If you do not own the following things, you are not well dressed

[Manton]



What about black loafers?

'
useless, IMO.

 

[NakedYoga]



'
useless, IMO.

That's what I thought you'd say. And is this because of a clash between the color, which connotes formality, and the fact that the shoe is a loafer, which suggests casualness?

 

[in stitches]



OK, what do we replace it with, then? The black oxford is not negotiable. Since I have three shoes on the list, that leaves two slots. Or if you can think of One Shoe that does everything the black osxford does not, i am all ears. Brown bluchers are the closest thing I guess. The thing is, those are versatile, but not essential IMO. I still think the loafer, which goes from summer to winter and with tie to without tie, is a staple shoe.

fwiw, i agree to this completely. i think brown loafers are fantastically versatile.

 

[A Canuker]

I would say that I have and would agree with most everything here, save for the black tie event, but the loafer is something that, IMO, should be brought to the back of the barn and shot dead. I'm sure that some can do it well but I've never seen any that I would wish to have in my collection nor have I seen any in the wild that have ever "finished" the look.

My two cents.

 

[in stitches]



'
useless, IMO.

they make for nice shabbos shoes with a bekeshe.

 

[Manton]



That's what I thought you'd say. And is this because of a clash between the color, which connotes formality, and the fact that the shoe is a loafer, which suggests casualness?

that's the heart of it.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



OK, what do we replace it with, then? The black oxford is not negotiable. Since I have three shoes on the list, that leaves two slots. Or if you can think of One Shoe that does everything the black osxford does not, i am all ears. Brown bluchers are the closest thing I guess. The thing is, those are versatile, but not essential IMO. I still think the loafer, which goes from summer to winter and with tie to without tie, is a staple shoe.

I was going to say a brown derby, like a split toe, or wingtip.

 

[Manton]

My go to loafer is an unlined Alden for BB norwegian style in #8 shell, a super American shoe. But if you want one more formal, there are several classics in the EG catalogue. I also think Lobb Lopez is fantastic, which I have in tan and wear for the summer. My one other loafer is EG Buckingham in mink suede, for fall/winter. If I could have only one, it would be the Alden, hands down.

I guess this is the most controversial thing on the list.

 

[Manton]



I was going to say a brown derby, like a split toe, or wingtip.

Too substantial for a summer outfit, can also be rather overmuch for a coat without a tie.

 

[Baron]

Kinda surprised by all this loafer hate, but maybe I shouldn't be, because I felt the same way when I was younger. But now, I wear them all the time, with every thing from jeans to a suit and all in between. They strike me as so classic that they hardly ever look out of place. I really want to get a pair of the BB unlined shell loafers - they'd make the perfect OneLoafer.

 

[MikeDT]



No, I am saying that if you don't have these things, you can't be well dressed in the tradition of classic men's tailored clothing, no matter where you live. If you have no need or no desire to be well dressed in the tradition of classic men's tailored clothing, then obviously you don't need any of these things.

But is that just based on your personal opinion though? Others will have different opinions.

It's threaks like this that make me come back to StyleForvm, a kind of escapism in the evenings.

 

[Manton]

No, it's not based on my personal opinion. It's maybe 25% personal opinion, 50% experience, and 25% observation and study. These are the things that basically every well dressed person has and has always had for the last 80 years. they are also the things that can take you through virtually any event or circumstance where you have to "dress up" (something more than chinos a a polo), without needing anything not on the list.

 

[sugarbutch]

I don't know that you can make this presumption about the OP.

Don't tell me, you live in a large metropolitan city and you have a job that requires that you wear a suit and tie?

TBH most of the things that the OP suggests are completely irrelevant here, or can't even get them locally. FYI I'm a teacher in a rural Chinese state middle school, not even the headmaster wears a suit.

...but this is MC StyleForvm. not the real world. There's probably some peeps that would suggest that $5000 handmade shoes should be an essential part of every gentleman's wardrobe, and you're not properly dressed without them.

Errr....

I presume the OP is assuming that one has a white-collar job and lives in a large metropolitan US city. like New York or Washington DC.

No, I am saying that if you don't have these things, you can't be well dressed in the tradition of classic men's tailored clothing, no matter where you live. If you have no need or no desire to be well dressed in the tradition of classic men's tailored clothing, then obviously you don't need any of these things.

See, I told you not to presume!

 

[eg1]



My go to loafer is an unlined Alden for BB norwegian style in #8 shell, a super American shoe. But if you want one more formal, there are several classics in the EG catalogue. I also think Lobb Lopez is fantastic, which I have in tan and wear for the summer. My one other loafer is EG Buckingham in mink suede, for fall/winter. If I could have only one, it would be the Alden, hands down.
I guess this is the most controversial thing on the list.

Judging by the number of posters, loafers are the item most often unloved. If I had to choose something I would wear most often I would replace it with a split-toe or chelsea.

 

[Threadbearer]



Non chino just means, not like those sweatshop-made wrinkly things i wear on weekends and that I would never wear with a tie.

I could use more clarification on this. How about naming some names, maybe even posting some links?

Wouldn't these all be often better served with (non brogued) derbys in most social situations?

As a guy who's trying to upgrade his shoe wardrobe, it would help me to know why you specified non-brogued derbies. Do they not occupy almost the same point as brogued derbies on the city-country spectrum?