men.

1. Men Appreciate Shoes

Some people hesitate over buying leather shoes simply because they have stereotypes in mind that make them think that men won’t appreciate the gift. Men and women aren’t so different in many respects — and in fact, many men appreciate good leather shoes. Leather shoes can, for one thing, encompass a number of different types of shoes. There are Italian loafers, leather dress shoes, leather Oxford shoes, and much more. Men don’t have to necessarily only wear leather shoes on formal occasions. The market also proves that men appreciate leather shoes. It’s estimated that men’s leather shoes account for about 6% of the market share — no small number in the shoe industry. The thing about these shoes is that they’re comfortable, they’re well-made, and they do have an element of status about them. These are all things that men can appreciate just as women would.

2. Shoes Can Come In “Exotic” Leathers

Say you want to get a bit out of the box with the type of shoes you’re buying someone. You can, particularly by looking at exotic leathers. However, these can be a bit more difficult to find that typical leathers, as they only make up about 1% of globally-traded leathers. These leathers include stingray, crocodile, or python. You will have to pay a premium for these leathers in most cases — and if you don’t, you may want to be suspicious, as counterfeit leathers do exist. But you should also be aware that, unless you’re specifically looking for exotic leather goods, that “normal” leather is just as high-quality and more readily available. It just depends on who you’re buying for. If you think that the person you’re buying for will appreciate exotic leather, go for it!

3. Leather Shoes Need Proper Care

Make sure that the person you’re buying for knows that leather shoes need a certain level of care that can’t be ignored. These shoes are long lasting — they can endure tens of thousands of foot flexes. But you should still, for example, rotate leather shoes every other day. This allows them to spring back to normal. Shoe trees can come in handy as well. They can help retain the shape of the shoe, as well as dry them out faster. Shoe trees usually come in two different types, those being plastic or wood. While plastic shoe trees are lightweight and ideal for traveling, wooden shoe trees are better because they can absorb moisture and odor.