Allen Edmond loafers, dark blue jeans but which color polo shirt

[David Yanez]

Honestly, I don’t think you’re going to get many useful recommendations from this site if your goal is to impress girls with your clothes.

It's a joke. Loosen up a bit. Life's too short to be so serious

EDIT

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off rude in my reply. But yea, I was just joking

 

[David Yanez]

Random question but does anyone know if Carmina Detroit is wider in width than Forest? I bought a pair of brown suede chelsea - Forest boots a year ago but they were a little too tight so I sold them to some lucky devil with normal feet lol.
I need brown shoes and these
DERBY DRESS SHOES 531 DETROIT
PLAIN TOE DERBY IN BROWN VEGANO

caught my eye

Would these color match a polo shirt like this blue one from Zegna and if so what color pants/chinos would look best

 

[mak1277]

It's a joke. Loosen up a bit. Life's too short to be so serious

EDIT

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off rude in my reply. But yea, I was just joking

I thought you were serious and I was actually trying to be helpful. I wasn’t being judgmental .

 

[HCapLonghorn]

I'm tired of wearing black chelsea boots with dark, black jeans and want something more comfortable which is why I bought Allen Edmonds Randolph in black. I don't want to wear sneakers with jeans so loafers seem like a safe bet. Don't like the look of the horse bit.

I don't mind wearing polos with jeans even though some people don't like the look. Do you know which color polo works best for dark jeans?

white and navy are the two classic colors, but navy is probably too close to the denim. i think a #8 LHS would pair better than black full strap loafer.

i wore white OCBD with indigo jeans and #8 loafers to the office regularly. great look and not dadwear imo.

 

[dieworkwear]

Random question but does anyone know if Carmina Detroit is wider in width than Forest? I bought a pair of brown suede chelsea - Forest boots a year ago but they were a little too tight so I sold them to some lucky devil with normal feet lol.
I need brown shoes and these
DERBY DRESS SHOES 531 DETROIT
PLAIN TOE DERBY IN BROWN VEGANO

caught my eye

Would these color match a polo shirt like this blue one from Zegna and if so what color pants/chinos would look best

Instead of thinking "what color goes with what," I think it would be better if you focused on an aesthetic, as in an aesthetic language/ cultural language, rather than thinking about how to combine things like a color wheel.

On this side of the board, the advice is at its best when it's about how to wear a traditional suit. People know that navy and grey suits should be worn with things like black oxford and white shirts. This is not because navy and grey go well with black and white. If that were the case, you could wear black suits with white shoes. Instead, grey and navy suits can be worn with white shirts and black shoes simply because that's how they are culturally worn.

I think this same logic applies to sport coats and causalwear. Some people on the CM side of the board think of sport coats and trousers as color theory, sprinkled with just the faintest hint of ideas about formality. So they will wear things like loafers with jeans, but the loafers are blue (and they convince themselves that blue goes with blue, so this is OK). Instead, blue loafers with blue jeans just make you look like a dandy. Or a clown.

If you wear a polo shirt with jeans and plain leather shoes, it will just be a business casual outfit. I don't think it matters much what color is the polo. This is further down the list, and you've already set yourself up for business casual. This can be fine if you want to look like your everyday office worker. But small changes in color -- blue or white for the polo -- will not make a big impact on the statement.

IMO, it would be better to just start from the cultural aesthetic that you want to communicate, and then work towards that. Traditional suits outfits are something that everyone understands -- it's the lingua franca of menswear. It's harder to give advice about casualwear because outfits are ultimately about identity and culture, and choosing a good outfit will be very personal to you. I think it's better to think about it in terms of writing a sentence, rather than throwing paint on a canvas.

 

[schraiber]

Instead of thinking "what color goes with what," I think it would be better if you focused on an aesthetic, as in an aesthetic language/ cultural language, rather than thinking about how to combine things like a color wheel.

On this side of the board, the advice is at its best when it's about how to wear a traditional suit. People know that navy and grey suits should be worn with things like black oxford and white shirts. This is not because navy and grey go well with black and white. If that were the case, you could wear black suits with white shoes. Instead, grey and navy suits can be worn with white shirts and black shoes simply because that's how they are culturally worn.

I think this same logic applies to sport coats and causalwear. Some people on the CM side of the board think of sport coats and trousers as color theory, sprinkled with just the faintest hint of ideas about formality. So they will wear things like loafers with jeans, but the loafers are blue (and they convince themselves that blue goes with blue, so this is OK). Instead, blue loafers with blue jeans just make you look like a dandy. Or a clown.

If you wear a polo shirt with jeans and plain leather shoes, it will just be a business casual outfit. I don't think it matters much what color is the polo. This is further down the list, and you've already set yourself up for business casual. This can be fine if you want to look like your everyday office worker. But small changes in color -- blue or white for the polo -- will not make a big impact on the statement.

IMO, it would be better to just start from the cultural aesthetic that you want to communicate, and then work towards that. Traditional suits outfits are something that everyone understands -- it's the lingua franca of menswear. It's harder to give advice about casualwear because outfits are ultimately about identity and culture, and choosing a good outfit will be very personal to you. I think it's better to think about it in terms of writing a sentence, rather than throwing paint on a canvas.

