John Varvatos shoes.    (Photo: Davies + Starr for New York Magazine)

John Varvatos
122 Spring St., nr. Greene St.; 212-965-0700
He did good things with the Converse sneaker. His basic boots manage to be both rugged and sleek. Men’s shoes of the non-sneaker variety can be tricky (too stiff, too shiny, too old-banker), but John Varvatos has gotten the everyday shoe just right. This spring’s lineup includes brown hand-stained calfskin-leather wingtip dress shoes ($450) already worn-in enough to look casual and unfussy, and an ankle boot ($365) that resembles a grown-up version of the classic tan Wallabee.