It happens all too often, especially around here. You see a guy in a pair of khakis, a button down shirt, maybe wearing a blazer or even a tie. And then you see this:
Not to disparage any particular brand, but shoes of this sort are made for mucking about, not looking good.
Silhouette and style should match your look. Sleek? Traditional? All in the best of repair and polished/brushed. That doesn’t mean you must rely solely on a lace-up derby or oxford. The middle-ground is where the loafer, slip-on, and the boot, shine.
Consider the iconic Cleverly elastic-sided models (a favorite of Churchill’s), the laces are fake. There is also a version without them
Or the suede George loafer for Mr. Porter.
Church’s Beijing Boot…
Lobb’s Romsey II is an elegant desert boot (similar boots to be found from C&J)
And my beloved, but reportedly difficult to wear, Oundle by Edward Green. I love the swept back buckle.
You’ll notice a lot of brown and suede in my choices. They make for a more casual shoe that fits nicely into middle-ground dressing. But I think you’ll agree that any of the above are anything but what you might think of as “casual” and are certainly a …. errrr…. step above the typical moccasin or whatever they call that slip-on thing at the top of the post.
Chris, within the last week I just added two pair of Allen Edmonds to my dressy casual repertoire; one is a slip on and the other is suede. These types of shoes are especially needed in anticipating the shoe requirements for the upcoming Spring and Summer. Thank you for all your great sartorial insights.
OK….I know your style is impeccable, so I need some advice. My husband is looking for shoes that will take him to Europe….hopefully water repellent for lots of walking, sometimes in the rain, stylish for lunch in Paris or casual dinner, appropriate for London, Paris, Venice and Rome. I will not have a problem since women’s shoes are easier to pack…but men’s shoes are large….so he is limited on what he can bring. Any suggestions? (I ask because he did try on the first pair you show in your post!) Sigh.
Katydid! Happy to offer some solutions. One question, is he intending to wear shorts anytime at all?
http://www.colehaan.com/air-giovanni-penny-caramel/C10278.html?dwvar_C10278_color=Caramel#cgid=sale_mens_shoes&start=10 (not Goodyear-welted, though…)
http://www.zappos.com/geox-u-monet-16-black
http://www.zappos.com/eric-michael-eric-natural
http://www.zappos.com/fitzwell-classic-penny-chocolate-suede
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF1189_1_40000000001_-1_And these are go anywhere except black tie…. They are the only ones I’ve worn among the list.
http://www.sebago.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/8811M/80444/Mens/Classic?dimensions=0