Where does a V-Front derby sit on the casual-formal spectrum vs other derby shoes?

[Saturninus]

The 3-eyelet V-front derby is an odd creature that I can't figure out. It seems sleeker and cleaner than a 5-eyelet plain-toe blucher, so that would suggest to me that it is more formal than a normal PTB, but then again it feels a bit more exotic and non-traditional, which makes me think it would be less formal than a PTB. I'm going to guess that the sleek V-Front derby is more formal than the utilitarian PTB.

I would wear a captoe derby with a suit, but not a plain toe blucher with a suit. If the V-front derby is more formal than a PTB but less formal than a captoe derby, could you wear a V-front derby with a suit or not?

And last question, I know that the PTB is considered by many to the ideal shoe for showcasing cordovan leather, because of the way it ripples. Does the same logic apply to the V-front plain-toe derby? Or is the V-front too sleek and narrow in a way that doesn't showcase cordovan as well?

 

[comrade]

I guess that you are one who is more secure with "rules"
I am, in your teminology, " more exotic and non traditional"
I have two identical pairs of 3 eyelet v front derbies from
Ludwig Reiter. One pair is black leather, and one is dark
brown suede. Together, they cover virtually all situations,
although I own other shoes. No captoes, or brogues, however.
Not to my taste.

 

[GBR]

Forget this silly ideas about rules. Get what you prefer and are comfortable wearing.

 

[Saturninus]

I am not so much interested in rules as I am in understanding the thought process of people who have a better sense of fashion than me.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[comrade]

I trust you mean style.
Fashion is not the concern of this forum.

 

[Saturninus]

Thank you for the correction. I had not really given that distinction much thought until now, but having given it some thought, i feel comfortable going with my instincts.

I have decided that I prefer the V-front derby to the plain toe blucher. The pointy elf shoe look works better for me than the janitor clown shoe look.

 

[comrade]

Well done!! Trust your very good instincts.

Quick question. You are in Honolulu. I've been there
twice. Most recently 2 1/2 years ago to an event, my childhood
friend's grand daughter's Bat Mitzvah. My friend is a professor
at the u of Hawaii. The party was big and expensive: Open Bars,
Various Buffetts with different types of Cuisine, live music, etc.
There were probalbly 150 attendees. I might have been the only
adult male wearing a coat and tie. My friend is an academic slob.
The parents of the grand daughter are well-dressed, but casual.
In such an environment, I am surprised that you even think about
the "correct" shoes. You are a voice in the ( style) wilderness.

Should you ever come to the Bay Area- a veratible mens wear
wasteland, let me know. We'll put together a Meet-Up in your
honor.

 

[Saturninus]

Yes it is wilderness here, but wilderness gives rise to its own unique style. One rarely see anyone in suits here, but that does not mean there isn't a dress code. In the office setting, we wear dress shoes, slacks, and an aloha shirt. But the aloha shirts worn in the office are not the kind that you would usually see a tourist wear. They typically cost anywhere from $80 to $130 dollars, and are made from very fine cotton or silk. Nevertheless, even the "dressiest" aloha shirt is still an aloha shirt, and one typically has a great range of freedom within that dress code. As long as one is generally reasonable, one very rarely receives criticism over one's chosen expression of aloha style, but that does not necessarily deter many of us from putting a great deal of thought and effort in constructing our own styles. In fact, I have come to enjoy it quite a bit in the time that I have lived here.

Of course, this means that I tend to lose touch with mainland standards of style, and this is partly why I asked the question. I occasionally take business trips to the mainland, during which I must conform to mainland dress codes in the business environment. When in Hawaii, I will wear a V-front derby a short sleeve silk aloha shirt. But when in Rome....well, do Romans wear V-front derbies with suits???

 

[comrade]

I was in Rome and Naples,Milan and Venice Fall 2014.
I didn't notice any particular dominant style of dress shoes,
except that slip-ons were fairly popular with business dress,
eg. suits and sport jackets. What I did notice that Naples, Rome
and Milan have obvious local differences in jacket cut. Naples
really showed a predominance of the Neaqpolitan style- natural
shoulders. The weather was still warm so non wool odd jackets
were common. Many seemed unstructured. In Rome I was in a very
"touristy " area for only a few days, so it was hard to tell the natives.
I'd been there before and my impression was of generally formal
dress especially in the government districts. In Milan the cut was
more structured than Naples. Dark suits with relatvely built-up shoulders.
Very well dressed, but not my taste.