# Brown shoes with grey suits?



## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

I do not wear brown wear my suits. I have some chocolate suede Coach loafers I may wear in winter with a black sportscoat and khakis, and in summer, some tan Cole Haan Bergamo loafers. I dont have hardly any sportscoats to speak of so I have not invested in brown dress shoes per se, and I will wear one or the other pair if I wear say dress pants and a sweater in a dressy situation not requiring a sportscoat. All my suits are in the black, grey and navy blue family.

I have four grey suits (glenplaid, solid medium grey, darker pinstripe and a medium grey with some red lines). I wear black shoes with these but was thinking maybe a brown pair of laceups, maybe even with a rubber sole? I dont know if I can bring this look off, so if you suggest something, Id be inclined to spend lower on the shoes until I could get comfortable. Im thinking maybe a sleek blucher, even a pebble grain, in a medium brown? Or since I seldom might wear them other than the suits (and still wear black) just forget this attempt to change a look?

Sam


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

People here say you can do it. Someone will likely point to Cary Grant. I'll point out that Cary Grant's grey suit only appeared grey on film, but actually had a blue hue to it.


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

My inclination is that I can not pull it off, and certainly not with the navy suits I have. I do love some of the brown shoes I see posted in various threads, but Im not much of a sportscoat guy. When I have to dress up, I have to dress up. Or I am a casual setting, but very seldom do I wear a sportscoat to court, and very seldom to I wear one to the office and sit around in it when I have clients and no court.


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## iammatt (Sep 17, 2005)

It looks fine. I do it all of the time.


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## tmack3 (Jan 14, 2006)

Depends on the different shades in both the suit and the shoe, but I think the combination generally looks very good.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

memphislawyer said:


> My inclination is that I can not pull it off, and certainly not with the navy suits I have. I do love some of the brown shoes I see posted in various threads, but Im not much of a sportscoat guy. When I have to dress up, I have to dress up. Or I am a casual setting, but very seldom do I wear a sportscoat to court, and very seldom to I wear one to the office and sit around in it when I have clients and no court.


I think you'd be have a better time wearing brown shoes with navy than with grey, particularly a dark brown (I think mid and lighter browns would work with navy too, but I don't think a judge would care for that).


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## Cordovan (Feb 1, 2008)

I would say it's fine; a little bit of a sportier look, but nice. Medium dark brown would probably be the easiest for you to adjust to.

Cordovan


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## Financier (Mar 6, 2006)

something with a reddish tint, i.e. a "cordovan" color, looks good with most greys, but I think straight brown looks awful with grey. Some folks here swear by it, but I see it as a terrible clash of colors. I save my brown shoes, of which I own several, for navy suits.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

I like the look of brown or burgundy shoes with gray suits. Although it was probably done more to show off Gene Kelly's feet than for style, check out the "singing in the rain" dance scene. I thought the brown shoes with the gray suit looked quite sharp.


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

I only wear brown shoes with blue suits during the day. 

I wear black with gray suits, though not exclusively.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

I'm not really a brown-shoe-with suit guy, but if I were to find a use for said footwear it would likely be with grey. I don't care for brown with navy. Figure the equivalent of Dark Oak semi-brogues (or darker) with a grey flannel suit--that's a nice Friday combination. I wouldn't go so far as to pair them with a crisp Oxford grey worsted. For that, black/boring is better.


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## manton (Jul 26, 2003)

Has SATOR taken over this place? How can brown shoes with gray OR navy possibly be controversial?


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

What's the controversy? I don't care for them. Everyone else can go hang. No need for an argument.


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## manton (Jul 26, 2003)

Concordia said:


> What's the controversy? I don't care for them. Everyone else can go hang. No need for an argument.


Not you. I meant everyone else. Bad mood.


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

I see a guy who wears brown shoes with navy suits and it looks like an affectation, an attempt to be different, rather than a naturally spiffy look. They are Allen Edmonds (I can tell when he sits down and crosses his legs) and it is a pebble grain brown. More to the tan side of brown. Id tend to think that a reddish tinge to a brown shoe works better with a grey suit. I just think it is too hard for ME to pull off.


