It happens all too often, especially around here. You see a guy in a pair of khakis, a button down shirt, maybe wearing a blazer or even a tie. And then you see this:
Not to disparage any particular brand, but shoes of this sort are made for mucking about, not looking good.
Silhouette and style should match your look. Sleek? Traditional? All in the best of repair and polished/brushed. That doesn’t mean you must rely solely on a lace-up derby or oxford. The middle-ground is where the loafer, slip-on, and the boot, shine.
Consider the iconic Cleverly elastic-sided models (a favorite of Churchill’s), the laces are fake. There is also a version without them
Or the suede George loafer for Mr. Porter.
Church’s Beijing Boot…
Lobb’s Romsey II is an elegant desert boot (similar boots to be found from C&J)
Lobb Romsey II
C&J Chukka
And my beloved, but reportedly difficult to wear, Oundle by Edward Green. I love the swept back buckle.
You’ll notice a lot of brown and suede in my choices. They make for a more casual shoe that fits nicely into middle-ground dressing. But I think you’ll agree that any of the above are anything but what you might think of as “casual” and are certainly a …. errrr…. step above the typical moccasin or whatever they call that slip-on thing at the top of the post.
