Are you looking for classic dress shoes for your office, weddings, meetings, business, and casual work then you are at the right place. People often judge you from your dress code thus it is very important to showcase yourself properly while you are going into Formal working, Meetings, Dinners, and festivals. You can wear different types of men’s dress shoes for elegant grooming but remember one thing that always chose the best insoles for dress shoes because it makes comfort for your feet.
Men’s dress shoes such as Oxford, Brogue, Derby, Chelsea, Loafer, and Monk, and Chukka all work best with your formal outfits. The construction and style of different dress shoes give you a unique appearance. Leather is the most common material that is used in making shoes. Rubber soles are used in formal footwear which added durability and elegance to the dress shoes. Want to know more about men’s dress shoes let’s get started with the various types of men’s dress shoes.
1. Oxford Dress Shoes
When it comes to the elegant style and classy look no one can beat the oxford shoe. The Oxfords first came into light in Scotland and Ireland, wherein they were known as Balmorals but the footwear had been later named Oxfords after Oxford University. In the United States, Oxfords were also labeled as “Bal-type” that became an icon of fashion at Oxford University in 1800.
Oxford shoe features a closed-lacing system in which shoelace eyelets are attached under the vamp. The Oxfords were used as plain dress shoes usually made of leather but the style and material evolved with the passage of time so you can easily wear them on various occasions and functions. Now the oxfords are also made from calf leather, faux and patent leather, canvas, and suede that makes the shoes exceptional wear. Now you can wear the Oxford in different colors such as Black, Bordeaux, Tan, Oak, Brown, Maple, and Onyx.
The Oxford features closed lacing, Low heels, and an Exposed ankle that make it unique from other brands. Oxford shoes are an excellent addition to your wardrobe and perfect for suits, separates, and tuxedos. These shoes are super comfy for walk-in weddings, Work, and meetings. The Oxford shoe comes in different styles or types such as Plain-Toe Oxford Shoes, Cap-Toe Oxford Shoes, Wingtip Oxford Shoes, Saddle Oxford Shoes, and Whole Cut Oxford Shoes.
Plain-Toe Oxford Shoes
The Plain Toe Oxford shoes are a more formal shoe in all Oxford Styles. This Style of Oxford Shoe doesn’t feature cap-toe over the toe box. It is the perfect mixture of elegance and comfort for your formal functions. The Sharp style is the best match for your suit or a tuxedo. These Classic formal shoes feature brown and black Oxfords that match well with your formal attire.
Cap-Toe Oxford Shoes
It is the most versatile oxford shoe that features an extra piece of leather added over the toe box. Cap Toe shoes are available in different shades, including brown, tan, oxblood, and classic black. The cap toe Oxford is the classic business shoe worn with elegant business attire around the world.
Wingtip Oxford Shoes
This particular style in Oxford provides decorative perforations with an M-shaped toe cap that features wingtips that extend along both sides of the footwear. Although it is an Oxford, it is also known as a Brogue. The leather upper and good stitching adds durability and makes it more fashionable and stylish. Wingtip Oxford shoes are a perfect match for your office and wedding wear. The Wingtip is a gentleman’s taste with an elegant and rich style for formal wearing. It’s great to go in a coat, parka or other suits.
Saddle Oxford Shoes
It is one of the most popular shoes in 1950 that comes with a plain toe and a saddle-shaped leather strip in contrasting color across the middle of the shoe body. The Saddle Oxford is a low-heeled shoe that features a closed lacing system. It is normally constructed of leather with different color combinations. The Saddle Shoes Come in black, White-red, and green. You can easily wear these shoes with your formal and casual attire.
Wholecut Oxford Shoes
While the other types of Oxford shoes are made from several pieces of leather while the Whole cut oxford is made from single-piece leather. The whole cut oxford closed lacing system makes it distinctive from other oxfords. The single-piece construction gives it a more voguish and sleek look. The Whole cut Oxford is a must addition to your wardrobe.
The bright shine, exclusive pattern, flawless craftsmanship, durable leather and closed lacing system make it a more versatile and desirable shoe. The elegant and rich style makes it a perfect match for any formal wearing with a coat, parka, or jacket. Dark Brown and Black are the most desirable colors that give you a ravishing look.
