Men’s Shoe Formality Guide: Most Formal Vs Least Formal

Men’s Shoe Formality Guide and Scale : How Shoes Rank From Formal To Informal

From dress shoes cut from plain leather to shoes cut with intricate designs to non-dress shoes, there are many options to choose from when it comes to men’s shoes. Our men’s shoe formality guide will help you in picking the right shoes for the right occasion and dress code.

A lot of men don’t know the right shoes to wear with different outfits. Sadly, in my day to day life, I always come across many men who make the same mistake of wearing their right shoes with the wrong outfit.

They are so focused on what they wear on the upper body clothing – their jacket, shirt, necktie, watch, etc.

And overlook the details down below, such as their shoes and how to take care of them. They wear the wrong shoes or a pair of old shoes that have seen their glory days.

As a stylish gentleman who is conscious of his style, who understands how clothing and style choices can influence his image and success, you must make every effort to project the right image by ensuring your appearance is dapper from head to toe. This includes understanding, the importance of wearing good shoes.

When choosing your footwear, the following considerations must be made:

This shoe formality guide will school you on how choose the right pair of shoes based on the formality of the occasion you need it for. If you want to learn how to choose a dress code based on the formality scale of the occasion, check out the link below.

RELATED: Dress Code Formality Guide on Dressing Up or Dressing Down A Look

Now, there are varieties of shoes based on style, color, and type which can really be a bit overwhelming, especially when it comes to knowing which is which and what shoes to wear with what get-ups.

So gents, let’s break it down as simply as possible. Below is a hierarchy of the common dress shoe styles, ranked based on type, color, and style with tips on how to pair them appropriately. Enjoy!

SHOE FORMALITY GUIDE: BY SHOE TYPES

Most Formal

Pump → Oxford → Derby → Monkstrap → Chelsea → Boot → Brogue

Semi-Formal

Venetian Loafer →  Penny Loafer → Belgian Loafer → The Horse Bit or Gucci Loafer → Tassel Loafer → Chukka Boot

Casual

Driving Shoe → Boat Shoe → Desert Boot → Motorcycle Boot → Espadrille Sneaker → Sneakers

MEN’S SHOE FORMALITY GUIDE: BY COLOR

If you are curious about how to pair shoe colors with the right outfits, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you. You’re invited to take a look!

Most Formal

•       Black Shoes are the most formal shoe color. They are the only classic option for Tuxedos and commonly worn with business suits.

Semi-Formal

• Dark Brown is less formal than black shoes and they pair with everything black shoe pair with, except black. They can be worn in any season as they are quite versatile. 

• Cordovan refers to a brownish burgundy shoe color. They pair with whatever dark brown shoe pair with but are less formal due to their lighter shade.

• Navy Blue is rare as a shoe color but is relatively dressy due to its dark shade. In a dress shoe situation, navy blue shoe pairs well with navy and grey trousers. Don’t forget to wear an exact shade of navy blue belt.

• Charcoal Grey is another rare shoe color, they are also less formal as navy and pair with the same color trousers – navy and grey trousers.

Casual

• Medium Brown is informal due to the lightness of the color. They are extremely versatile and pair with just about any trouser you can think of. While they can be worn to work in many offices, you should opt for a darker shoe if going to a job interview or funeral.

• Tan shoes are casual and should only be worn on warmer days. They pair beautifully with medium blue and light grey suits, great options for warm weather weddings.

• White shoes are worn in the most casual of situations. It’s also helpful to wear them once in a while, as white shoes get dirty very easily and require particular steps to clean.

• Non-standard colors (red, green, purple, etc.) other shoe colors like red, purple, green, or orange are the least formal available on the market. Essentially novelty colors, these are great for casual wear with denim and chinos. If you’re wearing a suit just for fun (not for business), a dress shoe in one of these colors can really take your ensemble into the stratosphere, stylistically speaking

MEN’S SHOE FORMALITY GUIDE: BY STYLE

Wholecut or Plain

These are Oxfords or Derbies that are either completely void of extra stitching, perforations, and other design elements, or darn near close. You should already know the difference between an oxford and a derby with their different lacing styles. 

A whole cut is a shoe with an upper that is cut and fashioned from one single piece of leather. As a general rule of style, the less detail a shoe has, the more formal it is.

For Oxford, you can wear Tuxedos/Evening wear. For both dress shoes, you can also pair with suits such as; blazer or sports coat, well-fitting cotton dress pants, a dress shirt, and tie.

Cap-Toe

Just to remind you, unlike oxfords, Derbies have open lacing which makes them a little less sleek, and therefore, less dressy. Meanwhile, a simple cap Oxford or Derby has a line or two of stitching that accentuates the front of the shoe, giving the toe a bit of a capped look. These are the most simple, sleek dress shoes.

You can wear them with Suits made of more casual fabrics like tweed, linen, or cotton; wool trousers; cotton trousers and jeans.

Semi-Brogue

They have lots of holes and decorations, the holes used to help the muck and water drain out since they were originally used by those walking through marshy fields. Today, they’re considered one of the dressiest shoes in fashion, what a turn of events right?

Semi-brogue shoes have a cap-toe with perforations, layered leathers, serrated edges, and usually a lot of perforations adorning the toe. They are quite sleek regardless of the busyness of the design which makes them less serious and more flashy.

Wear them with wool or cotton trousers or dark blue jeans. I’d advise against wearing them with a business/office suit because of their flashy designs, business casual would be a better fit.

Wingtip/Longwing

This style has a classic decorative “M” shape at the cap toe that extends about halfway back to the heel. Oxford-style lacing makes it much easier to dress up than the open-laced style.

As for the long wing, it has a wingtip that doesn’t terminate midway down the side of the shoe but instead wraps all the way to the back of the heel. They’re very versatile, the longer wing has an almost sporty, racing-stripe feel to it.

You can wear the wingtip with suits, business casual with dark wash denim and sports coat, they are perfect for weddings and office wear. For the longwing, smart casual wear of all kinds and you’re good to go.

Suede

Suede – from the French “gants de Suède”, which literally means “gloves from Sweden” is a type of leather with a napped finish commonly used to make shoes and other clothing items. They are less casual than plain leather styles.

They can mostly be worn with cords, chinos, and jeans as they are highly versatile with business casual and smart casual wear. 

Velvet

Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric with a distinctive soft feel. The word velvety means “smooth like velvet,” it can be made from either synthetic or natural fibers. You will mostly find them in loafers and other clothing items.

Final Thought

Now that we’ve crossed the Ts and dotted the Is, you can see the different shoe styles and types and how they are classified as formal and less formal. With this men’s shoe formality guide, you now know the right shoes to wear with the right outfits and to the right occasion.

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have other questions on this topic, please let us know.

Thanks for reading. Until next time, continue to do well, live well, and dress really well. Stay Classy.

Yours in Style,

Kobi O. Mbagwu (Mr. Kobi)
Founder, KOBI KOACHMAN
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KOBI KOACHMAN

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion to change people’s lives. My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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