Brown Shoes with Dark Suits

[Three Button]

Out and about, I notice men wearing brown shoes with grey or navy suits. Is this okay? I would think that black would be more appropriate for such suits.

 

[Earl of Ormonde]

What dio you think? Decide yourself if you think it's okay.

Personally I wear brown shoes with black jeans and navy but never with grey

For me brown shoes with grey are just too similar to the style of old men in England and Sweden.

 

[topbroker]

Out and about, I notice men wearing brown shoes with grey or navy suits. Is this okay? I would think that black would be more appropriate for such suits.

Absolutely 100% A-OK, very stylish. Brown suede is especially nice with grey. I'll even wear tan shoes such as Alden British tan tassel mocs with navy suits; I get lots of compliments on that. Sometimes I wear medium brown lace-ups with black trousers and a sportcoat whose pattern includes both brown and black, and that works great, too.

 

[Sartre]

I'm okay with this. Depends of course on the shade of brown, the shade or grey, etc., but as a general proposition it is not a faux pas.

tjs

 

[Earl of Ormonde]

Sometimes I wear medium brown lace-ups with black trousers and a sportcoat whose pattern includes both brown and black, and that works great, too.

Ditto, I've done exactly that. As recently as last friday in fact.

 

[hbs midwest]

Seems to have been quite common in parts of New England back when...

My personal preference runs toward the oxblood/cordovan/Burgundy end of the brown pallette, but I see no problem with brown/tan with navy or grey.

hbs

 

[Flanderian]

I often do, but it depends on the context. Just happens I much prefer all the many shades of brown to the one shade of black. Brown is always less formal than black with these pairings, and there are times when only black is right IMO, such as a funeral. Black can never be wrong with gray and navy.

 

[topbroker]

My personal preference runs toward the oxblood/cordovan/Burgundy end of the brown pallette, but I see no problem with brown/tan with navy or grey.

I love burgundy, too, with just about everything.

 

[Earl of Ormonde]

I've got a pair of oxblood boots and they DO go with absolutely all sorts of casual trousers.

 

[Cowtown]

I have become a big fan of brown shoes with navy suits.

 

[SCsailor]

It's a great look. My personal belief is that you should wear a dark shade of brown with navy or charcoal suits. I think that's a classic look.

 

[efdll]

shoe connundrum

When I first started patronizing Brooks at 346 Madison around '81, a salesman -- and they were all old hands at the time -- told me to wear my new navy suit with black shoes. I wore it with dark brown weejuns, which violated two rules: the color and the shoe style. But they were the best shoes I owned. Eventually, I bought black English bals, which I still own and are in great shape because I seldom wear them. Brown shoes with a navy suit is, indeed, a New England, or at least Eastern Seaboard style. Rules for that too: only dark brown. But rules be damned; I wore navy blue with dark tan cap toes and liked the look, even though I admit it was flashy. As for tassels with a suit, that's another no-no. And, equally, another classic American style. Going back to my original sin, I still wear penny loafers with a suit because I like it. I'm not saying anything new: American style is all about breaking the rules. Of course, you first have to know the rules, then f--- it.

 

[topbroker]

Cross-posted because of relevance:

All business this Monday: navy pinstripe suit, Hugo Boss copper brown mini-check shirt, Tommy Hilfiger navy patterned tie, "scissors" tie bar, navy patterned square, medium brown belt, navy patterned socks, Mezlan Ribera medium brown bluchers, Dobbs navy fedora.

The Boss shirt is new and is a pip:

Here are the Mezlans:

And the scissors tie bar:

 

[Zot!]

If you can't wear oxblood/cordovan with navy and medium gray, it's pretty hard to imagine what you would wear it with. Medium brown with medium gray also looks pretty good. Oxblood with charcoal doesn't really do it for me, though. It's true that black on navy is the more conservative or formal choice, but that's a pretty relative statement these days: wearing oxblood wingtips with a navy suit will make you look dressier than about 90% of the people you pass on the street.

 

[Cruiser]

Personally I don't care for brown shoes with navy or grey, but some do so if you like it, wear it. I limit my brown shoes for wear with jeans and khakis, opting for black and burgandy with my suits. Brown looks too casual for my liking.

Cruiser

 

[Peak and Pine]

For me brown shoes with grey are just too similar to the style of old men in England and Sweden.

This makes no sense at all.
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