2. Derby Formal Shoes
A derby is also known as Gibson distinguished by quarters with an open lacing system in contrast with the Oxford shoe in which shoelace eyelets are sewn on the upper part of the shoe known as a vamp. The derby was once a famous sports shoe such as hunting in the 1850s but with the passage of time, the derby became the fashion statement for formal dressing.
Derby shoes are a classic, Voguish and that comes with a comfortable style. The Derby is a standard formal shoe that suits any formal occasion. The derby comes in various styles similar to the different types of oxfords.
The Plain Derby
The plain derby features a vamp and quarters as compared to other styles there is no broguing, cap toes, or heel caps in this type of derby style. It is the most formal style as compared to the other derby styles that are mostly used in black. These clean finish versatile Derby shoes can be dressed on any formal occasion. These shoes are made from premium leather to give them a more elegant look.
The Cap Toe Derby
Cap toe derbies characteristic of a straight cap toe for unique detailing. It also features brogue perforations and toe medallion in the cap toe style for sophisticated detailing. These fashionable formal wear can be worn as workplace footwear or as informal footwear. The Handcrafted construction with fine materials adds durability and stability to the shoe.
Split Toe
A distinguished derby shoe that Joins the quarters through a horizontal seam that stretches via the vamp and toe. Split toe derby shoe is a good option for your formal wearing that will make you look more clean and sophisticated. These shoes are crafted with leather and supple suede that makes them perfect wear for your corporate events. Split toe derby is widely used in Brown and Black shades.
3. Loafers
The loafer was firstly made by the bespoke shoe company for the wealthy people and royal family in London then it was made for King George VI by the Raymond Lewis Wildsmith of Wildsmith Shoes. It was used as casual shoes when it was first introduced but with the passage of time Wildsmith Loafer firstly introduced by Wildsmith shoe loafer became immensely popular with business suits in America.
The slip-on shoe is most commonly known as a loafer or slippers in America that are basically low heel, lace-less shoes. These shoes are made of leather or suede in a variety of shades and designs The loafers feature elasticated inserts on the side so you can easily effortlessly remove the shoe. There are four types of formal loafers that you can wear with your formal attire.
Penny Loafers
Penny is a classic loafer shoe for your formal wear. The elegance of the penny loafer is exclusive. It was a popular shoe in 1938 that featured a saddle strap across the upper with a cut that is supposed to hold a penny. These loafers were made by Norwegian G.H. Bass of Wilton, Maine, which was then named ‘Weejun’. It became very popular among American students. No one exactly knows the theory about its name but as the resources state that people use to keep pennies in the saddle slot for payphone calls. Hence the name penny loafer applied to this style of loafer shoes.
Tassel Loafers
The popular tasseled loafer is made by the Brooks Brothers and Alden Shoe Co with their collaborative efforts. This style of loafer shoes features tassels on the top of the vamp with a rounded toe construction. You can wear these loafers with the suit and also with your informal attire.
Belgian Loafers
The shoes are the perfect mixture of elegance and classic style that was designed and manufactured by Henri Bendel. The shoe was a significant fashion trend in the 1960s. The no lace loafers come with a small bow on top and are sewn from inside out for a fine seamless look.
Gucci Loafers
Gucci Loafers are also known as Horse Bit loafer is a nice and comfortable formal shoe that goes perfect with your formal attire.The horsebit loafer features a Horse bit style metal link across the vamp. In 1966, The Italian designer Aldo Gucci added a horse’s snaffle bit shape metal strap across the vamp. These Gucci loafers were also widely used by businessmen from the 1970s to 1980s. You can wear these shoes at your formal gatherings such as weddings.
4. Chelsea Formal Shoes
The Chelsea is one of the formal shoes that give you a ravishing look with your formal attire. The Design is made by shoemaker Joseph Sparkes Hall who is also Queen Victoria’s shoemaker. It is the most famous UK footwear which is named after the Chelsea and Fulham in inner western London. These are close-fitting and ankle-high boots that upper is constructed from two pieces of leather stitched together.
The shoe comes in rounded toes with low heels. It also features an elastic side panel and a loop or tab made of fabric on the backside of the shoe so that the shoe can be easily pulled on and pulled off. There is no lace-up system in these boots so you don’t need to tie your laces again and again. Chelsea is the best classic and stylish option to wear with your formal and informal attire. The Well-crafted shoe is constructed in leather and suede styles with Black, Brown, Tan, and Navy Blue shades. Don’t get confused with shoes similar to the Chelsea because there is much other boot which looks like Chelsea such as Jodhpur boots or Beatle boots.
