Formal Shoe Types

“There is no foot pain so severe, no dress shoe so fragile, no commute to arduous as to justify the sartorial holocaust that is wearing trainers with a suit” - Things A Man Should Know About Style, Omelianuk and Allen.

“If suits are to a man’s wardrobe as a house is to his life, then shoes are akin to his car. And the reasons are that they are the second most expensive part of any wardrobe, and the most telling measure of a man's taste” - The Suit, Antongiavanni.

Closed Lacing / Open Lacing
Formal shoes can be divided into two groups: closed lacing and open lacing.
Closed Lacing (also known as Oxfords, Balmorals or Bals): In the case of a closed lacing shoe, the two sides of the upper that are drawn together by laces are sewn under the front part of the shoe. As a result, the tongue consists of a piece of material sewn onto the shoe beneath the lacing. Closed lacing shoes are deemed to be more formal the open lacing shoe (described below).



Open Lacing (also known as Derbys or Bluchers): In contrast to the closed lace shoe, on an open laced shoe, the two sides of the upper that are drawn together by laces are sewn onto the top of the shoe. Thus, the tongue is merely an extension of the piece of leather that covers the toe. Open-laced shoes, because they are more bulky than closed-laced chose, are thought to be less formal.

Formal Variations
There are of course many variations on these two broad categories. The precise delineation of the further sub-categories, however, can be complicated given the minute difference in the style. Moreover, some brands like to use the original name styles as a model name in their range.

For example, although the closed-lace shoe is often called an Oxford, technically the term Oxford refers to one version of the close-laced shoe, namely no decoration on the vamp. The open-laced equivalent is known as a “plaintip”. Similarly, the Balmoral is, technically, a style of closed-lace shoe with straight side seams. The “toe-cap” is a particularly popular version of both types of shoe and has an additional piece of leather covering the toe. A style with a toe-cap that extends to the back of the shoe is called a “longtip”. Other styles include Adelaide (no side seams) and wholecuts (single piece of leather). Another open-lace version is the Veldts (described below)

Co-respondents (also known as “spectators”) are shoes made with two colours, often seen on the golf course. The classic version has a white suede vamp and brown toe-cap, heel counter and throat. They are typically worn with less formal clothes and only to informal, outdoor events.





One further way in which shoes are often adjusted aesthetically is by way of “brogueing”, a method that borrows the Gaelic word for shoe, “brog”. This process involves punching small holes into the leather in various places on the shoe. Again, combinations of the styles describe above with various extents of brogueing have has led to many different variations, some with their own name. For example, “punched caps” have holes on the toe-cap seam, “quarter brogues” have holes along the toe-cap and on the side seams, “half brogues” have the same plus a design on the cap, “three-quarter brogues” have the same plus decoration on the “counter” (that sits above the heel), and “full brogue” (called a “wingtip” by the Americans) have brogueing on every seam from toe to heel. Some brogues are described as “Budapests” since good quality brogueing is done in Hungary.

Another way in which the basic style can be adjusted is by shaping the toe of the shoe in different way. These vary from square, rounded and pointed. The rounded variety are deemed to be the most traditional, while pointed shoes tend to be deemed somewhat less so. Antongiavanni, for example, states that “pointed toes are for women”.

Finally, the chukka boot (taking its name from the sport of polo’s term for a “quarter”) is a shoe with uppers that extend further up the leg to cover the heel, but stay short of being called a boot. These are also often referred to as "chelsea boots".






Semi Formal Variations
The monkstrap is neither a lace-up nor a loafer, but instead uses a buckle (or buckles) to close the shoe, and takes it name from the buckle fastenings seen on monks’ sandals. In its classic form it has one buckle, is plain toed and bereft of broguing. Nevertheless, other versions exist: the French, for example, like to add an extra buckle. Although it is technically an “open-laced” shoe, the vast expanse of uninterrupted leather means that it sleekness can minimise the foot.

The monkstrap is both a comfortable and convenient shoe, although it is seen to be slightly less formal than the lace-up varieties. This likely stems from the fact that many hardline commentators recommend avoiding shoes with metal decorations over the vamp: Hardy Amies, for example, believed that no metal should feature on a shoe. Conversely, Antongiavanni writes in The Suit that “the only metal a dandy will allow to interrupt the sublime visage of polished leather is the buckle on a monk strap”. Aside from this, though, some argue that the buckle and longer tongue can affect the way in which the trousers sit at the hem. As a result, shoes with buckles typically look best with slim-cut and shorter-cut trousers so that the glint of the buckle and the extended vamp are visible.

Loafers are slip-on shoes that have become increasingly popular, amounting to half the shoes sold today. Of the true welt-stitched loafers, there are two broad groups. The first is penny loafers, so called because Ivy league students used to insert a one penny piece in the design on the cross strap. The Weejun is one such famous version of the penny loafer, and takes its name from the word “Norwegian”, from where the shoe originated. Another is the “Beefroll”, who’s name refers to the thickened seams at each end of the cross strap.


The other group of loafers is those with a tassel hanging from the top of the vamp. These are often cut higher than the Weejuns and give a more elegant silhouette. Generally, loafers are made to a wide spectrum of quality, and in a wide spectrum of formality, so care should be taken not only to choose a well made pair from a reputable brand, but also to ensure that the design and styling is commensurate with the outfit. Technically, moccasins are also included in the loafer family of shoes.