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## manton (Jul 26, 2003)

Me likey. The rest of ye are philistines.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

memphislawyer said:


> I see a guy who wears brown shoes with navy suits and it looks like an affectation, an attempt to be different, rather than a naturally spiffy look. They are Allen Edmonds (I can tell when he sits down and crosses his legs) and it is a pebble grain brown. More to the tan side of brown. Id tend to think that a reddish tinge to a brown shoe works better with a grey suit. I just think it is too hard for ME to pull off.


Well, it is kinda an affected look - more Italian than English, though I think you'd find it looked less affected if his shoes were dark brown rather than tan.

If you want to foray into non-black, burgundy goes iwth everything, and as a distinctly American taste it can't possibly be affected.


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## smlaz (May 13, 2005)

I'll wear my brown shoes with both gray and blue. And sometimes I'll throw on a pair of red socks to keep the paparazzi awake...
Cheers,
Steve


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## Roikins (Mar 22, 2007)

I wear brown shoes with my grey suits more often than with black shoes. I think it's a great look and actually looks a bit more sophisticated, because you need to know what you're doing to pull it off correctly, since there are different shades of brown and different shades of grey that you can match together. Using "none more black" shoes is more simple and safe, which is why I think it's a good choice for those just starting to experiment with their personal style or work in a conservative environment. And I think brown shoes with grey does come off as seeming more "Italian."


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Yes, the black with grey is a simple, no thought about it kinda look. Im starting to 'think' I'd like to be more adventurous, but really, I feel that in practice, it would come off as either 'nice' or 'what-was-he-thinking'. However, maybe I'll just watch for pictures around here and try to copy what I like?


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

I took a fair bit of guff for this once before but hey, I'm a gamer. See yer brown and raise ya suede. In the late summer, no less.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

memphislawyer said:


> I do not wear brown wear my suits. I have some chocolate suede Coach loafers I may wear in winter with a black sportscoat and khakis, and in summer, some tan Cole Haan Bergamo loafers. I dont have hardly any sportscoats to speak of so I have not invested in brown dress shoes per se, and I will wear one or the other pair if I wear say dress pants and a sweater in a dressy situation not requiring a sportscoat. All my suits are in the black, grey and navy blue family.
> 
> I have four grey suits (glenplaid, solid medium grey, darker pinstripe and a medium grey with some red lines). I wear black shoes with these but was thinking maybe a brown pair of laceups, maybe even with a rubber sole? I dont know if I can bring this look off, so if you suggest something, Id be inclined to spend lower on the shoes until I could get comfortable. Im thinking maybe a sleek blucher, even a pebble grain, in a medium brown? Or since I seldom might wear them other than the suits (and still wear black) just forget this attempt to change a look?
> 
> Sam


With rubber soles? Surely, you jest. As for shoe colors with gray-- offhand, I can't think of one that doesn't go; tan, chestnut, chili, brown, burgundy, black-- they all work with gray.


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## Murrah (Mar 28, 2005)

"Has SATOR taken over this place? How can brown shoes with gray OR navy possibly be controversial?"

This is what happens when you take a sabbatical.


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

It works well. Having said that I will follow with this: I think it depends on the shade of both the shoes and the suit. When in question reference your favorite catalog for a visual example.


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## yachtie (May 11, 2006)

iammatt said:


> It looks fine. I do it all of the time.


Ditto.


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

*'nuff said!*



manton said:


> Me likey. The rest of ye are philistines.


The second picture makes my point for me - I was going to say that I think brown shoes look better with a dark charcoal grey and black with a light to mid grey - so I have taste after all! Its just an opinion though at the end of the day. For blue suits I prefer burgundy or cordovan to brown. Some members here like light tans with navy suits but I cannot pull it off personally.


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## yachtie (May 11, 2006)

Leather man said:


> Some members here like light tans with navy suits but I cannot pull it off personally.


