Women may have the corner on outrageous fashions, but not when it comes to mens zebra print shoes. Just like the elegant plumage found on males in nature, these are shoes that really make a man stand out in a crowd.

Unfortunately, not too many mainstream men have the courage to sport a pair of zebra print shoes to the office. In fact, an online search for men's animal print shoes can find plenty of crocodiles, a few ostriches, some snakes and lizards, especially in the more exotic forms of cowboy boots. But check for mens zebra print shoes and you're likely to come up with outrageous parodies suitable only for Halloween, the theater and other costumed occasions.

Not Even Sportsters Feature Mens Zebra Print Shoes

Somehow zebra print shoes are just too "over the top" for serious menswear. Why, there weren't even zebra print GOLF shoes for men, and if there's anyplace where a man is likely to go over the top in his wardrobe, it's on the golf course.

The one place we located some mens zebra print shoes were a size-13 pair of Nike sb blazer Dunk Low in Daktari Zebra at nearly $150. That's a lot of money to pay for some stripes on your feet, but there are guys who can handle it.

It truly seems as though men need to go way out of themselves before they're willing to don their stripes.

Flamboyant Costumes Need Flashy Shoes

When a guy's ready to sport some stripes for a flashy, flamboyant costume, there's just one shoemaker to choose: Funtasma.

This California-based company truly has the market cornered when it comes to the kind of outrageous costumes that call for mens zebra print shoes. Whether it's a pimp, a '70s dude in a purple leisure suit, a disco sleaze or "Supa Mac Daddy," Funtasma has the getup that will put some get-up-and-go in a guy's night out.

Funtasma has two versions of its mens zebra print shoes available, but the one we found on Amazon.com was the jaw-dropping 3-1/2 Inch Men's Shoes Platform Filled Heel Fish Retro Disco Zebra Animal Print for around $67. When we say "jaw-dropping," we really mean it. These shoes are made of black-and-white zebra print faux fur with a platform heel that's clear plastic. Inside the heel, there's a little goldfish (no, it's not real) and some colorful seaweeds.

It doesn't matter what extravagant persona a guy wants to adopt, these shoes will put the finishing touch on his costume.

A song in the rock musical "Hair!" may have sung about "the male's emergence from his drab camouflage into the gaudy plumage that is the birthright of his sex." But hey, that was Broadway. When it comes to mens zebra print shoes, most men just keep on walking.

Patent leather often comes to mind when it's time to put together a dressy outfit. Combine a glossy finish with some wild stripes, as in patent leather zebra heels, and the look goes from fussy formal to fashion-forward.

Seth Boyden of Newark, New Jersey invented patent leather in 1818. Boyden was looking for a way to treat leather so that it kept its durability, yet looked dressier than workaday footwear. He came up with a formula that applied layers of linseed oil to unfinished leather to create a glossy finish. The first patent leather goods began commercial production in 1819. As time went on, the invention of plastics modernized the methods for manufacturing patent leather, making mass production of shoes, handbags and other accessories possible.

Marc Jacobs - MJ17175 (Zebra Striped) - Footwear	Loeffler Randall - Paige (Zebra) - Footwear	Donald J Pliner - Vondra (Black Zebra Suede Elastic) - Footwear
Kate Spade New York - Lourdes (Black/Cream Zebra Print Grosgrain) - Footwear	Via Spiga - Anita (Butterscotch Zebra Print Patent) - Footwear	Luichiny Jen Jen (Women's) - Brown/Black Zebra Leather
Ariat Quickdraw (Women's) - Black Anteater Print/Zebra Hair On Leather	Ariat Quickdraw (Women's) - Badlands Brown/Wicker Full Grain Leather	Ariat Quickdraw (Women's) - Russet Rebel/Fig Full Grain Leather
Ariat Quickdraw (Women's) - Brown Oiled Rowdy/Sapphire Blue Full Grain Leather	Violet Tash Bang (Women's) - Zebra	Violet Tash Bang (Women's) - Zebra

Two centuries later, Boyden's invention has become a fashion classic, noted for its glossy finish that catches and reflects light. Most patent leather clothing is solid black, although white patent leather also is made. Little girls and little boys don patent leather shoes for holiday parties, dancing class, family portraits and religious occasions. Among adults, patent leather accessories are de rigueur for sophisticated outfits from formal weddings to black-tie soirees.

Patent Leather Zebra Heels Step Out in Fun

While patent leather remains an essential part of formal wear today, the material also has found its way into chic new designs such as patent leather zebra heels. The combination of black and white zebra stripes with shiny patent leather provides irresistibly fun, frisky and flirtatious footwear.

