A Short Guide To Men's Shoes

Blucher, derby, oxford, monk strap… what's the difference? There are minor differences and those determine the casualness or formality of the shoe. The 21st Century man is expected to be well dressed, and this short guide can show you how.

The Basics of Men's Shoes

Holly Powell at Groomu.co.uk / Via meredithrwoods.com

Most men do not know the types or the construction of a shoe. This basic knowledge can serve to enable a man to purchase quality shoes for the right occasion. I've outlined some of the the basic types of men’s dress shoes and a brief history of each. While detailed construction notes are probably for a more comprehensive article, knowing the basic elements of a shoe can help with the decision.

For a man’s shoe (and many women’s shoes), the basics remain the same; there is the Upper (vamp), insole (lining), and sole. By and large, a shoe that is made from 100% leather is the best option, because it allows breathability, and can have a lifespan as long as the owner. Soles made of cheaper materials are very common though, and are much more affordable; you probably can’t get an all-leather shoe for less than $200. The lifespan and long-term comfort of a partially man made shoe is nowhere near that of their leather counterparts, but when budget is an issue, try to get a shoe that has the most leather as possible.

Shoe Styles:

As Men’s shoes go, there are not as many selections and styles as there are for women. Typically, the most common styles are any type of loafer and any type of oxford; but there are so many options in these groups, so I’d like to discuss the various types, and what makes them different.

Oxford:

This is a category encompassing many different types of shoes, but by and large it is the most common type of men’s shoe there is. An oxford shoe just means that it is a closed toe shoe that has laces. It can be made of any material (Yes, most athletic shoes are technically oxfords), and have any amount of eyelets for laces, as long as it does require laces.

Blucher:

This shoe is an oxford, but it is a shoe having the vamp and tongue made of one piece and overlapped by the quarters, which lace across the instep.

Balmoral:

This is similar to the blucher, but the quarters that lace across the instep are constructed from the same material that is used in the vamp. Cap Toe: These are shoes that have a separate piece of leather sewn across the toe that makes it look like it’s “capped”. This is a very traditional and classic Men’s style; most appropriate for business and semi-formal settings.Wing Tip: The wing tip is another very classic and timeless style for men, but most men refer to any shoe that has decorative perforations as a wingtip, and it is not. The decorative perforations are actually called the “Brogue”, and some of these shoes are called Brogues. The original brogues had their origin in Scotland, where they were walking shoes and had the perforations to let water out. Over the last hundred or so years, they have developed into the classy dress shoe that we see today. While you see these in many business settings, they are less formal than the traditional all-leather oxford or cap toe.

-Quarter brogues have a toecap seam lined with decorative perforations, but no other brogueing.

-Semi-brogues have brogueing along the toecap seam, and also on the top of the toecap leather, but not anywhere further up the shoe than the toecap.

-Full brogues extend the toecap with the wingtips and have brogueing both on top of the toecap and along the seams, and often on the body of the “wings” as well.

-Longwing brogues is a term sometimes used to set apart wingtips where the wings meet at the back of the shoe, forming a complete circuit of the shoe. They are a subset of the wingtip style.

Any or all of these can also sometimes (but not necessarily) feature decorative edging or serrations along the seams, particularly the toecap seam.Loafers or slip-ons:

The other main alternative for men’s dress shoes is the loafer or slip-on. These come in a wide variety (moccasins, tassel loafers, driving shoes, boat shoes, penny loafers, etc.), but the common element is that they have no working laces. There may be loafers that have faux laces, but that would not make it an oxford. In the loafer category also falls the monk strap shoe, which is a hybrid between the oxford and the loafer. It is a shoe that has a strap that will buckle instead of laces that will tie. Many times, these buckles are for decoration only, and the shoe is meant to be slipped on, that’s why they fall in the loafer category.

Boots:

This category can have a whole article on its own, but keeping in the vein of dress shoes, men’s boots generally fall into the same category as low cut shoes (shoes that fall below the ankle); oxford and slip-on. One key exception is a quarter rise boot with only 2 or 3 eyelets, called the chukka boot; this boot falls at the ankle rather than above. This boot has a long history, and version was worn during British troops during the desert campaign in WWII. A polished version is still in vogue in today's US military and they are called low-quarter boots. They go in and out of popularity every several years, almost like the men’s double-breasted suit jacket, so availability is dependent on current fashion trends. The one thing about this boot, is that it can be worn in place of any oxford or slip-on and not be any less formal, and also can be equally at place in a casual outfit.

These are the basics of Men’s shoes and there are many different sub-categories, but knowing these basics will enable the modern man to dress practically and well.

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