# shades of brown shoes. Appropriate with navy or charcoal pants?



## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

Im having some difficulty deciding if my AE shoes both in Cognac color and saddle brown color can go with my dark navy blue pants and charcoal pants. 

The cognacs have a hint of red in them. I always felt that with if you get brown shoes they should be on the darker side if you wear them with navy blue and charcoal. 

Any other shade of brown (cognac, light brown etc) look best with lighter suit colors such as light grey, mocha, tan.

Iam I right about this or will any shade of brown go good with navy or charcoal color pants? Is there a rule?


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

maybe this would help. I mostly wear dark navy suits and charcoal suits. Does it matter what shade of brown shoes I wear?


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## JibranK (May 28, 2007)

I often do this with dark tan shoes. It's a nice look, but arguably a dandyish touch.


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## PedanticTurkey (Jan 26, 2008)

I like dark tan shoes with navy, but as always when you break the rules you have to make sure you "pull it off" or you could look like an ass-- i.e., make sure they're shined, etc.

Also, I wouldn't wear 'em to a funeral...


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

what do you mean break the rules? Is there a rule saying wearing dark brown shoes are not to be worn with dark colors? IMO wearing black shoes with everything is dull, boring, and shows you dont have to think to much when getting dressed. Im tired of black shoes, well for a while.


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## landho (Sep 26, 2007)

Miami Mike, I have a pair of very nice black dress shoes that sit in my closet. I bought them for a wedding in October and I haven't worn them since--not even to the wedding I attended in December.

Like you, I started out wearing black dress shoes and then quickly moved on to brown ones, which are much more interesting. I have a pair of cognac Aldens (medallion-toe bals) that I often wear with navy and gray. I think it's important to wear a light-colored shirt when wearing your cognac shoes with your navy or your charcoal suit, however; it will provide balance to your ensemble. Dark-brown shoes are more versatile with regard to navy and charcoal suits, but cognac shoes look better.


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## fullgrain (Jan 5, 2007)

Yes, brown is fine with navy (even w/ a bit of red in it) and particularly w/ grey/charcoal.

I think you can mix and match at will, esp. in Miami, where the quality of light lends itself to shades other than black. The thing to keep in mind is that the greater disparity in shade between your suit and shoes, the more the shoes will stand out. If I'm going to wear substantially lighter shoes w/ a navy or charcoal suit, I might keep the shirt and tie simpler. (All depends on what you are wearing the outfit for; a lot more freedom if hitting a club than an interview.) Also, when I wear brown instead of black, I find softer/warmer colors in the tie help bring the outfit together.

The big question of course is why living in Miami, you are not wearing linen, cotton, or tan wool.:icon_smile:


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## Cornellian (Dec 11, 2006)

I think you could wear any brown/tan with navy (as long as you can pull off the lighter shades, and I would save those for summer). Dark brown goes with just about everything.

I don't think I would wear a light brown/tan with charcoal, but true brown looks fantastic with charcoal.

As an aside, I've been living in Slovakia since September. It seems de rigeur here to wear black shoes with anything dressy. Aside from the fact that men wear the cheapest sh*t shoes ever, I think black looks boring.

I don't think you can go wrong with darker browns. The only thing I wouldn't wear them with are black trousers (but you don't wear black, right :devil or, as has been said, to an evening or otherwise formal event.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I see no problem wearing cognac or saddle brown shoes with navy or charcoal trousers. I've worn my AE Sohos with charcoal trousers twice and with navy trousers once...and the shoes have only been in my rotation for about a month now! I think the combinations look quite nice.


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## charlie2 (Oct 16, 2007)

I have dark broan Byrons that i enjoy wearing with a mid-gray suit. I wore them once with a navy suit, and did not like the combination. I have ordered the Byrons in Chili to wear with navy.


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

Thanks for the opinions guys :icon_smile: Its true when you wear lighter brown shoes they do tend to stand out more, thats what was bothering me, seemed to stand out to much (like hey check out my feet). I prefer the top half of me to stand out more than my shoes. 

Like anything somepeople can pull off any outfit no matter what color shoes or suits and still look good while others look like a clown.  

I think I will stick with dark (true) brown shoes with my darker suits (navy, charcoal) and save the cognacs, light tans etc for ligher suits (lgt grey, tan etc) and summer time. Who knows maybe some night I will juice it up a bit. 

Yes this is Miami and you can get away with anything but I prefer the classy traditional look with just a hint of "hip" :aportnoy:


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## tasteful one (Oct 6, 2006)

Uh, oh, one of those 'rule' questions! Who are these 'experts', what makes them so?

Anyway, cognac works well with brown, tan, and the jewel tones (it's the contrast that matters here, as long as the pants are darker than the shoes you're in good stead!).

Alternately, burgundy works well with charcoal and navy (but never brown, earths and jewels never go!).

Stuff only looks dandyish if it's one of those two tone shoes combining (yuck!) white and any other color, or if you wear loafers without socks, or (mercy!) shorts and knee high nylon dressies and loafers!


