MALE CALL

Colored laces on dress shoes fine for fun, not boardroom

Colored shoelaces are used to grab attention and are even being used with traditional wingtips.
Colored shoelaces are used to grab attention and are even being used with traditional wingtips.

Q. I recently bought a pair of dress shoes that came with two pairs of laces -- one brown to match the shoes and one blue, I guess to contrast. Is this a new look and is it OK ... and, if so, when?

A. When I first read your question, I thought: I'm not so sure about "dress shoes," but certainly using contrast-colored laces on casual and sporty shoes is a current style that could be fun to include in your more relaxed wardrobe. There are well-dressed men wearing dress shoes with these laces but in casual settings. Before we consider that, let me explain the origin of this new look and where it is best suited (well not "suit"-ed).

It's a new "fashion thing" to introduce a bit of color into an outfit by using contrast-colored shoelaces. A lot of men who like to dress in a way that sets them somewhat apart from the crowd have worn interesting socks in recent years. Often they were bright colors or fun patterns, such as stars or polka dots. Then, when many men began wearing these noticeable socks, they no longer seemed different enough for some.

The next shift away from the expected and the traditional was to wear unique shoes, especially ones with dressy-looking uppers and quite casual colored soles. This is a trend that still has not found a true name; some call it "smart-casual" and some call it "business casual with a twist."

The latest variation for the offbeat, edgy dresser is to wear the contrast-colored shoelaces you mentioned. More and more these days, men are switching matching laces out for unmatched ones with brighter colors. The prestigious shoe manufacturer, Allen Edmonds, reports that many of their new styles come with a couple of different laces: one more traditional and one more casual for guys who want to make a statement and don't want to look like everyone else. When a shoe has a colored contrast sole, it works especially well.

Basically, this is a look that goes with casual dressing, and not with wearing a suit. It can also work for a more conservative dresser who likes to add a little bit of color and personality, again not in a suit-wearing setting. Some men like to tie in the color with something else they are wearing by repeating the color of the tie, the pocket square, or the shirt. Still, since repeating a color is a traditional way to dress, some more innovative dressers prefer to let their colored laces be a stand-alone accent that they have introduced just for the fun of it. Note of caution: Do not repeat the same contrast color in too many places. For example, while you might choose to repeat the accent color from your tie in your laces, do not wear a pair of black shoes with red laces, red necktie, and a red pocket square. It looks like you are trying too hard and definitely not sophisticated.

Again, this look is not seen often with a suit; it might even be too casual for a navy blazer. It is more likely to go with jeans or khakis. One of the sharper combinations I have seen is a dark denim jean with a walnut brown shoe, and the addition of lighter green laces. This can all be topped with anything from a white Oxford cloth shirt to any colored knit polo. It definitely does not need to match. Other looks might combine khaki pants with a sport jacket, brown shoes and colored laces in orange, blue, even purple.

Some of the more creative guys, for whom standing out and making a fashion statement is really important, have adopted the look in an unexpected way. Instead of only using the contrasting laces on casual shoes, such as shoes with colored soles, these very "with it" guys like to put their attention-grabbing colored laces on their traditional wingtips. It is something new to do. Clearly, this is not a look for every man. It requires self-confidence and a certain degree of daring. But that is exactly why some guys like it. It is unique, it is new, it is fun and it is inexpensive. A lot of pluses.

To respond to your question about when it is OK to try out this look, I would say you are safe in any casual setting, in most social settings, and also in some not-too-serious business settings. Some places of business are more open and would welcome the contrast look. A man, say, in the fashion industry or any of the "glamour" fields could quite appropriately add a funky color to accentuate his look. Other, more staid settings, would find it too outre. As with everything in business, exercising your own good judgment pays off.

Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:

lois.fenton@prodigy.net

High Profile on 08/27/2017

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