Appropriate Desert Boots w/Suit

[Markerbuoys]

Hi Folks,

I'm going to a wedding in a week or so here in the DC area. It's not formal, but I intend to wear a plain navy suit. I wanted to know if anyone could recommend desert boots that would pair well? I imagine suede would be preferable to something like Clark's beeswax leather finish? Thank you in advance for any input/insights.

Cheers,
Mat

 

[starro]

Umm, no.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

There is no universe in which Clarks Desert Boots look good with a worsted wool suit. The last is too blobby and the crepe soles too unrefined to work with anything other than jeans and the most casual of chinos.

 

[Thin White Duke]

Even as an avowed fan and perpetrator of sixties Mod style, I'd never wear dessies with a suit despite what Jimmy did in Quadrophenia.
If you're going for a casual suity look consider calf Chelsea boots. Even on a modest budget you can pick up a decent looking pair in Aldo if you're in America. They won't pass the scrutiny of the SF shoe top dogs but will be entirely presentable if on a sleek last with a slim sole and polished up.

 

[BigBadBernard]

Agree re Chelsea boots. Entirely appropriate with a suit, but if it's a blue suit then black boots only - brown or suede would not be right.

Desert boots are generally worn by obese ladies in jeans.

 

[RogerP]

Desert boots with a suit? Shudder. So glad you asked and avoided that train wreck.

 

[Marsay]

All good advice. Of course, feel free to discount it if any of the above posters wear monks with suits - there should be no hypocrisy when it comes to equestrian details with city looks.

 

[Markerbuoys]

Guess I'll be wearing my Alden PT boots. Was a bit disappointed you couldn't all be as helpful as Starro. Nonetheless, I appreciate your efforts.

 

[Thin White Duke]



Guess I'll be wearing my Alden PT boots. Was a bit disappointed you couldn't all be as helpful as Starro. Nonetheless, I appreciate your efforts.

What are the circumstances of the wedding whereby you are leaning towards wearing some kind of boot? PT boots seem a bit clunky / wintry for early autumn in DC. How come you don't take the more traditional option of oxfords or even derbies? You can choose a more flamboyant tie or pocket square and some classy cuff links if you want to stand slightly apart from any other navy suited attendees.

 

[starro]

Form follows function. Articles of clothing designed and invented for a specific activity usually only works in that context. It's rare that something designed for one environment translates into another.

Desert boots: only looks right for trudging on dusty terrain.
Cargo pants: only right for camping.
Running shoes: only right for running/athletics.

Tennis shoes, golf shoes... You get the idea.

 

[Marsay]

And no "polo" collars unless you played a few chukkas in the morning, naturally.

 

[Orsini]

I'd want shoes in the same formality range as the suit. With a navy solid at a wedding, I'd go with black plain or punch cap bal oxfords.

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

Form follows function. Articles of clothing designed and invented for a specific activity usually only works in that context. It's rare that something designed for one environment translates into another.

Desert boots: only looks right for trudging on dusty terrain.
Cargo pants: only right for camping.
Running shoes: only right for running/athletics.

Tennis shoes, golf shoes... You get the idea.

Articles of clothing designed for a specific activity only look good in that context? Ever heard of sports jackets? Originated as a knock around jacket for country wear & riding. Oxford cloth button-downs were designed as casual shirts for polo players. Polo shirts were designed by Rene Lacoste as tennis wear. Denim jeans were originally intended as pants for gold miners. Chinos were developed as military trousers sometime in the mid 1800s etc etc.

Your post makes no sense.

 

[starro]

Articles of clothing designed for a specific activity only look good in that context? Ever heard of sports jackets? Originated as a knock around jacket for country wear & riding. Oxford cloth button-downs were designed as casual shirts for polo players. Polo shirts were designed by Rene Lacoste as tennis wear. Denim jeans were originally intended as pants for gold miners. Chinos were developed as military trousers sometime in the mid 1800s etc etc.

Your post makes no sense.

Your post reflects lack of thinking.

1. Just because a lot of clueless people do something doesn't mean it looks good, or it's classic style. T-shirts were originally undershirts, now worn proudly in SIlicon Valley. Sweatpants were initially for sports, now chosen by thousands of Wal-Mart shoppers. Flip flops were Japanese cultural dress (under a different name of course), but now championed by millions of sleepy-eyed college students worldwide. I'm waiting to hear you say a person in tees, sweatpants, and flip flops looks good.

2. Picking exceptions to the rule doesn't weaken the rule. At all. Especially when many of your examples are poorly chosen.

Notice how I said
Quote: whereas you have
Quote: You're shadow-boxing, brotha, and even so still managing to hit yourself a couple of times. Amazing.


I'll explain further.
- Denim jeans: Originally for rough manual labor, and that's about the only place it looks good. Working in the garage?

Giving a talk on a stage? Tells the audience you are a scrawny white guy trying to be "cool", and/or going through midlife crisis.
- Polo shirts: Still look best in athletic/sporty settings. Playing tennis or golf?

great. Spending time in your weekend cabin? Probably can still pull it off. Fixing the Internet around the office? Screams "I am a nerdy IT guy who hasn't learned how to buy clothes since last time mommy shopped for me."
- Button-down polo shirts: Still excellent for sporty and generally casual affairs. On a weekend, by the lake?

At work, with a tie bulging out the collars in a way the original designers never intended? Bad; reminds people either of a college intern on his first real job, or a politician trying too hard to be "one of the people."
- Sports coats: Still best as countrywear. Notice the earth tone fabrics? They blend really well with Mother Nature, not so much with a concrete jungle. Horseback riding, regatta at the local park?

With elbow patches, people think "College professor from the 50s." With jeans in the city, people go "Hipster too self-conscious about his own dressing; tries to dress down to fit in."
- And on and on

Bottom line: All the examples you selected still work best in their original settings (or their near equivalents). For other contexts, the more dissimilar they are to the original, the more ridiculous your get-up will look. 90 times out of a 100.

 

[RogerP]

^^^ Spot on.