So, you’ve finally picked a few great outfits for the workplace. But what about the dress shoes?
Choose a dress shoe isn’t as simple as picking “something black.” There are loafers, Oxfords, derbies, monk straps, boots and even pumps for men. We’ve put together a basic guide to help you choose the right shoe based on features like lacing, heel, perforations, fabric, and stitching.
Choosing a fabric:
Leather and suede are good choices for the workplace. Save the patent leather for shoes you wear with a tux. As a general rule, the dressier the outfit, the more vital that your shoes and belt match in color, finish and texture.
Heel:
Unless you’re wearing formal evening attire, stick with flat shoes or boots. Fashion-forward men sometimes choose something called “opera pumps” when wearing “full dress,” but you need to be quite bold to pull off the trend.
Lacing:
One of the most classic categories of shoe style is the Oxford, which is known for its closed lacing. It’s not as flexible as open lacing, which is found in derbies, so it fits a bit tighter and looks a bit more formal. With derbies, the fit on your foot is a bit more flexible because they feature open lacing. This means that the quarters (the parts of the shoe that run up under the laces) are sewn on the top of the vamp (the section above the toe section on the top of your foot) to expose more of the tongue.
Derbies are also a good choice for the workplace, though they’re just a bit less formal than the Oxford. Loafers are considered to be much more casual than Oxfords or derbies because they’re slip-on and require no laces. You’ll often find them with tassels or bits (a metal strap shaped like a horse’s bit) or as penny loafers that include a strap with a slit in the middle.
The dress boot comes in Oxford or derby styling but the shaft is higher. Chukka boots feature open lacing, but only have three eyelets for laces and are less formal than dress boots because of their plain toe. Chelsea Boots are laceless slip-ons that typically feature a plain toe like the Chukka with a stretch panel at the ankle. They’re not formal enough to wear with a suit, so pair them with a casual or smart-casual outfit. Monk strap shoes use a buckle or strap instead of laces. Some feature double straps and buckles on each shoe. They’re not as formal as Oxfords, but more formal than loafers or most boots.
Perforations:
The decorative perforations on shoes are called brogueing. You’ll commonly see brogueing on Oxfords, derbies and monk strap shoes.