5. Jodhpur Boots
Jodhpur shoes were first produced in India for polo riders in the 1920s. It became a trendy shoe when Saks Fifth Avenue started selling them in early 1927. It is named after the Jodhpur City in India. The Jodhpur boot is known as ankle boot but not similar to the Chelsea boot comes in the rounded toe and a low heel. These shoes feature a classic ankle strap or buckle. Each boot is crafted from two single pieces of leather.
The classic boot is a style statement for your formal attire. It is a high-end classic shoe mostly made of leather with a stylish buckle pair. Jodhpur boots offer unique style and can be worn with suits or any other formal attire for a classy distinguished look. These shoes are exceptional in style and comfort. Jodhpur Boots come in different styles and colors.
6. Spectator Shoe
The spectator shoe commonly known as co-respondent shoe features low-heeled, semi-brogue, oxford, and full brogue style. Spectator shoe was designed by one of the finest English shoemakers in 1968. The shoe was first introduced as a cricket shoe but later it became trendy formal footwear during the 1920s and 1930s.
It is usually made from two contrasting colors; normally the toe and heel cap and the lace panels consist of a darker color than the main body of the shoe. The spectator is commonly made with complete leather material, but it is also constructed with canvas, mesh, or suede body.
The colors give a unique shine to the boot with combinations of white shoe body with black, brown, or tan toe and heel caps. This shoe gives you strong attention appeal with passionately constructed cuttings and stitches.
7. Monk Shoes
It is one of the comfortable dress shoes also known as monk strap dress shoes with no lacing style consisting of one or multiple buckles and straps. The monk strap is undoubtedly a formal shoe that is versatile for your formal attire. The monk strap pairs well with casual, business attire such as blazers and tweeds. The monk shoe is made in leather and suede. Black, Brown, and tan are popular choices of shades in monk strap shoes. There are two variations in monk shoes one is single strap monk and the second is double strap monk shoes.
Best Formal Shoes Brands
When you are looking for masterpiece footwear then you always think about what the best brand is providing you with trendy and elegant formal shoes. There are various formal shoes available in the market of different shoe brands. We will guide you to the best shoe brand available in the market so your style and comfort will not be compromised.
Stacy Adams
The Stacy Adams is an American shoe-making company known for its versatile formal shoes which were founded by William H. Stacy and Henry L. Adams in Brockton, Massachusetts. Stacy Adams making shoes from 1875. Stacy Adams provides you best crafted formal shoes such as Oxford and Loafers.
Deer Stags
Deer Stags is one of the finest brands for formal shoes at affordable prices. Deer Stags crafted and styled formal shoes go well with formal attire. Dear Stag gives you better quality and comfort and durability. You can get various style formal shoes from Deer Stags such as Chelsea, Chukka, Oxford, Loafer, and Monk strap shoes.
Clarks Shoes
The famous British shoe manufacturer and retailer was established in 1825 by Cyrus Clark in Somerset, England. Clarks are making the finest shoes with traditional and modern construction techniques. Clarks features top-quality formal footwear such as Oxford, Chelsea, Loafers, and Brogues.
Liberty Footwear
Liberty Shoes is a one-stop-shop for your desired formal footwear. Liberty Shoes is an Indian shoe brand founded by Dharam Pal Gupta, Purshotam Das Gupta, and Rajkumar Bansal. The company currently makes 50,000 footwear per day. The company has exclusive showrooms at multi-brand points of sale in more than 25 countries. You can buy exotic footwear from liberty such as Oxford, Loafers, Animal Prints, and Monk Straps. Liberty footwear is the symbol of Blending fashion and comfort.
You can buy ideal and affordable footwear from the above brands but if you like to expand your range you can also buy exclusive formal footwear from Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Johnston & Murphy, Allen Edmonds, Balenciaga, and Trickers.
Conclusion
We have thoroughly mentioned all the types of men’s dress shoes with pictures so you can easily choose the best pair for your formal attire. You can wear the Brogue, Chukka, Loafer, Oxford Chelsea Monkstrap, and Derby. These all are the best formal shoes that go well with your formal dressing. Just feel free to share your questions and suggestions on this article and let us know if this article proves helpful for you.