Navy suit, whiskey shell shoes= :aportnoy:


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

I have to confess that I can't even understand why this brown/gray thing comes up as problematic.

_Of course_ it's fine!

One of the beauties of gray, especially the deeper shades, is that it goes with just about everything.

I would think brown shoes with navy suits would be more problematic--under the influence of this forum I've come to think of it as more OK, provided the shades are "just so" (something easier to judge visually than to describe)--but brown with gray? No problem there at all.


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## fullgrain (Jan 5, 2007)

PJC in NoVa said:


> I have to confess that I can't even understand why this brown/gray thing comes up as problematic.
> 
> _Of course_ it's fine!
> 
> ...


Completely agree. One can't wear black PAs w/ their solid navy BB GF and a repp tie to an interview every day. Brown shoes w/ navy or grey are no more of an affectation than pocket squares. And it opens up one's color possibilities. W/ brown shoes, I'm more inclined to wear a brown or pink or tie or blue shirt.

I also think brown is easier to pair w/ grey, whereas w/ blue, as PJC said, it has to be just so.


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## Simon Myerson (Nov 8, 2007)

Wear brown with grey and blue and experiment until you find something that you like. You cannot imagine what it is like to be a lawyer in England where ONLY black shoes are ok - period. 

I have 3 pairs of brown shoes - one tobacco suede, one mid-brown smart Chukka and one mid-brown norwegian derby. And I wear them so infrequently that it isn't so much a rotation as a lucky dip. My brown shoe polish regularly dries out.

Meanwhile I have every conceivable pattern and shape of black shoe. Lots of them are nice, but black is black. I read posts here about black oxfords being the only really formal shoes and I think of the brogues, monks and derbys I regularly wear to work in an attempt to make what's on my feet vaguely interesting. No wonder we all wear red socks.

Count your blessings and wear brown.


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## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*I wear brown suede shoes with my....*

grey flannel db quite often. Fred Astaire did it, brown suede with grey flannel db, and topped the look off with royal blue or pink socks that matched his tie. He was and is a stlye icon, so there is a precedent to follow. Be adventuresome!


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## sjm (Oct 6, 2007)

*test results*

where i live in central london, everyone wearing grey trousers wears brown shoes.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

I wore oxblood plain-caps with charcoal slacks today. First-level managers threw rose pedals in my path.


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## charlie2 (Oct 16, 2007)

*i've said it before because it is so*

i will always wear brown shoes with gray slacks/suit. Just ordered a medium grey pinstripe three piece, and can't wait to wear it with my dark brown byrons.


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## BigCarrot (May 30, 2008)

IMHO brown shoes look better with a gray suit than black shoes do. I wear the combo quite often.


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## Preu Pummel (Feb 5, 2008)

I love brown shoes with the grey. The brown will liven up the suit and make it more social/informal. With black shoes a grey suit will look far more serious. Maybe I'm just not formal enough most times, so it works for me. Grey suits are very versatile, and easy to work with since it makes shirts and ties less complicated as they will almost always work with the suit.


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

Patrick06790 said:


> I took a fair bit of guff for this once before but hey, I'm a gamer. See yer brown and raise ya suede. In the late summer, no less.


I like that look very much indeed. As for the brown shoes with grey suits thing I cannot for the life of me see why this is a problem. Brown shoes do indeed go with grey suits. For a more formal look you are better with a very dark brown. Such a brown is best with a mid to charcoal grey with lighter greys going well with mid to tan browns. Speaking for myself I am a little uneasy about the brown with navy combo. The picture posted looks rather nice but in " the flesh" not so nice. I prefer burgundy with navy suits.

Shoe retailers tell me that 90% of their sales are of black oxfords. This is depressing. Does it show that we men don't have imaginations? I cannot believe it means that for 90% of us 100% of work situations require black shoes only.

However for conservative work situations I think you need black. It depends on your day, what you've got on ,who you are seeing, what meetings, what kind of meetings etc. There will surely be days when a brown shoe is fine. So I say, wear and enjoy!


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