Pairing oxford shoes with chinos

[Phileas Fogg]

Corduroy pants are for casual fall and winter outfits, which I would wear with brown boots or chukkas, if I owned a pair of corduroy pants.

I personally only wear black oxford dress shoes with business suits.

in terms of a lack of versatility, black oxfords are probably at the top of the list.

 

[rjc149]

To a certain extent, I believe that brown oxfords, especially with lots of brogueing, are too dressy for casual outfits and too casual for business outfits. They go with elevated business-casual attire, but derbies or loafers are just as appropriate and generally more comfortable.

 

[emptym]

...Oldest generation (firmly in their 70s) knew how to dress and guys in suits had oxfords and those in sport coats generally wore loafers...

It's interesting that the older guys followed a rule made up by a guy on the internet. It's almost like he didn't make it up after all.

 

[TheChihuahua]

nm

 

[Sir Jack II]

This entire thread has convinced me that oxfords should almost solely be worn with suits. Each poster has done his part.

 

[Northants bloke]

Today's crime. I still think it can work.

 

[emptym]

^That looks pretty good, imo, but it isn't something I'd wear. Chukkas would be better, imo. The closest I'd get would be blue suede sneakers.

This entire thread has convinced me that oxfords should almost solely be worn with suits. Each poster has done his part.

Yeah, I don't think it's like a Newtonian law of physics -- universal, w/o exceptions. But it is a good rule of thumb.

Re. the recent black oxford discussion, I agree they aren't very versatile. For years they were recommended as the one dress shoe a guy needs. That may have been true before. As I may have mentioned, in high school and college in the late 80s/early 90s, my only real pair of dress shoes were black, plain captoe oxfords (by Florsheim). I'd wear them w/ a suit, shine them up for a tux, or dress them down w/ a navy blazer and gray wool pants. That's the extent of their range, imo. But now that I have more shoes, I'd likely reach for plain slipons for a tux and penny loafers for a blazer.

 

[mak1277]

What shoes would you wear with black or charcoal cords?

I don't have black cords but I wear my grey cords with dark brown boots, suede LWBs and dark brown penny loafers.

 

[Northants bloke]

My argument here is simply that not all Oxfords are dressier than all derbies or loafers. I just don't see it as a useful defining difference. Texture, suede, soles, toe shape, contrast stitching or broguing all make far more of a difference. Besides my chunky winter derbies which are not for suits, I also have some sleak black derbies that would be far more appropriate with a suit than these. Today's shoes were unlined suede brogues worn with button down shirt, tie and sports jacket to meet the work dress code. I also especially like chukkas and boots with chinos. Not so keen on loafers or sneakers and only wear them with shorts.

 

[TheChihuahua]

This entire thread has convinced me that oxfords should almost solely be worn with suits. Each poster has done his part.

so what will you wear without suit? Are you going to become “loafer guy”? Are you going to dress down all your non-suit outfits by wearing derbies and giving the impression that you have foot problems? Or will you only wear suits?

asking for a friend

 

[Rbpp]

I think one important element of the "rule" is that most oxfords that are casual enough to be paired with chinos do not really look good. Most non conservative oxfords look strange, like a mismatch of casual of formal due to the style (oxfords). Take your casual oxfords, keep the leather, the details, the broguing or whatever and change the style into some derbies, some boots or chukkas and the result will most likely be better.

 

[TheChihuahua]

I think one important element of the "rule" is that most oxfords that are casual enough to be paired with chinos do not really look good. Most non conservative oxfords look strange, like a mismatch of casual of formal due to the style (oxfords). Take your casual oxfords, keep the leather, the details, the broguing or whatever and change the style into some derbies, some boots or chukkas and the result will most likely be better.

actually the main problem with the made up “rule” is that it acts on the assumption that anybody not wearing a suit is trying to dress down the outfit. If you are trying to dress down the outfit, then derbies work. But not all “non-suit” outfits need to be dumbed down by wearing derbies with them. A lot of non-suit outfits can actually look pretty nice and you don’t need to dress them down with ugly shoes.

 

[acapaca]

I think one important element of the "rule" is that most oxfords that are casual enough to be paired with chinos do not really look good. Most non conservative oxfords look strange, like a mismatch of casual of formal due to the style (oxfords). Take your casual oxfords, keep the leather, the details, the broguing or whatever and change the style into some derbies, some boots or chukkas and the result will most likely be better.

You really think so? I think you could take that blue suede one above, with the broguing, the natural welt, and the light-colored laces, and turn it into a derby with negligible effect.

 

[Rbpp]

You really think so? I think you could take that blue suede one above, with the broguing, the natural welt, and the light-colored laces, and turn it into a derby with negligible effect.

Yes, I think it would look better, more natural and more coherent as a derby.

 

[acapaca]

Yes, I think it would look better, more natural and more coherent as a derby.

Well, then you are illustrating that the distinction is either artificial or simply one of associations.