Friday, 24 March 2017 / Published in News, Topics

A Groom and His Shoes

I am for sure on the bride side, but what we will ever do without a groom??

So here I am with some information for our grooms to be perfect from the hair to the SHOES!! And yes again about shoes. Men do not often really think about their footwear, as long as they are comfortable and good that’s all they need to know. So for sure if you will open their wardrobe we will not find a great collection but for sure one or two pairs of casual shoes, snikers, one pair of work shoes or maybe some boots and a pair of elegant shoes….

But for sure on your wedding day you will also need something special for the special day. What is undoubtedly true is that most men don’t stop to think about the style, construction or purpose of the shoe they are buying – so long as it looks good and is within budget!!!

So with the help of a web site I have put together some usefull information about the style of men shoes

The right colour

The only two option you have here are – black or brown – but what you choose most definitely depends on what you are wearing on the rest of your body. Traditionally a black shoe is considered more formal than brown. If you are wearing any dark coloured outfit (with the exception of navy) then black shoes are a must. This applies to all suits, morning dress and black tie. Brown shoes should only be worn with navy blue suits – so long as it is not too light a brown – or if you are going for a more relaxed look across the whole of your outfit. They can also help to add a bit of subtle country chic if that is your sort of thing. Just because brown is a more informal colour doesn’t mean you should scrimp on style, shape and quality however.

Shapes & Styles

A classic gentleman’s shoe is available in only a small handful of different styles. Sure, there are subtle variations between each brand, and the ‘pointiness’ of the toe may change from season to season, but essentially each shoe can be classed in one of four categories.

The Oxford

The Oxford (or Balmoral as it is sometimes known) is characterised by having its shoelace eyelet tabs stitched underneath the ‘vamp’ – the part of the shoe upper that covers the top of the foot and toes. This type of construction is known as ‘closed lacing’ and offers the most clean – and as such most formal – appearance of any lace up shoe. Oxfords are a timeless classic that will serve you well at any occasion and will be a sensible choice for you on your wedding day.

The Derby

The only other lace-up shoe in this set of four is the Derby. On first inspection you may not be able to tell the difference between a Derby and its first-cousin the Oxford; however a closer look will reveal that where the Oxford is ‘close-laced’ the Derby makes the most of ‘open-lacing’. Here the shoelace eyelet tabs are sewn on top of the vamp to create two ‘flaps’ that wrap around the tongue of the shoe. Originally designed to be a more comfortable and sturdy shoe for hunting in, the Derby is traditionally considered to be unsuitable for formal occasions. Whilst there are plenty of lovely Derbys out there, if you are buying a new pair of shoes for the wedding try to stay clear of a pair of these.

The Monk

Rather surprisingly, Monk shoes bear no resemblance to the footwear modelled by monks or other men of the cloth. In fact we have completely failed in our research to find out why indeed they are even called Monks. The next most formal shoe after the Oxford, the Monk is a half shoe / half boot hybrid that will feel like heaven to any man who suffers from considerably wider feet. The shoe is closed by one or two buckles that run across the top of the foot instead of lacing, allowing for variable widths to be achieved with ease. If you fancy something a bit different from the bog-standard lace-ups you’ve always worn, why not put on a pair of these for the big day.

The Loafer

Loafer is a unifying term for a number of more distinct styles of shoe; however we all know that this pretty much encompasses all types of ‘slip-on’ footwear. From Venetians to Moccasins, the loafer epitomises comfort and freedom of movement. For this very reason the loafer can hardly be considered the pinnacle of formality and yet there are some styles out there than really do look the business. If you can avoid the ‘Friday night out’ shoe look and find something with more elegance and class, you might be able to pull off a pair of these with your wedding suit.

In love with leather

Let us make one thing absolutely clear; you should never ever ever consider purchasing pair of formal shoes that are not made of leather. Leather is the only acceptable material when it comes to crafting a quality pair of shoes and can be used for pretty much every part of the construction. Plastic, pvc or ‘pleather’ is an absolute no no – it is cheap, uncomfortable and no doubt a sign of poor workmanship throughout.

Brands

Finally, and to help you on your way, here is a list of top quality shoe brands to cover most price ranges. The simple fact with shoes is that you tend to get what you pay for, so think hard about investing in a really good pair that will last you many years.