Do you have any advice for how to wear "menswear staples" like chinos, OCBD, polos, etc *without* looking super business casual/like an office worker? Or is this stuff just totally tainted and we need to wait a while for the association to break?

 

[dieworkwear]

Do you have any advice for how to wear "menswear staples" like chinos, OCBD, polos, etc *without* looking super business casual/like an office worker? Or is this stuff just totally tainted and we need to wait a while for the association to break?

I think the problem is that most people don't want to stand out. This is what's driving them to want to wear safe "menswear staples" like chinos and OCBDs -- they feel most comfortable in these clothes that they're already wearing, and they only want to look "correct," not stand out or be made fun of for their clothing choices.

By definition, if you don't want to stand out, then you will be in business casual because most people nowadays are in some form of business casual. Almost on every thread, everyone agrees that the average person today is poorly dressed. Yet, the great majority of people also don't want to stand out, which poses this conundrum. If you want to dress well, I think you have to be OK with standing out to some degree.

Some ideas on how to wear chinos, polos, OCBDs, etc without looking like you're in business casual, but while recognizing that you will stand out to some degree in these clothes.

The most obvious answer is to wear a polo, chinos, or OCBD with a sport coat. You can make this look good by getting clothes that fit better. And you can play with color, such as the outfits above, which feel a little more modern and young, and less like the outfits you see at your average business conference. (I realize that Greg in the photo above is not wearing an OCBD, but you can imagine it's a button-down collar).

Another option is to wear a more casual jacket. Military-style jackets, Barbours, and even trucker jackets can be worn with a sweater and OCBD. Add jeans or chinos, and then rugged boots. Again, all very safe, but at least it's a "look." IMO, it's hard to make an outfit look good without a jacket. A jacket is often the finishing piece.

Speaking of knitwear, while these are not polos, they fall into the category of "menswear staples." Instead of the same merino crewneck and v-necks that every office worker buys at the same mall stores, get a textured knit. Again, can be worn with chinos, jeans, and wool trousers -- all menswear staple types of items.

Back to the question of whether you can wear chinos, polos, and basic dress shirts in a way that doesn't look business casual: I think you have to play with the proportions or very small details. For instance, interesting fabrics, unique proportions, etc. This Camoshita polo is made from terrycloth and has a wide, boxy silhouette. Playing with teh silhouette can be an easy way to keep away from business casual.

Or you can do retro-styled knits (a little trendy right now, but at least it's a "look" and not just a $500 Zegna polo worn with jeans and black loafers, which is very dadcore). Todd Snyder has a bunch of these, as well as niche producers such as Beams (although pay attention to measurements, as Beams runs super slim. Beams Plus is often a better bet for people who live in teh US).

Or you can play with the proportions of the pants. Wide pants and slim shirt. Or wide pants and some interesting top (Yasuto above is wearing a ribbed t-shirt with longer sleeves. Those who are a little more timid can lose the neckerchief and the outfit will still consist of a basic top and wide pants, but does not look like the outfits you see downtown.

If someone really can't do any of these things, then I guess basic chinos and a tailored shirt is fine. If your clothes fit well, at least it's better than the average office worker. FWIW, I think this is much easier to pull off if you're handsome and in good shape. The two people above look great, but I think realistically, most people in these outfits look like the people below.

 

[schraiber]

Thanks for the write up. I think you're basically right. Especially this

IMO, it's hard to make an outfit look good without a jacket. A jacket is often the finishing piece.

This is really the crux. Wear an OCBD and chinos and you'll look like an office worker. Add a sport jacket and suddenly you don't look like an office worker anymore.

I don't know whether it was intentional or not but I also noticed that basically all the sport jackets you used as examples are broadly speaking on the brown or grey spectrum, as opposed to the quintessential navy. I think that's probably important too, since navy is so stereotyped it still has a bit of office worker vibe imo

 

[David Yanez]

Just got to trying on my loafers from Allen Edmonds and I'm not pleased with the way they look with jeans. I have to return them due to them being half an inch too big but I will plan on getting them at a later time (returning back to Nordstrom via post office, no stores or AE store near me that carries them).


Currently I'm wearing black RM William boots but I wear my jeans too baggy to even tell that they're even chelsea as I like loose fitting jeans. But, they're always hard to put on (backaches here and there) and too high around the ankle and I want something more low profile but not sneakers. So... where do I go from here?

I don't want chelsea boots. Not a fan of loafers with jeans (even though Allen Edmonds look beautiful and I'm sure they'll work for anyone especially with chinos). I've owned chukka boots in the past and sort of like the way they look with jeans. But what else is there to try? I'm currently looking at Derby shoes. Thoughts on those with jeans?

 

[maxalex]

Just got to trying on my loafers from Allen Edmonds and I'm not pleased with the way they look with jeans. I have to return them due to them being half an inch too big but I will plan on getting them at a later time (returning back to Nordstrom via post office, no stores or AE store near me that carries them).


