# Dark charcoal suit and brown/tan shoes [photos insinde]



## vengador (Aug 8, 2008)

Hi, 
I'm new to the forum. I enjoy reading it for a few month now and am really pleased with all the information I found here.

But now I have a question to which I couldn't find an answer:

Can I wear a dark charcoal (in Germany we would say a dark anthracite) with brown shoes? The shoes are not dark brown and not tan, they are somewhere in the middle.

Please help me with this issue. Thank a lot and greetings from Berlin, Germany.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Purists will probably say you should wear lace-ups with a suit, but I think the combination looks pretty good. I like a medium brown shoe with charcoal, and have done it myself.


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## My Pet. A Pantsuit (Dec 25, 2008)

Welcome aboard - I think that looks rather nice. Shades of brown add some nice dimension to a gray suit. While what you have looks acceptable, a warm colored tie, say in a wine red, would really heighten those tones.


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## wgb (Mar 2, 2007)

It depends on where you live (and work). In London, even brown oxfords would be outre. I see a lot more suits with slip-ons in America, but that shoe is pretty informal, being a version of the American penny loafer. I think a darker brown or "cordovan" color would be a better choice, but YMMV.

Still, I doubt you'll get hauled in by the fashion police . . . .


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

The colour works well with the suit, but in my opinion not with those particular shoes ...



JerseyJohn said:


> Purists will probably say you *should wear lace-ups with a suit*


:icon_smile:

Although as mentioned by a previous poster, the fashion police will leave you alone


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## vengador (Aug 8, 2008)

Thank you for your opinions.
I think the people who see me in this combination don't have a problem with wearing loafers to suits. So I'll wear the shoes to this suit. 

Concerning the ties colour I first wanted to wear a white/orange striped one (kind of crisp orange) but then I thought that this might be a little bit flashy, as there would be three colours (light blue shirt, brown shoes and the orange in the tie). Would a white/orange striped tie match the shoes better?


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

Looks good. Welcome!


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

I think the suit in the photo looks lighter than a "dark charcoal" and that's why the brown shoes look okay with the suit. If your suit is actually darker than it appears in photos and is actually a dark charcoal, then I would recommend you wear black shoes instead of brown.


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## BLFancher (Mar 18, 2007)

The color is perfectly fine. Lovely even. The loafer style is not. Bals would be best choice.


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## Diggy18 (Apr 11, 2008)

I like dark brown shoes with a charcoal suit. I like it because it makes the suit look a little less formal, which is the look I'm shooting for since I don't *have* to wear a suit to work.


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## My Pet. A Pantsuit (Dec 25, 2008)

vengador said:


> Concerning the ties colour I first wanted to wear a white/orange striped one (kind of crisp orange) but then I thought that this might be a little bit flashy, as there would be three colours (light blue shirt, brown shoes and the orange in the tie). Would a white/orange striped tie match the shoes better?


I'd have to see the tie, but I can't imagine that would look too flashy. If it's a dark orange, it could play off the hues in your belt and shoes.


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## Cary Grant (Sep 11, 2008)

Looks great!


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## Jim In Sunny So Calif (May 13, 2006)

I would not wear that style shoe with a suit, but a lot of people would. I do like the color though.

I like the tie you are wearing, but a tie with orange could be very nice too.

Welcome to the forum, Jim.


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## TheGuyIsBack (Nov 6, 2008)

vengador said:


> Hi,
> I'm new to the forum. I enjoy reading it for a few month now and am really pleased with all the information I found here.
> 
> But now I have a question to which I couldn't find an answer:
> ...


Really, forget about the purists. I like the shoes and the suit most definately. Great colours. Bravo!


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## Hector Freemantle (Aug 2, 2008)

I agree with Guy. Great shoes. Great suit. Great understated ensemble.


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## TheGuyIsBack (Nov 6, 2008)

Hector Freemantle said:


> I agree with Guy. Great shoes. Great suit. Great understated ensemble.


You know what 4 years ago I wouldn't be too impressed with those shoes. But now I just think it has to suit you. It looks civilised to me. If it looks good, then go for it.


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## gusvs (May 1, 2005)

vengador said:


>


I really like these shoes - what are they?


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## jackmccullough (May 10, 2006)

I think the shoes are fine with the suit. I would go for more color with the tie.


