# Leather Chukka -- Dressy enough for suit wear?



## jaydubbs15 (Jun 1, 2011)

I like the look and feel of the leather chukkah, especially the Alden or Peal & Co. varieties. My question is weather the leather chukkah is appropriate for wear with a suit? Thanks!

Jay


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

I would say no. Absolutely, no. 

However, wait a little while as someone is sure to post and say 'yes'. :icon_smile_wink:


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## jaydubbs15 (Jun 1, 2011)

Shaver said:


> I would say no. Absolutely, no.
> 
> However, wait a little while as someone is sure to post and say 'yes'. :icon_smile_wink:


Hmm. Well what would you say to an Alden monk-strap chukkah? Or a military style zip-up chukkah?


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## Youthful Repp-robate (Sep 26, 2011)

jaydubbs15 said:


> Hmm. Well what would you say to an Alden monk-strap chukkah? Or a military style zip-up chukkah?


Vince Guaraldi does this look on the back of the Charlie Brown Christmas Album. It's probably a mistake anyway.

I have done it, with my tan cotton suit, but I probably wouldn't with anything else.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

jaydubbs15 said:


> Hmm. Well what would you say to an Alden monk-strap chukkah? Or a military style zip-up chukkah?


'No' and 'No'. In that order. :icon_smile_wink:

Whilst I don't own any chukkahs, I do not dislike them but they are simply too casual for suits.

I don't know what a 'military style zip up chukka' is and google doesn't seem to want to show me. However my dear old gran used to wear fleece lined zip up chukka style boots so they have a very negative connotation for me.


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## Canadian (Jan 17, 2008)

It all depends on where you work. If you are wearing a suit so you can work with and meet people who are properly attired, then no. If you are wearing a suit in order to satisfy your own reasons, then sure.

I wore chukkas in university with my suits. But I also wear cowboy boots and loafers with suits, so if you are seeking an old school answer, I'm not a good choice.

Tom


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Depends.

But first, I wish to find some in Weather Leather too! :icon_smile_wink:

I wear them happily (And have long done so.) with casual country suits of tweed, corduroy or twills. And if the weather is lousy, and my mood as well, I just might say the heck with it (Though you know that's *not* what I would say!) and stick them under a city suit that perhaps isn't too formal.


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## poorboy (Feb 23, 2012)

James Bond wore a set of black Crockett & Jones chukkas with his suit in Skyfall during the Turkey and Shanghai scenes.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

poorboy said:


> James Bond wore a set of black Crockett & Jones chukkas with his suit in Skyfall during the Turkey and Shanghai scenes.


Well, despite that . . . . . :icon_smile_big:


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

^ Agree. Depends on the suit, the chukkas, the wearer.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

For city wear or in a legal or financial company, absolutely not! Never! However, if you work in a suburban office park where the suit of choice never has stripes and frequently is a windowpane or a glencheck, then perhaps you can pull it off. It depends on so many things. Where you work, what your position is, what your reputation is. Are you the office oddball, tolerated for ability but the source of shaking heads as you pass? In those circumstances, it could work. But I sure wouldn't try it if I was a very junior new hire!


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## JBierly (Jul 4, 2012)

poorboy said:


> James Bond wore a set of black Crockett & Jones chukkas with his suit in Skyfall during the Turkey and Shanghai scenes.


The tetbury in Black - that is a far cry from a suede brown "desert boot." I can see how one might look quite fashionable in those boots.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

I have a nice pair of these as a weather shoe. Personally, I don't think I'd wear them with a suit. I don't get to wear a suit very frequently so I just wouldn't have any need to wear other than plain or punch cap.


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## Buffalo (Nov 19, 2003)

I have seen many well dressed folks in the New York-New Jersey legal and financial communities wear chukkas, including cordovan chukkas with suits. It looks fine to me.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

Buffalo said:


> I have seen many well dressed folks in the New York-New Jersey legal and financial communities wear chukkas, including cordovan chukkas with suits. It looks fine to me.


Alternatively, one could think of them as well dressed in spite of their chukkas.


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## Semper Jeep (Oct 11, 2011)

I wear a pair of black shell chukkas with some of my suits quite frequently. This pair in particular: 

I see nothing wrong with them.


