Shoe Application: Blucher vs. Balmoral ; Cap vs Wingtip vs Plain ; Loafer vs Laceup..

[Felix Krull]

I'd like to revive this conversation and add to it by noting that the style of suit you wear to the office is going to have a large impact on the type of shoe you wear along with it. For example, I wear the AE McAllister (which is a highly brogued, wingtip) to the office roughly three times a month but I do so with a solid or patterned (windowpane, check, etc.,) light-to-medium grey suit or a patterned navy suit. In other words, I wouldn't wear a brogued wingtip with a pinstripe grey or navy or even a solid navy suit.

A McAllister-type shoe is fine for just another day at the office. However, if I'm wearing a dark grey or navy pinstripe or even a solid navy (like you'd wear to meet important clients or go to court), then it's the Park Ave or Fifth Ave.

I agree that the brogued wingtip is considered by most office dwellers the quintessential business shoe, but I suspect that's only because it's so ubiquitous. People see all of the fancy designs and extra-craftsmanship and associate that with formality because when it comes to casual shoes, which are what most people are most familiar, plain shoes abound, thus in the minds of many plain equals casual while designs equal formal.

All of that said, ignorance is bliss and when it comes to dress shoes the vast majority of wearers are quite ignorant. The rules of dress shoes are not intuitive. The average person isn't going to know that you don't wear a split-toe blucher with a navy pinstripe suit to an important function. The nuances of dress escape them and so right and wrong don't register with them.

It isn't until you understand the rules that you start paying heed to them.