When I am out and about, men often ask me when to wear black or brown shoes. So many rules have been formed regarding this. I’d like to elaborate on when and how to wear brown shoes and highlight how you can combine them with socks and pants.
Today, dress codes are much more relaxed than they were in the nineties, and if you wear a well-cut suit and nice shoes, you are likely to be more well dressed than 90% of the people around you. Most Italians wear only black footwear for funerals, weddings, and formal evening events. Otherwise, they prefer brown in varying shades – especially when paired with blue suits. In Britain black is often associated with business.
When to Wear Brown Shoes
Brown shoes can be worn with almost anything, ranging from jeans to cavalry twill and corduroy to flannel, worsteds and tweed. Unlike black, brown comes in an endless variety of shades allowing you to create a distinguished shoe collection that is unique. Here are a few guidelines that you can adapt as you please – just take a look in the mirror and use your sense of style.
1. Business Suits
For 3-piece or 2-piece business suits, in the following colors, in solid worsteds or flannels, pinstripes or faint windowpanes or Prince of Wales Checks:- Black: Wear black shoes and avoid brown.
- Charcoal Grey: I prefer black over any form of brown. Maybe dark brown can work, but avoid tan.
- Mid Grey: Black works but particularly dark brown or cherry is a suitable color. Avoid tan.
- Dark Navy: Black works well but cordovan, tan and dark brown can look magnificent and dashing. Of course, you will stand out visually with light tan shoes and a navy suit – something to bear in mind.
- Light Navy: Black often looks better than brown in my opinion, but it really depends on the cloth. With pinstripes, I prefer to wear black shoes and never brown.
- Dark Brown: Pair it with brown shoes and skip black altogether.
Miscellaneous:
- Since a 3-piece suit is more formal than a 2-piece suit, I have a tendency to wear black shoes more often with them than brown shoes.
- If you wear a contrasting double-breasted waistcoat in dove grey or buff, go with black shoes as it is a similar ensemble to the formal stroller suit.
- If you want to play it safe, always choose a shade of brown that is darker than your suit color.
- Of course, if you are confident enough, you can pair lighter shoe colors with dark suits, but be aware that you will gather more attention that way.
- Black remains the #1 color for business – so if you’re unsure, stick with black, and if you invest in your first pair of business shoes, go with a black captoe Oxford shoe.
- If you wear belts, try to match the color of the shoe to the belt. Since there are so many shades of brown, it doesn’t have to be made of the same leather or the same color, just try to match it as closely as possible. If you wear suspenders, you won’t have to worry about this at all!
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2. Casual Suits
Bolder patterns, material blends or brushed cotton, corduroy, etc.:- Green: Brown every time. I have no particular preference and combine it with all shades. Avoid black.
- Khaki: Dark browns work well. Avoid black.
- Tan: Cordovan, cheery and mid brown are great. Avoid black.
- White/Off White: I love to wear brown and white spectators with it, but dark brown, mid-brown or reddish brown works too.
- Brown: Pair it with brown shoes and skip black altogether.
3. Sport Coat / Odd Jacket – Trouser Combination
Fresco, Tweed, Thornproof, Cheviot, Donegal, Flannel, Worsted, Corduroy, Velvet, Cotton, Linen, Gabardine:- Black: With black corduroy, I like to wear tan boots.
- Charcoal Grey: I prefer black over any form of brown. Dark brown can work, but avoid tan.
- Mid Grey: Black works but especially dark brown or cherry is a good color. Avoid tan.
- Blue: I wear all kinds of brown with blue colors – cordovan, tan and dark brown can look magnificent and dashing. Of course, you will gather more attention with a light tan shoe – something to bear in mind.
- Denim: Basically, all kinds of brown work well. I like tan and cordovan oxblood very much.
- Red: I wear all shades of brown, except reddish brown. Dark brown and tan are probably my favorite.
- Green: Brown every time. I have no particular preference and combine it with all shades. Avoid black.
- Khaki: Dark browns work well. Avoid black.
- Tan: Cordovan, cherry and mid brown are great. Avoid black.
- White / Off White: I love to wear brown white spectators with it, but dark brown, mid brown or reddish brown works too.
- Brown: Brown only.
- Dark Brown: Tan is my favorite for dark brown.
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Miscellaneous: Brown is the best shoe and boot color for sport coats and contrasting trousers. Sometimes you also see boots or shoes with fabric inserts, which can be quite stylish.
When not to wear brown shoes
If you wear formal morning dress (morning coat or stroller) or formal evening dress (white tie or black tie) you should not wear brown shoes – go with black. The exception for this exception could be a tuxedo in brown, as worn by Noël Coward, Nick Foulkes, or Lapo Elkann. In that case, a pair of matching velvet slippers could be an option, but that’s only for the very advanced clothes horse.
Don’t wear brown shoes with black suits.
Some would argue that you should not wear brown shoes to the opera. However, if you look at the general dress code at operas today, you will likely be more well dressed in a brown pair of shoes than the other attendees.
Conclusion
Brown shoes are not a substitute for black shoes, and every man should own at least one pair of black plain Oxfords. If you work in a white collar environment, you can invest in a few pairs of black shoes, but otherwise go with brown because it is more versatile, it develops a fantastic patina over time, and it is the better color for casual outfits. If you don’t work in an office environment and rarely attend formal evening events, a single pair of black shoes may be enough for you — whereas you can never have enough brown shoes! If you like formal evening wear, invest in a pair of black patent leather Oxfords (in Austria Derby’s) or opera pumps – it is historically the correct choice for evening wear, even though some prefer polished calf skin for evening shoes.See Also: How a Tunde got confused because of His hubby's love for fashion
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