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

tasteful one said:


> Stuff only looks dandyish --- if you wear loafers without socks


For casual wear I think loafers, particularly penny loafers, look fine without socks when worn with jeans or khakis. The majority of men, at least outside of this forum, would probably agree with this.

But as to brown shoes with navy or charcoal, I've never cared for it at all. It looks mismatched to me. Burgandy or black looks much better. Again, I suspect that most men outside of this forum would probably agree with this.

Cruiser


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## acidicboy (Feb 17, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> For casual wear I think loafers, particularly penny loafers, look fine without socks when worn with jeans or khakis. The majority of men, at least outside of this forum, would probably agree with this.


Yes, I have to disagree with this. Loafers worn with trousers sans socks doesn't look good imho, and the sweat accumulating inside the shoe and into the leather.... ewww.  I think a casual pair of cotton socks would be a better option.


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

*navy suit + dark brown bals =*

AWESOME

I wore a navy suit with my brown cap toe bals (Alden) the other night to see Bill Cosby at the Fox in Atlanta. It looked terrific. I felt confident strolling down the block with what I had on. That's what matters. Not cocky but confident and comfortable. I always look though Esquire and GQ to get ideas, but always stay on the side of classic dressing. I also have a few books I refer to if I'm ever in a bind.

Brown and navy go great together.

p.s. Cosby was outstanding!!! That's a given.

Seinfeld will be there in May. My wife and I may still get tickets. We saw him before and it was the best $75 I ever spent to be entertained.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

rbstc123 said:


> Brown and navy go great together.


Which is precisely why shoes come in different colors. There's something for each of us. For those of us who DON'T think brown and navy go particularly well together there are other choices. I think it is great that we don't all wear the same thing. How boring would that be? :icon_smile:

Cruiser


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

acidicboy said:


> Yes, I have to disagree with this. Loafers worn with trousers sans socks doesn't look good imho, and the sweat accumulating inside the shoe and into the leather.... ewww.  I think a casual pair of cotton socks would be a better option.


Totally agree.


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## damon54 (Dec 12, 2007)

I went years without wearing Black shoes & belts because I simply became bored. I now rotate going with some derivative of Brown/Burgundy 70% of the time.

Don't much care what is conventional or correct, if I don't like it what is the point?


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

Thats true damen54, if you dont like how it looks then whats the point of wearing it even if its correct. My thing has always been dark brown with dark color pants and lighter color browns with lighter color pants. Its what Iam confy with. 

I dont know why, prob just watching people and seeing it on tv or in mags. Or maybe its something like wearing olive pants with black shoes, it just dont fit. One thing I find funny is why would you want to draw attention to you feet more than your upper body (face) unless you have a black eye or something? Just my opinion though. 

Heres a good quote to keep in mind when worrying about if you colors and everything go good together "what Ive learned in life is that if you look people in the eye, they wont notice what you are wearing" The wedding date movie


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## Patrickw711 (Dec 29, 2007)

I wear dark brown with navy and charcoal often. I tried a pair of cognac shoes with a navy pinstripe recently. I liked the combination but I'm still not sure if I liked it because the shoes are really great or whether the combination just worked for me. Regardless it struck me as a high contrast look that would benefit from being only a very occasional wardrobe choice.

Patrick


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

For me dark brown looks lovely with charcoal trousers/suits but I don't like it with navy. With navy I wear burgundy shoes. I only wear black with the above if the occasion seems to demand more gravitas.


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

When it comes to shades of brown which one is usually lighter - darker and which one mostly has more red tint to it? Cognac, saddle brown, or merlot?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

miamimike said:


> When it comes to shades of brown which one is usually lighter - darker and which one mostly has more red tint to it? Cognac, saddle brown, or merlot?


Of the colors you specify, cognac would seem to have more red tint than saddle brown or merlot (to my eye, merlot is more purple/burgundy than red). Looking for more of a red tint, would you consider a shoe in chili calf?


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## JDJ (May 2, 2007)

Leather man said:


> For me dark brown looks lovely with charcoal trousers/suits but I don't like it with navy. With navy I wear burgundy shoes. I only wear black with the above if the occasion seems to demand more gravitas.


Leather man said exactly what I would say.


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## LD111134 (Dec 21, 2007)

I'm wearing my chestnut brown double monk strap AE Moras with a navy double breasted suit from Hickey Freeman, and the combination looks great.


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

eagle2250 said:


> Of the colors you specify, cognac would seem to have more red tint than saddle brown or merlot (to my eye, merlot is more purple/burgundy than red). Looking for more of a red tint, would you consider a shoe in chili calf?


If Merlot is more purple/burgandy I bet it would look amazing with dark navy slacks or a navy suit. Hummmm....


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

Rossini said:


> Totally agree.


I also agree. I hate the no sock look.

Brown goes with navy - some say brown is the new black, but I still prefer dark brown shoes. I just can't get into tans and the like.

I went to an interview today for an internship. There were 8 of us and I was the only one wearing burgundy shoes, everyone else was wearing black (and most in need of a polish). Mine were a nice spit shined cap-toe. :icon_smile_big:


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

So did you get the job since you were different and well gromed?


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