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## Bespoke Trout (Jun 1, 2008)

It seems like men in Europe wear brown shoes with charcoal more than in the UK or the US. That being said, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. When in doubt, the darker the shade of brown, the better. I think this looks fine--some have raised the issue of loafers more than the issue of color. It just depends on how orthodox you want to go, but I think it looks fine.

BT


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## Bespoke Trout (Jun 1, 2008)

vengador said:


> Thank you for your opinions.
> I think the people who see me in this combination don't have a problem with wearing loafers to suits. So I'll wear the shoes to this suit.
> 
> Concerning the ties colour I first wanted to wear a white/orange striped one (kind of crisp orange) but then I thought that this might be a little bit flashy, as there would be three colours (light blue shirt, brown shoes and the orange in the tie). Would a white/orange striped tie match the shoes better?


You might even wear a tie with some brown or copper tones in it. That would tie (excuse the pun) it all together by coordinating the shoes with the tie.

BT


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## vengador (Aug 8, 2008)

Thanks a lot for all your answers.
The shoes are by Lloyd (German company with mixed reputation, they do have a good quality but they are glued...).

I thought about wearing a white/red/wine red striped tie. The brown ties I got would be too dark (at least compared to the shoes). Red would fit the blue shirt quite well and wine red would support the brown shoes. White would enable me to wear a white pocket square folded like usual (the classic 007 QOS look). What do you think?


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## Jaxson613 (Oct 17, 2008)

Great shoes, but not with the suit, although I'm totally on board with the color combination.
P.S.- Button that suit jacket! ( I know, you were just trying to show the belt)


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## InsbrokerTX (Jul 25, 2008)

Looks sharp to me. I would tend to wear a tie with orange or red or maroon with that suit of clothes. However, I think what you have on looks very nice.


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## SABACA4711 (Dec 31, 2008)

*welcome*

 I like wearing brown shoes with dark grays. I wear them all the time. I remeber seeing well dress men in N.Y. wearing brown wing tips, cap toes back in the early 60's.with gray fannel suits , slacks and blue blazers .
I like when they are well broken in and have a high gloss 


I believe Brooks Brothers always showed them in there adds ,j.prees and Paul Stuart..

ENJOY !!!



But now I have a question to which I couldn't find an answer:

Can I wear a dark charcoal (in Germany we would say a dark anthracite) with brown shoes? The shoes are not dark brown and not tan, they are somewhere in the middle.

Please help me with this issue. Thank a lot and greetings from Berlin, Germany.















[/quote]


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## OCULUS NY (Oct 16, 2008)

*Maybe it's generational...*

People of a certain age associate shoe colors with differing suit color ranges. I wonder if some of it comes from the "Brown Shoe Army" days as my drill instructor back in the 70s called the US Army uniform of WWII vintage. To that, I'll add that a lot of now-eldrely people do not care for black shoes as much as good brown ones; and I'm talking about very well-dressed people (male and female).

As for me, I went through my Paul Stuart period in the 80s and always wore brown Bal captoes, wingtips with charcoal. With blue, I did cordovan or black (depending on the warmth and depth of the blue). With brown/gray tweed or dark brown or green suits, out come the brown shoes.

Bottom line, this pictured tonal combo is fine by me, but I generally stick to black with grays and blues--for now, in this century
RWH


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to be the dissenting "purist" here and say that this is to my eye not an optimal combination.

I'm fine with wearing brown shoes with a dark gray suit, but the brown should be on the dark side, not tannish or reddish.

The effect, to me, is that your shoes and the belt chosen to match them "pop out" too much. Making one's shoes and belt the "stars" of one's outfit in that way just seems sartorially "off" to me. In my opinion you'd be better advised to go with either black or cordovan/dark brown belt and shoes.

And the tie, which appears on my monitor to be a navy and silver-white stripe, is not the best teammate for the reddish-brown shoes and belt (it would go admirably with black, however). An ecru or ivory shirt and a burgundy foulard or paisley tie would be more the things with brown leathers, I believe.

Finally, I think the styling of the shoes is too casual. Lace-ups would be a better choice.


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## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

PJC in NoVa said:


> The effect, to me, is that your shoes and the belt chosen to match them "pop out" too much.
> 
> .


I couldn't agree more.

The first thing I notice in the picture is the belt and shoes. Not your suit, shirt, or tie. If you must go with brown, I would choose a dark brown. I wear black with charcoal.

Also, I would wear lace-cups with a suit, but I guess it depends on what environment you will be in.


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