# Do you wear chinos with black shoes ??



## Montfort (Jan 29, 2012)

I am a big fan of classic chinos in color khaki (i.e. Bills Khakis M1 & M2) 
In the past I bought a lot of *black shoes* - Wingtip Calfskin , Cap Toes shell cordovan, Medaillon Toes shell cordovan.
But today in my current job don't need to wear Business dresses, so can I wear my* black shoes also with chinos*?

Does anyone do this and how do you combine this - how do you combine these??


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Never! Black and khaki simply don't go together. I wear only brown shoes with chinos. Also, cap toes and medallion toes are too formal to pair with chinos, though wingtips work. The wingtips, however, should be anything but black. Dressier shoes for business dress don't usually go well with chinos either. I mostly wear slip-ons or chukka boots with my chinos. Why don't you get some grey wool trousers you can wear with the black shoes?


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## Montfort (Jan 29, 2012)

What about with - *black *shoes *black *leatherjacket and *MUSHROOM *or OLIVE chinos?


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Montfort said:


> What about with - *black *shoes *black *leatherjacket and *MUSHROOM *or OLIVE chinos?


I'd say a brown leather jacket and brown shoes with those chinos. Black leather jackets are better with jeans.


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

I wear chinos with black shoes occasionally. I like brown better, but black is not the end of the world. (I'm talking black casual shoes.)


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## Bandit44 (Oct 1, 2010)

You can wear black shoes with mushroom and olive, but burgundy or brown would work better. In all but very dark clothes (charcoal/navy), black creates stark contrasts.


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## Mike Petrik (Jul 5, 2005)

forsbergacct2000 said:


> I wear chinos with black shoes occasionally. I like brown better, but black is not the end of the world. (I'm talking black casual shoes.)


Agreed. Wearing black shoes with khakis (i.e. tan or lighter colored chinos) is not a sartorial faux pas, but is definitely sub-optimal. Brown or burgundy is much better. And Matt is right that because khakis are not dress pants, they should generally not be worn with shoes that are appropriate with a business suit. There are exceptions of course. Depending on the business suit and context, there are certainly some brogues (especially bluchers) and perhaps tasseled loafers that can work with both. Sometimes a gent wants to dress up his khakis a bit, or dress down his suit. But these tactics can only go so far. Khakis are not dress pants.

Also agree with Bandit that black works a bit better for mushroom and olive, but is still sub-optimal.


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Sure, I wear black shoes with chinos, regardless of their color. There's nothing wrong with doing so.

I understand the comment about "suboptimal," but let me offer the counterpoint that discussing "optimal" style combinations when it comes to simple casual clothing worn primarily for comfort seems to me to be analogous to obsessing over the upholstery in a Yugo.


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

Depends on the color. I don't usually mix color groups, so with char black shoes are OK. But if khaki, British tan, or stone earthtone shoes are better.


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## Alleline (Nov 16, 2013)

Well said, Maxbuck.


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## TheoProf (Dec 17, 2012)

I wear my black AE McTavish and black AE Black Hills with olive or gray (Land's End's "wet cement" color) chinos. I think those types of black casual shoes look good with some chino colors.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

MaxBuck said:


> Sure, I wear black shoes with chinos, regardless of their color. There's nothing wrong with doing so.
> 
> I understand the comment about "suboptimal," but let me offer the counterpoint that discussing "optimal" style combinations when it comes to simple casual clothing worn primarily for comfort seems to me to be analogous to obsessing over the upholstery in a Yugo.


Does that mean, that if you were at the Yugo dealership, (assuming one existed), and ordered a beige car, you would tell them to put any color upholstery in it? Even if you were presented with a pallate of color choices, would you leave it up to chance, or the dealer's taste?

If buying off the lot you may have few options. The OP seems to have an abundance of black shoes. While he could wear these with Khakis and nobody will think ill of him, maybe he's looking for a reason to get a more versatile color.


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

momsdoc said:


> The OP seems to have an abundance of black shoes. While he could wear these with Khakis and nobody will think ill of him, maybe he's looking for a reason to get a more versatile color.


Let it never be said that I'm trying to talk anyone out of buying more nice shoes! 

But he's gotta post pictures once he's got 'em.


