12 elegant types of shoes every gentleman should own.
Our shoes play a crucial role in our lives, the first thing everyone notices is our shoes and people often judge people by their shoes. In this article we are going to discuss different types of dress shoes for men and how one can style them. Having a wide collection of dress shoes is never a bad idea for men, by doing so they can experiment with different attires and it will also help them boost their confidence. So let’s discuss different types shoes every man should have.
Table of Contents
Chelsea Boots-
One of the most versatile shoes and a must-have pair for every occasion. When it’s a casual night out with friends or it’s a formal office setting a nice pair of Chelsea is all you need in your collection.
Other than the fact that they were named after a popular area in west London, One more thing you should keep in mind while buying Chelsea boots is you should always go for a size lower than your actual shoe size. For instance, if you usually wear size UK 8 then you should buy a UK size 9 pair as Chelsea boots don’t have laces so they tend to get loose after some time.
You can pair them with denim and a t-shirt of your choice, they can also be paired with 3 piece suit.
Chukka Boots-
Due to the lack of laces Chelsea boots may seem loose to some people, if so is the case with you, you can go for chukka boots.
Chukka boots are available in 3 laces or 2 laces design. Tan or brown-colored chukka boots can be very versatile. Ankle-length chukka boots can also be styled open-laced.
You can pair them with a nice formal shirt and dress pants or with denim and t T-shirt of your choice.
Oxford Shoes-
A true classic and one of the most elegant pairs of shoes, oxfords are the perfect choice when it comes to dress shoes. Timeless closed Eyestay design can transform a man into a gentleman in no time.
They can be paired with a nice suit or smart casual attire.
Available in brogues, cap toes, and whole cut designs. Oxford shoes are just elegant in every form.
Derby Shoes-
Another type of shoe is a kind of casual formal pair of shoes that lies somewhere in between formal oxfords and casual chukka boots. We call them casual formal cause they have the comfort of casual shoes and the elegance of formal.
Derby shoes can be very comfortable to wear as compared to oxfords due to their flapped design. They are also easy to put on and off.
Can be paired with a full formal attire or semi-formal wear.
Cap toes-
One of the classic-looking formal shoes on our list is cap-toe shoes. As the name suggests the toe is covered with an extra leather cap or sometimes only a joint is used for aesthetic purposes. Captoes are also available with brogue design, having perforations on the cap joint edge. Brogue or not but they are simply amazing pair of shoes to wear.
But keep this in mind that the cap on the toes does not provide the protection of a steel toe so don’t you show up in hazardous job sites wearing these.
You can pair them up with full formal attire and believe me you will be the center of attraction in those otherwise boring meetings.
Monk Strap Shoes-
Another pair of dress shoes are monk strap shoes. As the name suggests they don’t have laces, they have buckle straps to secure them on foot. Available in double and single strap configuration. It is a kind of casual formal but not that formal shoe as compared to oxfords.
Monks are most often found with captoes and sometimes with brogues.
Paired with party wear separates or a formal 3 piece suit monks have always been a good tasteful choice among men.
Balmoral Shoes-
Balmorals are essentially oxford shoes transformed into long-neck boots. They can be substitutes for oxfords in winter. Balmorals are available with laces as well as buttons.
Balmorals are often cap-toe oxford boots but can occasionally brogues oxford.
They can be paired with formal suits or skinny jeans and a button-down shirt.
loafers-
Also known as driving shoes, loafers are a kind of slip-on shoes which are very comfortable to wear. Originating from London, loafers are very versatile shoes, easy to put on and off.
Loafers are also nice loungewear and can be paired with dress pants or denim and sometimes with shorts. Traditionally loaders don’t have any kind of laces and tassels but they have decorated shoe tongues that are connected to the vamp of the shoe.
Moccasins-
Moccasins, of Native American origin, are kind of slip-ons that are also very easy to put on and remove. People sometimes confuse them with loafers but they are both different types of shoes. Some differences are that moccasins don’t have heels but loafers may or may not have heels, they are decorated with tassels and laces.
Just like loafers moccasins are also called low heel shoes as they leave their ankles exposed.
You can wear those sassy-looking moccasins with chinos or skinny jeans and a tee or button-downs of your choice.
Wholecut Shoes-
As the name signifies whole cut shoes are made using a single piece of upper leather with or sometimes without a back seam (called seamless wholecut in the latter one). They are usually plain shoes shoes without any decorations and perforations.
Wholecut shoes have Oxford closing.
Wholecut shoes are perfect for formal occasions.
Brogues-
Decorative perforations or holes on the upper surface were originally intended to let the shoe dry if it get wet. Traditionally recognized by the multiple panel construction and visible sharp serrated edges on low healed soles.
Earlier brogues were not considered formal shoes but now things have changed and brogues have evolved to be more versatile for almost any occasion.
Brogues can commonly be found in oxfords, derbys, monks, and captoes. Brogues can also be found in other types of shoes as well, for instance, brogued balmorals.
Brogues have a class of their own which is definitely graceful. Wear them in the interview with a jacket or pair those brown brogues with blue denim and a tee or buttoned down of your choice.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading our article on types of dress shoes for men.
Related Article: Sneaker shoe types for men.