Black or Brown Shoes and Accessories, What does it say??

[SieurDeLaSalle]

Hello All,

Black or Brown Shoes/Accessories, What does it say about a person?
Which is more/less formal, casual, etc.?

When to wear/not wear each?

I am a new at this, all help and suggestions are deeply appreciated.

 

[sho'nuff]

Black or Brown Shoes/Accessories, What does it say about a person?

for that above question

i would think at most brown shoes with business wear would say a person is a bit more adventurous and a little more knowledgeable sartorially. that is all.

other than that, black shoes say a person has black shoes and brown shoes say a person is wearing brown shoes.
plain and simple.

 

[DocHolliday]

Black shoes are more formal. I wouldn't wear brown to a funeral, for example, or to most job interviews.

Brown tends to be more interesting, to have a bit more life, and it develops a nice patina with age. As diorshoe points out, it takes a bit more daring to pair brown with, say, navy and gray. But it's also easier to get the combination wrong.

Traditionally, brown shoes aren't worn at night. Many folks no longer abide by this old chestnut, but I do think black shoes look better at night. I particularly like black monks at night, with their little glint of metal.

Best to have both, in my book.

 

[SieurDeLaSalle]

Thanks for the advise.
But now I'm really Confused

I swore off "Brown" products many years ago because of this "conflict"...

Brown is:
* Difficult to match with shoe, belts, watchbands, etc., ie. Every Brown is different to some degree...

But I'm willing to learn...

 

[SieurDeLaSalle]

Originally Posted by diorshoe

for that above question

i would think at most brown shoes with business wear would say a person is a bit more adventurous and a little more knowledgeable sartorially. that is all.

other than that, black shoes say a person has black shoes and brown shoes say a person is wearing brown shoes.
plain and simple.

I wish it were that simple...
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"...

 

[Bergdorf Goodwill]

I have found it to be universally true that those who wear brown shoes are incorrigible racists, whereas wearers of black shoes tend to have beliefs that are inextricably linked to Zoroastrianism.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by SieurDeLaSalle

I wish it were that simple...
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"...


well, it is that simple for shoes. for the general question of what brown or black shoes say, that is it, it just says they have either the former or latter on.
if you ask what styles and different brand names and logos flashing on the shoes or what certain work boots say about people, or how clean and polished or dirty and unkempt they are, answer may be different.

but from my experience with the general question that is it , plain and simple.
i dont smoke cigars so i cant make an analogy to that.

 

[AlanC]

Originally Posted by SieurDeLaSalle

I swore off "Brown" products many years ago because of this "conflict"...

Brown is:
* Difficult to match with shoe, belts, watchbands, etc., ie. Every Brown is different to some degree...

But I'm willing to learn...

Not everything has to match perfectly, but rather complement.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Black shoes are more formal. I wouldn't wear brown to a funeral, for example, or to most job interviews.

Brown tends to be more interesting, to have a bit more life, and it develops a nice patina with age. As diorshoe points out, it takes a bit more daring to pair brown with, say, navy and gray. But it's also easier to get the combination wrong.

Traditionally, brown shoes aren't worn at night. Many folks no longer abide by this old chestnut, but I do think black shoes look better at night. I particularly like black monks at night, with their little glint of metal.

Best to have both, in my book.
Doc, How many funerals do you actually attend. I only ask because every question that you answer has some mention of the item being appropriate or inappropriate for a funeral.

 

[nighttrain7404]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Doc, How many funerals do you actually attend. I only ask because every question that you answer has some mention of the item being appropriate or inappropriate for a funeral.
This is definitely an "ignorance is bliss" situation. Mixing brown/black at anytime is far more liberating than black at night and brown otherwise. Matching belts is part of the fun.

 

[SieurDeLaSalle]

Originally Posted by Bergdorf Goodwill[COLOR="Red"

]I have found it to be universally true that those who wear brown shoes are incorrigible racists, [/color]whereas wearers of black shoes tend to have beliefs that are inextricably linked to Zoroastrianism.

WHat research methods were used?
Double Blind or anecdotal evidence only...lol

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Doc,

How many funerals do you actually attend. I only ask because every question that you answer has some mention of the item being appropriate or inappropriate for a funeral.

Hey, I come from the South, where dying's serious business. And if I can keep one person from showing up at a funeral/wedding/other such event in khakis and sneakers, then all the effort has been worthwhile.

 

[Jamesm]

I've heard that there used to be a distinction with black shoes reserved for the city and brown shoes for the countryside. UK Parliamentary legend has it that the first person to wear brown shoes into the House of Commons was Lord Randolph Churchill (father of Winston). People still talk about it. Although Frank Zappa said "Brown shoes don't make it", both are equally smart. Black is just more formal; brown casual.

 

[Jamesm]

Of course I should have made it clear that it entirely depends on the shoes themselves. Brown brouges will always be more formal than black trainers for example. But comparing like for like, black = formal.

 

[Nantucket Red]

All my casual shoes & accessories are brown, while my business wardrobe contains black and various shades of brown.