Currently I'm wearing black RM William boots but I wear my jeans too baggy to even tell that they're even chelsea as I like loose fitting jeans. But, they're always hard to put on (backaches here and there) and too high around the ankle and I want something more low profile but not sneakers. So... where do I go from here?

I don't want chelsea boots. Not a fan of loafers with jeans (even though Allen Edmonds look beautiful and I'm sure they'll work for anyone especially with chinos). I've owned chukka boots in the past and sort of like the way they look with jeans. But what else is there to try? I'm currently looking at Derby shoes. Thoughts on those with jeans?

A defining element of dadcore is unattractive shoes (indeed even thinking about how your shoes might look constitutes a violation of dadcore non-values), so wearing well-made dressier loafers is at least a step in the right direction. If the AE loafers aren't working for you (which I understand), you might consider Italian Blake-stitched loafers which have a thinner, more elegant sole profile. I tend to wear those with denim in the summer, sockless; they just feel more summery to me. Also in the summer I wear denim with espadrilles. In the colder months I like derbys with jeans, and the chunkier the better.

What about work boots? I like those made by Oak Street in Chicago, but there are many others. As you expressed a preference for looser fitting jeans, I think they would pair well.

 

[TheIronDandy]

Just got to trying on my loafers from Allen Edmonds and I'm not pleased with the way they look with jeans. I have to return them due to them being half an inch too big but I will plan on getting them at a later time (returning back to Nordstrom via post office, no stores or AE store near me that carries them).


Currently I'm wearing black RM William boots but I wear my jeans too baggy to even tell that they're even chelsea as I like loose fitting jeans. But, they're always hard to put on (backaches here and there) and too high around the ankle and I want something more low profile but not sneakers. So... where do I go from here?

I don't want chelsea boots. Not a fan of loafers with jeans (even though Allen Edmonds look beautiful and I'm sure they'll work for anyone especially with chinos). I've owned chukka boots in the past and sort of like the way they look with jeans. But what else is there to try? I'm currently looking at Derby shoes. Thoughts on those with jeans?

I'm gonna re-iterate the point made by @dieworkwear: it makes more sense to ask yourself what kind of look you want, then think about what footwear will work with that look. Unless you're going to be wearing only footwear and jeans, it's better to consider the total look. Jeans with steel-toed work boots look completely different if combined with a lumberjack shirt and a horsehide jacket, than they do with a cashmere sweater and a shiny calf leather biker jacket. Jeans and sneakers is dadcore when worn with a tshirt, but cosplaying Steve Jobs when worn with a black turtleneck. Unless you're ONLY wearing jeans and footwear, it doesn't make sense to ask only what footwear go well with jeans, especially since jeans are so common and worn so many ways today. Start with what you want your look to communicate, that makes it much easier to give useful advice.

 

[schraiber]

Just got to trying on my loafers from Allen Edmonds and I'm not pleased with the way they look with jeans. I have to return them due to them being half an inch too big but I will plan on getting them at a later time (returning back to Nordstrom via post office, no stores or AE store near me that carries them).


Currently I'm wearing black RM William boots but I wear my jeans too baggy to even tell that they're even chelsea as I like loose fitting jeans. But, they're always hard to put on (backaches here and there) and too high around the ankle and I want something more low profile but not sneakers. So... where do I go from here?

I don't want chelsea boots. Not a fan of loafers with jeans (even though Allen Edmonds look beautiful and I'm sure they'll work for anyone especially with chinos). I've owned chukka boots in the past and sort of like the way they look with jeans. But what else is there to try? I'm currently looking at Derby shoes. Thoughts on those with jeans?

As the others have said, I think it depends on your overall look you're going for.

I mostly wear an "Americana" type look, aka heavy weight denim, work shirts (usually two pocket with a plaid pattern), trucker jackets/chore jackets. The most natural footwear with this type of outfit is a workwear styled boot, like the popular Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill, Alden Indy, Viberg Service Boot, etc. Chukkas are also classic, although I think a lot of European brands have chukkas that are a little bit too elegant/dressy for this look. On the other hand, I'd probably not wear loafers with a flannel and heavyweight jeans, because it doesn't feel like the right vibe.

 

[VegasRebel]

I don't want chelsea boots. Not a fan of loafers with jeans (even though Allen Edmonds look beautiful and I'm sure they'll work for anyone especially with chinos). I've owned chukka boots in the past and sort of like the way they look with jeans. But what else is there to try? I'm currently looking at Derby shoes. Thoughts on those with jeans?

RM William's Chelsea boots are probably the next easiest thing to put on besides loafers if that's your main concern. If you're talking polos, I assume you're wearing them when it's warm/hot out? I find leather sneakers tend to work well with jeans. I mean something like these:

Not these:

I wear a pair of the AE Driggs chukka boots with jeans regularly. I like the additional lacing over some chukka styles.

But I'll also wear Thursday boots or something with more lacing that might not appeal to you if you're trying for easier to get on. You might also consider suede over calf for a derby - I don't have a pair but I could see that working.