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what type of brogueing is most formal? least?

TRA8324

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Just in general i'm curious, but also specific to the shoes I own.

I have a pair of burgundy shell cordovan AE MacNeils and a pair of black AE Sanfords. Obviously the black is more formal than the burgundy, but what style is more formal? How about with wingtips versus longwing and half-brogue.
 

Michael Ay329

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An oxford design is more formal than a blucher

A cap stich or semi-brogue design is more formal than a wing tip

Years ago, a burgundy grained crup leather longwing blucher was once viewed as a casual shoe...but today, most would deem your AE MacNeils as an acceptable formal shoe...since it is not a square toe side gussetted rubber sole shoe made in Asia...with an Italian or Spanish name.

Wing tip vs. longwing: I have only seen a longwing deisgn on a blucher, but there are plenty of oxford wing tips. Thus you are back to the oxford being more formal than a blucher. But there is now difference in the public's perception of a longwing vs. wing tips blucher.
 

TRA8324

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Originally Posted by Michael Ay329
An oxford design is more formal than a blucher

A cap stich or semi-brogue design is more formal than a wing tip

Years ago, a burgundy grained crup leather longwing blucher was once viewed as a casual shoe...but today, most would deem your AE MacNeils as an acceptable formal shoe...since it is not a square toe side gussetted rubber sole shoe made in Asia...with an Italian or Spanish name.

Wing tip vs. longwing: I have only seen a longwing deisgn on a blucher, but there are plenty of oxford wing tips. Thus you are back to the oxford being more formal than a blucher. But there is now difference in the public's perception of a longwing vs. wing tips blucher.

thanks for the thoughtful response.
 

TRA8324

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Originally Posted by Lonneker
Pics would really help this thread.
Semi-Brogue
Allen-Edmonds-Strand-Oxford-1.jpg



Wingtip
AE_Cambridge.jpg



Longwing
41Y69P725PL.jpg
 

Pieceofsand

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Good thread. I wear my burgundy wingtip casually to school with fitted dark jeans sometimes, anyone think that is too formal?
 

TRA8324

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Originally Posted by Pieceofsand
Good thread. I wear my burgundy wingtip casually to school with fitted dark jeans sometimes, anyone think that is too formal?
I would say so if it's a balmoral like the wingtip posted above. If it's a blucher I would say it's a good choice.
 

kellgy

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Originally Posted by TRA8324
I would say so if it's a balmoral like the wingtip posted above. If it's a blucher I would say it's a good choice.
I wear burgundy wingtips similar to the one's posted above with navy chinos and pull it off without looking over dressed. They are usually complemented with a belt of a similar hue and really do look sharp. I have not chosen to wear them with jeans of any color.
 

BlueHorseShoe

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^ Then technically isn't that not a wingtip?
 

TRA8324

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Originally Posted by kellgy
I wear burgundy wingtips similar to the one's posted above with navy chinos and pull it off without looking over dressed. They are usually complemented with a belt of a similar hue and really do look sharp. I have not chosen to wear them with jeans of any color.

I think that would be fine with chinos, but not so much with jeans. I think balmorals would be too formal for jeans. blucher wingtips would be better for jeans.
 

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