Q I just bought a cool pair of oxford shoes; they are made of natural cork with a leather cap-toe. I'm confused about how dressy they are. Can they go with suits (for dress or work) or does the different fabric make them less dressy?
A You are right to be confused. Your new shoes, because of the material, the color and the leather cap-toe oxford style, are something of a crossover in formality. Though certainly cool and fun for away-from-the-office wear, they are too offbeat for many office settings, and especially so for any traditional fields/industries.
Men's shoes can be categorized in different ways:
Level of formality -- Appropriate styles for business, appropriate for business-casual, wrong for business but fine for casual and/or funky wear, and wrong in any situation because the style has too much going on and is not in good taste;
The above then split between lace-ups or slip-ons -- both can be acceptable for the world of business and both are best when they are simple, straightforward, and free of unnecessary decorative touches;
Then, all of the above can be split again across color lines -- the colors that well-dressed men wear are black, dark brown and cordovan. Only those colors are acceptable for business footwear. Navy, gray and tan are unacceptable.
The hierarchy of dressiness for men's shoes:
Lace-ups -- generally known as oxfords.
• Wingtips oxfords are classic. The hallmark perforations on their caps and sides are made by various manufacturers in distinctive patterns, one differing ever so slightly from the other. Black wingtips are exactly right for any dressy dark suit.
• The cap-toe oxford has a thick, rounded welt across the toe. It, too, (when of a traditional material and color) is appropriate with business suits as well as blazers and sports coats. Wingtips and cap-toes are the only two shoe styles on which perforations are appropriate.
• The plain-toe oxford is an anomaly. In dark brown or cordovan, it is perfect with brown tweeds or a tan summer suit. Yet in black, it is even dressier than either of the other oxford styles -- and in a pinch can double as black-tie footwear.
Slip-on shoes -- these days, only in the most conservative circles are slip-on shoes considered inappropriate for business.
• A classic slip-on is a basic loafer, a version of what used to be called the penny loafer, only worn, of course, without pennies. A few pairs of dark brown, black or cordovan, gleamingly polished, are stand-bys that should be in every man's wardrobe. They go with all but the dressiest dark suits.
• Tassel loafers substitute two small leather tassels for the penny band on classic loafers. They should not have any perforations.
A leather oxford shoe with a cap-toe is a dressy style, perfect for traditional dress and business wear. Since your new shoes are lace-up oxfords with a cap-toe, they might seem to be somewhere in the middle-to-dressy range. But, because of the cork material and its light color, they become much closer to wrong for business. The cork material makes the difference; it takes away the shoe's formality. It's a funky look, right for casual, cool, "downtown" dressing, not for most business. Still, the answer to many how-to-dress-at-the-office questions is flexible based on how the bosses dress. If some of them in your work environment are unusually cool dressers, or if you work in one of the glamour industries, such as fashion, the arts or theater, and many of the more casual tech fields, your shoes could very possibly be fine.
Generally speaking, most well-dressed men wear conventional clothing styles. This is particularly true for shoes. Still, if you are a stylish guy who occasionally enjoys offbeat, eye-catching clothes that are more fun than most business-appropriate styles, unique shoes can be a way to express your individuality and your personal style. As long as you wear them for weekend and social occasions, they sound like fun items that will surely bring you compliments, especially from women.
Please send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 03/11/2018