Easy and Elegant Life

The Search for Everyday Elegance and the Art of Living Well.

Rule No. 3 of The Middle Ground. Shoes Count.

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:

merrell

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

Cleverley Lopez

Or the suede George loafer for Mr. Porter.

GeorgeSuedeLoafer

 

Church’s Beijing Boot…

Church'sBeijingBoot

 

Lobb’s Romsey II is an elegant desert boot (similar boots to be found from C&J)

LobbRomseyII
Lobb Romsey II
C&J Chukka

And my beloved, but reportedly difficult to wear, Oundle by Edward Green. I love the swept back buckle.

EGOUNDLE

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.

 

4 thoughts on “Rule No. 3 of The Middle Ground. Shoes Count.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Katydid! Happy to offer some solutions. One question, is he intending to wear shorts anytime at all?

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