On Amazon.com, Funtasma by Pleaser Women's Daring-1022 Boot takes a traditional style and turns it in a chic fashion trend. This shoe takes an old-fashioned design – the high-button shoe – and gives it contemporary tweaks with black laces and silver grommets on black patent leather belts held in place by silver buckles. Put this zebra fur and black patent leather combination on top of a 3-3/4-inch high heel and it's a recipe for outrageous fun. The boot shaft rises about 9 inches from the arch with a price tag around $50, so it's an accessible, affordable style for most wearers.

A More Traditional Style Is Still Enticing

Another shoemaker, Classified, offers a more traditional yet still enticing style in patent leather zebra heels with its Zebra White Black Textured Peep Toe Patent Bow Heels for less than $27. This design sports a textured zebra print accented with a side patent bow and large rhinestone. The shoe has a ¼-inch platform and 4-inch heels, making this one of the more flirtatious styles.

While not strictly a typical high heel, Bamboo's Bow Side Zebra Print Patent Wedge is anything but a low-heeled show. This patent-finish, open-toe wedge features pleated cross straps in zebra print with a 4¼-inch heel and a zipper closure at the back. For less than $25, this is a shoe with plenty of fashion and economy.

Inventor Seth Boyden may not have envisioned patent leather zebra heels when he created his durable, shiny leather, but his 19th century innovation has brought plenty of fashion to 21st century footwear.

A new object has succeeded that old joke about a sunburned zebra being "black and white and red all over": zebra and red pumps.

The color combination of black, white and red has long been known as one of the classics in women's fashion. Among women who choose their wardrobes based on the seasons, "winter" women have been using this powerful color combination for decades.

While black and white are considered neutrals, the addition of red really makes the color combination pop, whether it's in home furnishing for the contemporary decorating style or men's and women's fashions.

Oh! Shoes Franka (Women's) - Dark Red Suede	Oh! Shoes Azzura (Women's) - Dark Red Soft Nappa	Violet Tash Bang (Women's) - Zebra
Violet Tash Bang (Women's) - Zebra	Violet Tash Debbie (Women's) - Zebra	Violet Tash Debbie (Women's) - Zebra
Heys ECase Exotic - Zebra	Isola Wisteria (Women's) - Fire Red Patent	Samanta Allyson (Women's) - Red Leather
Samanta Allyson (Women's) - Red Leather	Irregular Choice Fabric Footwear (Women's) - Red/White Fabric/Leather	Finn Comfort Sansibar Soft (Women's) - Red Korsika

Zebra and Red Pumps a Fashion Must

Even for those who don't exclusively favor the "black-white-red" scheme, a pair of zebra and red pumps can be an essential accessory for a fashionable wardrobe. That's because the impact of this style can transform the most ho-hum outfit into something that really rocks. Mix a pair of blue jeans with these pumps and the energy can carry you through a night of clubbing or a day of fun.

If you check out Amazon.com, you are sure to finda whole herd of reddened zebras. For example, shoemaker MakeMeChic has built a whole wardrobe around the zebra and red scheme.

There's the MakeMeChic Layers06 Ruched Triple Platform Pump ZEBRA at $26.95 with its 5-1/4-inch heel atop a 1-1/4-inch platform. For those who like whimsy with their zebras, MakeMeChic had the Lucy05 Zebra Unicorn Heel Mary Janes Black/Red with a 4-inch spiraled unicorn heel on sale for less than $23.

But Wait! There's More

Then there's MakeMeChic Kakoa215 Zebra Slingback High Heels Black/Red for $24 that reverses the usual design, putting the zebra print in the lining to peek around the red and black faux suede vamp. Finally, there's MakeMeChic Riva13 Zebra Velvet Platform Pumps Black/Red to inject some texture into the color scheme.

Other shoemakers are joining the parade of zebra and red pumps. Another designer, Elegance, makes no bones about what it thinks of its zebra heels. They're called Sexy! Zebra Red Satin Round Toe Stiletto Pump. These shoes come in black and white satin over a bright red 1-inch platform with 5-1/4-inch stiletto heels for less than $27. A rounded toe completes the fashionable look.

Another designer, Bumper, really bumps up the eye appeal with its Zebra Print Crocodile Strap Pump at less than $27. This zebra print pump has an almond-shaped toe with a hidden platform. The two buckled straps and 4-1/2-inch heel are in red crocodile print. That's really putting some "oomph" in zebra and red pumps!