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## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

Shaver said:


> I would say no. Absolutely, no.
> 
> However, wait a little while as someone is sure to post and say 'yes'. :icon_smile_wink:


Funnily enough this is exactly what I thought when I opened up this thread.

I am also in the absolutely not camp. I think there are always better options to dress down the suit (broguing, or - heaven forfend - bluchers).


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

I don't see what's wrong with wearing chukkas with a suit, provided they don't interfere with the break of the trouser. I wear George boots on the very rare occasions when I wear black tie for dinner, and occasionally see others do so. I agree though there is something a bit less formal about the style - even louche perhaps? I can't say why that is.


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

Another member of the grumpy "absolutely no" camp checking in. Love the style - they are perfect for dressing up a casual outfit. I definitely wouldn't dress down a suit with a pair, though.

That said, if it's a very dressy pair, I wouldn't consider it an horrendous transgression on someone else. Not a choice I would make for myself, though.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

I'd find these pretty swank with a brown and cream glencheck or tan gabardine -


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## ada8356 (Dec 14, 2007)

So have we established that if you're James Bond it's ok? Otherwise it's a no-go?


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## jaydubbs15 (Jun 1, 2011)

I would too! Those are beautiful! I also like the fact that Bond wore a pair of chukkahs in Skyfall.  I guess it depends on the chukkahs as well.


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## jaydubbs15 (Jun 1, 2011)

Semper Jeep said:


> I wear a pair of black shell chukkas with some of my suits quite frequently. This pair in particular:
> 
> I see nothing wrong with them.


I meant to respond with your post quoted. Those are beautiful shoes and I would certainly wear those with a suit!


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

jaydubbs15 said:


> I like the look and feel of the leather chukkah, especially the Alden or Peal & Co. varieties. My question is weather the leather chukkah is appropriate for wear with a suit? Thanks!
> 
> Jay


Not unless you are in the desert, in that case I have to question the suit.

I have a nice pair of AE shell Dundees, they go well with jeans/chinos. When I'm wearing a suit, I'm not planning on chasing anyone down the street ala 007, he wore the shoes in Skyfall for a reason. If your situation in such that you will be riding a motorcycle, running down the street, by all means wear the boots, they will be safer.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

I don't care for it, but I don't much care for chukkas in general; boots need more eyelets than shoes, not less! As far as the pairing with suits, I don't see it done much in my area, for what that's worth. It may be well-accepted in New York.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Semper Jeep said:


> I wear a pair of black shell chukkas with some of my suits quite frequently. This pair in particular:
> 
> I see nothing wrong with them.


These boots don't met the "typical" chukka definition (2-3 pair of eyelets).
Nice looking footwear btw.


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## Youthful Repp-robate (Sep 26, 2011)

Semper Jeep said:


> I wear a pair of black shell chukkas with some of my suits quite frequently. This pair in particular:
> 
> I see nothing wrong with them.


Those are killer.

CuffDaddy: Sure, boots need more eyelets than shoes, but I'm starting to suspect the best number of eyelets for shoes is zero -- I tend to loaf around more than I should anyway, though.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Depending on the type of leather finish and the soling option selected, I think chukkas could work acceptably well with a suit. When standing, with the trouser cuff resting on the top of your shoes, they present much like a PTB shoe design. I regularly wear Chelsea boot designs with my suits and still occasionally pull out my old Dehner Dress Wellingtons to wear with suits. I just don't see a pair of highly shined, leather soled chukkas representing any greater sartorial transgression than those examples and, in fact, think all three options can look pretty darn good in the right situations!


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

eagle2250 said:


> I regularly wear Chelsea boot


Heretic! ic12337:


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## Angeland (Aug 24, 2011)

For all who posted a "No" with emphasis, please bear in mind that the footwear for British formal mess dress is the George boot, a variation on the chukka. While I agree that different styles of chukkas present more or less formally, the boot itself can and certainly has dressed up.

That said, mess dress is fundamentally retro, here and in England, and so for the gentleman whose suiting choices are speaking to an old fashioned style ("old" as in Edwardian), a nice ankle boot can work very well. Less so for someone trying to fit in quietly in a room full of navy blue suits and pinstripes.


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