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One pair of suede shoes?

YRR92

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I've decided that either my next or my next-but-one pair of shoes will be brown suede. Down the line even further, I'd like a pair of snuff suede chukkas, so I'm not really looking for those right now. I'm generally in a sportcoat of some kind, sometimes with a tie, sometimes without.

If you were to own a single pair of brown suede shoes, which would you go for?
 

Gus

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The Crockett & Jones Westfield is a handsome, classic, all-around shoe.

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YRR92

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The Westfield is very nice. I guess I'd kind of like two pairs of suede shoes. I'll probably add a snuff suede chukka sometime down the line, but I'm looking for something darker and (maybe) dressier right now.
 

bertie

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I have both the C&J Belgrave in Polo Brown suede (perf captoe, looks snuffy in colour ) and the C&J Westbourne in dark brown suede. I find the Belgrave is a bit more formal and I prefer to wear with suits whereas the Westbourne (which is a plain captoe) works in more situations as does the darker colour. Just my opinion though.

I woul like to get a PTB in mid-brown suede from Vass as I think that would be very versatile as well.
 
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Ianiceman

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Been contemplating the RL Slaton, similar to the above but in a derby semi brogue, straight captoe.
 
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YRR92

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I have both the C&J Belgrave in Polo Brown suede (perf captoe, looks snuffy in colour ) and the C&J Westbourne in dark brown suede. I find the Belgrave is a bit more formal and I prefer to wear with suits whereas the Westbourne (which is a plain captoe) works in more situations as does the darker colour. Just my opinion though.

That's interesting. My instincts would swing in the other direction -- dark captoe with suits, and lighter, brogued shoes with more casual stuff.

How about monks, loafers, or chelsea boots?
 
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ElementHU

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My only 2 pair of suede shoes to date are G&G care of the Barneys clearance...the St. Tropez in Mole Suede and the Arran in Polo suede. Love them both, but my only suede shoe that I covet these days is a Carmina captoe that I found floating around on Pinterest and belongs to an SFer. I intend to hunt them down when I'm in Paris this October at the Carmina store.

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bertie

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That's interesting. My instincts would swing in the other direction -- dark captoe with suits, and lighter, brogued shoes with more casual stuff.

How about monks, loafers, or chelsea boots?


I've always had the view that brogueing looked better with suits despite the rule that less decoration is considered more formal. For other options I agree that monks can look great in suede and are a nice casual option (though I think they can be worn with suits as well). Not a big loafer fan but have seen a few G&G and Carmina models that look great in suede (maybe even better than in regular calf). I see chelsea boots as a "city" boot and prefer in darker calfskin. Again - just a personal preference.

Overall. suede is less formal to me than calfskin though it is versatile enough to wear with suits. In fact one of my all time favourite combos is flannel and suede. Your original question asked what single pair we would get and I still would say PTB in response. If you are beyond that, I would add plain captoe, chukka and monk in that order for a semi-formal/smart casual (whatever that is) wardrobe.

One final thought, you could also consider a higher boot. I just recived the Alden Cooney boot in snuff suede. I plan to wear this fall with flannel/tweed combos (photo borrowed from SF).

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YRR92

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I'd be willing to wear a suede monk with a suit myself (when appropriate). I do kind of see the ideal of the chelsea boot as a black one with a sharp suit -- very mod. I think a suede one with more casual attire could be cool, but I'm leaning more towards a full-brogue bal, because I'd be very willing to wear one of those with a suit.

Those boots are great, too, but in that kind of style I might lean towards grained calf.
 

bertie

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G&G and EG make really nice suede shoes if you want the finer detailing that comes with brogueing. I presume Vass would as well buthave not seen in person.
 

YRR92

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Thanks for all the advice. I don't think I've ever seen G&Gs or Vass IRL, but I'm willing to say that EG makes nice shoes, period.

Unfortunately, part of the appeal of suede for me is that cheap suede looks much better than cheap smooth leather. I'm considering some Loakes, from their middle range, and the shoes are all either suede or CG.
 

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