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## Mike75 (Jul 18, 2013)

Never with chinos. I will wear black cap toes or wing tips with my suits and dress pants and black bit loafers with cords and jeans.


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

With white (yeah, I know  ) or grey - but never plain captoes or wholecuts.


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

MaxBuck said:


> Sure, I wear black shoes with chinos, regardless of their color. There's nothing wrong with doing so.
> 
> I understand the comment about "suboptimal," but let me offer the counterpoint that discussing "optimal" style combinations when it comes to simple casual clothing worn primarily for comfort seems to me to be analogous to obsessing over the upholstery in a Yugo.


But if it's business casual, then they're not really being worn primarily for comfort.


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## FLMike (Sep 17, 2008)

No. The only exception is black bit loafers with stone-colored casual pants (chino, poplin). Even that very rarely.


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## Claybuster (Aug 29, 2007)

I wear my black Albert Slippers with khakis very often.


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## Mike Petrik (Jul 5, 2005)

momsdoc said:


> Does that mean, that if you were at the Yugo dealership, (assuming one existed), and ordered a beige car, you would tell them to put any color upholstery in it? Even if you were presented with a pallate of color choices, would you leave it up to chance, or the dealer's taste?
> 
> If buying off the lot you may have few options. The OP seems to have an abundance of black shoes. While he could wear these with Khakis and nobody will think ill of him, maybe he's looking for a reason to get a more versatile color.


This. There is absolutely nothing wrong or inappropriate about wearing black shoes in casual dress, but in my view all other things equal brown or burgundy is always a superior option in this context. I just can't agree with the notion that in casual dress aesthetics are somehow irrelevant.


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## bd79cc (Dec 20, 2006)

FLCracka said:


> No. The only exception is black bit loafers with stone-colored casual pants (chino, poplin). Even that very rarely.


Black bit loafers with stone-colored pants works especially well if the bit loafers have a matte finish or have a pebble grain. If the bits are gold tone, this can work with traditionally-colored khaki pants. It would depend on the specific shoes and pants. In either case, the socks should be definitely darker than these pants but definitely lighter than the shoes . Just my two cents!


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

I don't claim that in casual dress aesthetics are irrelevant. Nonetheless I can't understand the notion that black shoes somehow "clash" with light chino trousers. I think this is a notion born out of buying into fashion "taboos" rather than actual aesthetics. 

Those who claim that contrast is displeasing to the eye must think it's wrong to wear a white shirt with dark suiting. Right?


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## Mike Petrik (Jul 5, 2005)

MaxBuck said:


> I don't claim that in casual dress aesthetics are irrelevant. Nonetheless I can't understand the notion that black shoes somehow "clash" with light chino trousers. I think this is a notion born out of buying into fashion "taboos" rather than actual aesthetics.
> 
> Those who claim that contrast is displeasing to the eye must think it's wrong to wear a white shirt with dark suiting. Right?


I don't think that it is displeasing to the eye at all, but I do think that in a casual context burgundy or brown is usually more pleasing to the eye. Unlike brown or burgundy, a pair of black leather shoes rarely displays as much subtlety or character as its brown or burgundy counterpart -- it is unusual for the same casual shoe to look more appealing in black than in brown or burgundy. This is what I meant by sub-optimal. The same shoe in brown or burgundy will usually be superior -- i.e., more optimal -- aesthetically. That said, as I emphasized above that does not in any way make black an inappropriate selection for chinos, assuming the other aspects of the shoe render it sufficiently casual.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Black shoes and chino's? Sure - go ahead and wear them together. Might as well pop on a tri-corn hat also, just to accentuate the ludicrousness. :rolleyes2:


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Shaver said:


> Black shoes and chino's? Sure - go ahead and wear them together. Might as well pop on a tri-corn hat also ...


I'd hate to steal your look, Shaver, so I'll stick with a baseball cap.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

MaxBuck said:


> I'd hate to steal your look, Shaver, so I'll stick with a baseball cap.


Oh NO! Please tell me that you don't wear a baseball cap!?


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Shaver said:


> Oh NO! Please tell me that you don't wear a baseball cap!?


Only on days ending in "y."


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

MaxBuck said:


> Only on days ending in "y."


Oh Max. You are teasing old Shaver, I trust?


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