My first AE shoes...please help

[samnc]

I think I will get my first pair of AE, the kind that are on sale now, in the near future....quick questions...

1. When do most of you wear loafers? I have never worn them much before...do they look OK with casual slacks like on a casual friday or a weekend at a nice restaurant? Is it possible to wear them at work if I wear a shirt and tie, sometimes a sportscoat, but not usually, to the office?

2. Regardless of the oxford/loafer choice, can you suggest some good shoe models?

3. What do most of you wear black shoes with? Is brown generally more useful or versitile than black? Currently I have one black shoe, one brown shoes, and a fwo tones dress shoe.

4. Does it look dumb to wear dress shoes outside work or a formal setting...and conversely, the casual AE shoes do not seem that casual..cant the casuals be worn to work, or does that look dumb?

Thanks.

 

[slam]



I think I will get my first pair of AE, the kind that are on sale now, in the near future....quick questions...
1. When do most of you wear loafers? I have never worn them much before...do they look OK with casual slacks like on a casual friday or a weekend at a nice restaurant? Is it possible to wear them at work if I wear a shirt and tie, sometimes a sportscoat, but not usually, to the office?

Yes you can wear loafers on casual friday, or on a weekend at a nice restaurant. Yes you can wear them to work. However, it really depends on where you are in the company. I think they tend to be reserved for the more established, and older crowd. I really dig them and am only in my lower 30's.

2. Regardless of the oxford/loafer choice, can you suggest some good shoe models?

I would start by looking at Allen Edmonds website and checking out their best selling models. I made the mistake of buying my first two models without going with a classic like the Park Avenues. Wound up getting them later.

3. What do most of you wear black shoes with? Is brown generally more useful or versitile than black? Currently I have one black shoe, one brown shoes, and a fwo tones dress shoe.

I think brown is more versatile than black. I think it would also depend on your suit color. I tend to wear black shoes more often because they work more for my wardrobe (navy suit and dark grey suit). However, brown will be easier with jeans. Make sure you are buying a blutcher style if you want to wear with jeans, or loafers would be fine. Nordstroms has some Allen Edmonds on sale right now that could work for you.

4. Does it look dumb to wear dress shoes outside work or a formal setting...and conversely, the casual AE shoes do not seem that casual..cant the casuals be worn to work, or does that look dumb?
Thanks.

Totally depends on the shoe and the outfit. A plain toe blutcher in brown (cigar aldens) can be worn to work and can be worn casually.

 

[samnc]

Thanks

 

[msulinski]

You can absolutely wear loafers with pants/sportcoat/tie. I would avoid wearing them with suits though. As for how age appropriate they are, it really depends on the style of loafer.

Since it sounds like your work situation is fairly casual, I would recommend staying away from black shoes, as black is the most formal color of shoe. My opinion (and that of many on this forum) is that black shoes are boring (many disagree, it is almost like religion). I would go with something in medium to dark brown. The AE merlot color looks good with darker grays.

As for wearing the AE casual shoes to work, it really depends on what else you are wearing. If you are just wearing pants and a button-down, then you could probably wear almost any of their more casual offerings. Some of the leathers may not work though, like the brown distressed. I would probably not wear their more formal offerings (like the park aves) with casual clothing.

As for recommending a first model, it depends on whether or not you have to wear suits to work. If so, I recommend the Fifth Ave in dark brown or the McAllister in Merlot. I would not get the Park Ave in black just yet, unless you are working in a very conservative field or plan on going on a lot of job interviews in the near future.

For a less formal office setting (sportcoats and ties) I recommend the Delrays in Chili. For a loafer, the Patriot is my favorite of theirs.

If you are only looking at sale items, the La Salle in chili is nice for $199 at Nordstrom. The Clifton in brown is nice as well (I still woulnd't wear this with suits however). The Park Ave in black is on sale at Brooks Brothers for $276, though this is still high. You can find this shoe for $199 during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

Allen Edmonds stores have the Westchester loafer on sale (would get the dark brown), but I don't think it is as nice as the Patriot, so I would avoid or pay the extra and just get the Patriot.

My last bit of advice is don't buy a shoe you aren't 100% happy with just because it is on sale. Chances are, when you have acquired more shoes, you will end up never wearing that one again. This happened to me several times.

 

[Quadcammer]



I think I will get my first pair of AE, the kind that are on sale now, in the near future....quick questions...
1. When do most of you wear loafers? I have never worn them much before...do they look OK with casual slacks like on a casual friday or a weekend at a nice restaurant? Is it possible to wear them at work if I wear a shirt and tie, sometimes a sportscoat, but not usually, to the office?
2. Regardless of the oxford/loafer choice, can you suggest some good shoe models?
3. What do most of you wear black shoes with? Is brown generally more useful or versitile than black? Currently I have one black shoe, one brown shoes, and a fwo tones dress shoe.
4. Does it look dumb to wear dress shoes outside work or a formal setting...and conversely, the casual AE shoes do not seem that casual..cant the casuals be worn to work, or does that look dumb?
Thanks.

Yes you can wear loafers on casual friday, or on a weekend at a nice restaurant. Yes you can wear them to work. However, it really depends on where you are in the company. I think they tend to be reserved for the more established, and older crowd. I really dig them and am only in my lower 30's.
.

Bad or rather strange advice here.

Firstly, yes, you can wear loafers on casual friday and to dinner. Do not wear them with a suit. Also, your status in the company is irrelevant. The type of company is far more important. Some places, including wall street firms, have their entire analyst classes in gucci bit loafers (with suits, shudder), and some law firms a plain black captoe is de rigeur.

Analyze your situation and select shoes accordingly.

From AE, I have walnut cliftons, walnut players, walnut strands, brown strands, burgundy mcallisters, and brown/tan carlsbad. I wear the cliftons as beaters and casually. Strands with suits and casually (brown more formal), mccallisters with suits, carlsbad with summer wear, and the players fill a number of roles.

Don't buy park aves, the short toe cap looks like vapid ass.

 

[samnc]

thanks..

basically, our office is casual, but I am an attorney. Most people wear a shirt/tie to work, sometimes a sports coat, but hardly ever a suit unless for a special occasion.

So, the general consensus here is that loafers (for a 34 year old) is OK as long as it is not with a suit or perhaps even with a blazer but OK with a regular day of a shirt/tie or perhaps a shirt/tie and sports coat?

Suede is too casual for a shirt/tie, right?

Finally, would something like the Park Ave shoes look dumb with my casual look such as cashmere sweater and cord pants?

 

[msulinski]

Suede is completely fine for shirt/tie/sport coat, though is considered appropriate only in fall and winter. Please be aware that a tie without a jacket looks bad and is considered "wrong" in this forum.

Loafers are also fine for sport coat combinations but not with suits.

I would not wear a park ave with anything other than a conservative suit outfit.

 

[samnc]

oh, also the distressing marks on the shoes are considered more casual than shoes w/o them, right?

 

[forseti6]



oh,  also the distressing marks on the shoes are considered more casual than shoes w/o them, right?

You're talking about brogueing, I believe. Yes, shoes with that are considered more casual.

 

[Quadcammer]

i think he meant burnishing, but yeah, more casual