For those of you that wear oxfords, wingtips, brogues casually.... help?

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by j

The more beat up they are, the easier it will be to wear them with jeans and casually. I don't mean not cared for, but well worn and polished tends to look better than a brand new shiny pair of dress shoes for very casual use.

+1 on this. Don't baby them too much, get 'em nice and creasy and a little rugged looking.

For the record, though, I think brogues are good for your purpose, but not wingips. I think wingtips are genrally understood to be not only more formal, but also more conservative. Rather accountanty IMO. Brougues can be dressed down, but full-on wingtips are harder.

 

[Aureus]

Originally Posted by vvoc

well theres no better way to get comfortable with it than practice lol...i guess i have to play it by ear? just wanted to know the type of places you wear dress shoes to casually (not work or something)
Parties, Around the house, the Cigar shop, movies, restaurants, basically wherever. Hell I've skated to class in my dress shoes (from the Stacy Adams to the Crockett and Jones, yes heresy I'm sure. But leather soles work fine on grip tape)

 

[vvoc]

this is a picture of the wingtips i like... what do you think: http://i4.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/90/ac/43c3_1.JPG is there any specific brand or style of brogues you recommend i look into? thus far that is the best choice ive come across (im on a strict budget, not willing to spend over $30...sorry)... i also think the color helps make them more casual, as compared to black... btw....not to sound like a totally noob...but could you explain fully the difference between brogue and wingtip to me...im a little sketchy... thanks!

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by vvoc

this is a picture of the wingtips i like... what do you think:

http://i4.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/90/ac/43c3_1.JPG

is there any specific brand or style of brogues you recommend i look into? thus far that is the best choice ive come across (im on a strict budget, not willing to spend over $30...sorry)... i also think the color helps make them more casual, as compared to black...

btw....not to sound like a totally noob...but could you explain fully the difference between brogue and wingtip to me...im a little sketchy... thanks!


I'd find that too formal, might just be me though. Under $30 is gonna be tricky no matter how you slice it. On the plus side, though, you are pretty much limited to used ebay shoes, so they'll already be ruggedly worn in. Do a search for Allen Edmonds Byron. I wear those with jeans (gotta be narrow jeans though, because theya re a bal, which would look like a dainty slipper under pants with a wider than 18 inch opening)

 

[j]

Those are pretty dressy. I'd recommend a blucher (which is open at the bottom of the laces, as opposed to the one you posted which is a balmoral) in brown (not burgundy/oxblood/reddish brown).

These styles (ignore condition and size):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Johnston-Murphy-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALLEN-EDMONDS-AS...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-ALLEN-EDMOND...QQcmdZViewItem

Though I am guessing you're a 10D by looking through ebay, you can get an idea of what style I'd recommend. Also, without getting into too much detail about corrected grain (do a search if interested) I'd suggest finding shoes with 'duller' leather - the shiny leather of the J&Ms looks unnatural because it is coated, while those Allen-Edmonds I posted have better leather that can still take a good shine, but will look better with more casual clothes IMO.

 

[vvoc]

wow thats such a small detail, i never noticed, but i guess it makes a big diff huh? so you think that these: http://i20.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/90/f6/31ff_1.JPG are much too formal to be worn casually with jeans and that i should opt for a pair that has open laces rather than closed.... could someone explain the meanings of all these terms btw (blucher, borgue, etc, sorry kinda to this shoe scene) thanks!!

 

[vvoc]

also for color you guys recommend brown as opposed to burgandy (for some reason i think the burgandy is better cause i can wear it with black easier and it makes the shoes stand out a bit...in a good way i hope though)

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by vvoc

also for color you guys recommend brown as opposed to burgandy (for some reason i think the burgandy is better cause i can wear it with black easier and it makes the shoes stand out a bit...in a good way i hope though)

I actually like burgundy but brown may be more versatile for you.

 

[j]

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=701

I wouldn't say they are "much" too formal, just more formal looking IMO.

And I woudn't say the burgundy color is way off, but in my experience it tends to go better with dressier clothes, in general. It's up to you - if you like it, do it.

But I would say the leather looks a bit slick for jeans-wear. Again, JMO, and remember, 95-99% of the population will look and go "oh, dress shoes", not "I say, he's wearing corrected-grain burgundy balmoral wingtips with single soles, in a rather Americanized last, with his serge-de-nimes pantaloons".

 

[vvoc]

LOL at the last comment...thats odd cause the feeling i get from this forum is that thats what everyone would think when they saw the shoes lol...

hmmmm i think im gonna take a risk and just get those wingtips, youre right most people wont even notice that slight detail, and if i break them in enough (varvato-ish, if that makes sense) i think i could wear them casually, but i know for sure that the first few times i wear it, im gonna get slack from my friends...theyll get used to it though lol

 

[j]

Originally Posted by vvoc

LOL at the last comment...thats odd cause the feeling i get from this forum is that thats what everyone would think when they saw the shoes lol...

hmmmm i think im gonna take a risk and just get those wingtips, youre right most people wont even notice that slight detail, and if i break them in enough (varvato-ish, if that makes sense) i think i could wear them casually, but i know for sure that the first few times i wear it, im gonna get slack from my friends...theyll get used to it though lol
It's the internet, we over-analyze anything there is to over-analyze. The guidelines I laid down were basically for the safest way to ease into wearing dress shoes casually. I don't follow my own "safe" guidelines for the most part, and I wear things that others on the forum undoubtedly would/do laugh at, but I don't care, and that is why, for the most part, it works for me.

For example, this spring I will be wearing these with jeans:

So yeah, I'm sure you will be fine.

 

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by vvoc

i guess ill just suck it up and rock it and say **** you to whoever questions me lol

That is the perfect attitude. I wear AE Burton's frequently with jeans. I like the look and is touch more casual than the AE Byron previously suggested. It is a 3-eyelet blucher rather than the Byron which is a more traditional business shoe with a captoe. I feel a touch odd wearing my Byrons because they feel a bit too formal with jeans (not to say that I don't do it

)

 

[coiol]

Originally Posted by jet

Mocking is generally done behind one's back. Thinks like sneering and such are somewhat unnoticeable unless you have great perception skills.

Well, if I don't know about it, it doesn't affect me at all and so that's fine. I don't think people are really like that though; maybe I'm just naive?

 

[j]

I'd say naive is a more pleasurable way to go through life than paranoid.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by j

I'd say naive is a more pleasurable way to go through life than paranoid.

I know this was directed at me, you %&*#.

And quit watching me through the window.