What Color Shoes To Wear With Suit – Matching Suits And Dress Shoe Colors
Picking the correct color shoes to match your suit is basic to making a polished and stylish outfit. Regardless of how sharp and smooth your suit is, in case you’re wearing the wrong shoes, your outfit will never look right. More often than not, this comes down to an issue with color. Regardless of whether your shoes are advanced with simply the appropriate measure of sparkle, if the color doesn’t look great with your suit, your outfit is destroyed. In this manner, you have to realize which of your suits works with which shoes. While some shading blends will conflict, and look clumsy, others will be out and out in vogue and corresponding. Here is your definitive manual for what shoes to wear with your suit.
RELATED: Best Men’s Dress Shoes You Need To Own
RELATED: Best Color Shoes To Wear With Blue Jeans
The time before, selecting a pair of shoes to wear with a suit was as simple as choosing between formal Oxford shoes and slightly less formal Derbies. Now though, in a more relaxed and less rule-bound era of menswear; everything from leather sandals to sneakers can serve as ‘suit shoes’; provided you know which type of suit to pair them with.
Still, for the most part, the classics endure: Oxfords and Derbies are the bona fide godfathers of smart footwear; no man should be without at least one pair of each in his wardrobe. A pair of black Oxfords (elegant, svelte, and the perfect partner to a classic dinner suit); and a pair of brown Derby shoes (a handsome workhorse of the footwear arena, versatile enough to be worn to work or a wedding); will stand you in good stead for whatever your calendar throws at you.
The Shoes To Wear With Every Suit Color – The Failsafe Suit And Shoe Combinations For Men
Every gent should own a black suit, so it’s crucial to know which shoe color pairs best. Deciding which shoes to wear with a black suit is simple; although you may not be able to have much fun and experiment with different combinations. Black is the only choice of shoe color that flawlessly pairs with a black suit and should be your option every time.
The dark hue of a black suit appears off-balance with lighter shoes; so, black shoes are the best option. While it may not be the most adventurous of choices, it will look sophisticated and allow you to spice up the outfit with your shirt and tie combination. To add a little more interest, you can also opt for less traditional shoe styles, such as patent designs, brogues, and loafers.
Before you run for the hills, allow us to explain. While footing a black suit with brown shoes may sound like something cooked up to cause a stir at Fashion Week; it is in fact proof of how sometimes breaking the rules can prompt some exceptional results. Much like marrying black and navy, with enough difference between the two; to make it look purposeful, it can look damn good. Plus, David Beckham has been seen doing this on multiple occasions, and if it’s good enough for him.
“A black pair of shoes is the perfect match for a black suit. It just works with the formality of the suit and is the only shoe color that you should wear with the suit. Trying to wear a black suit with dark brown, oxblood, or lighter tan is something that’s some fashion forward men try to pull off. Me, personally I don’t feel it’s classic style and I would avoid it.” Antonio Centenothe the founder of RealMenRealStyle
In contrast to black suits, a navy suit can be combined with several shoe colors. Dark, brown, and burgundy will in general be the most dependable tones and are incredible choices to have available. Contingent upon your own style and the occasion you’re attending, you’ll have the capacity to interpret which shading is ideal to wear.
Black shoes in particular the darker shades, pair well with navy suits. The classic, dress shoe shade is ideal for dressing up navy suits and making them appear more sophisticated. You’ll have a great combination on your hands whether you choose, oxfords, loafers, brogues, or monk-strap shoes.
Brown shoes create a stylish and complementary look when paired with a navy suit. Not only does the warm hue offset the coolness of the navy suit, but it also creates a contemporary appearance. Brown shoes remain sharp and polished while offering a little more originality; they are perfect for occasions when you need something a little more exciting than black.
The mixture of rich, red, and brown tones in oxblood shoes pairs perfectly with the deep blue of a navy suit. Formal without appearing stuffy, oxblood shoes have a simultaneously classic and contemporary feel. Stick to sharp oxford, loafer, and monk-strap styles to maintain a suitably polished appearance.
When deciding what color shoes to wear with a grey suit, you must first decipher what shade of grey your suit is. Whether it’s light or dark will affect which shoes pair well with it, so you must establish this first. While light grey suits are undoubtedly easier to match, there are multiple choices for both shades, some of which cross over and can be used for both.
Like black suits, dark grey suits look best when paired with darker shades of shoes. This means that black shoes are the easiest and best choice when you’re wearing a dark grey suit. The combination is sharp and stylish. Keep it in mind for formal occasions as a great alternative to a standard black suit.
Although brown shoes won’t work with a dark grey suit, burgundy shoes will. The deeper and darker tone of burgundy pairs well with dark grey and creates a balanced look. While the outfits can easily work for formal occasions, in particular when worn in a less traditional manner; it’s also a great option for semi-formal events.
READ: Men’s Dress Codes Guide For All Occasions
Like dark grey suits, light grey suits also pair well with black shoes. The dark color tones down the overall appearance of a light grey suit, making the outfit a more formal choice. Although the look is sharp and sophisticated, it’s also light and a great choice for gents who look washed out in darker suits.
Brown shoes work shockingly well with light grey suits. The warm tone is ideal for making a general light and summery fitting alternative. Pick lighter shades of brown for an increasingly modern look and darker shoes for a traditional touch.
Oxblood shoes can have a striking appearance when juxtaposed with a light grey suit. The bold contrast creates a stylish look with a little bit of edge. Just remember to stick to simple and sharp styles, such as oxfords, to keep the look suave and sophisticated.
Because of their light color and fresh appearance, cream and beige/khaki suits are a popular choice for summer. To maintain this clean and bright aesthetic it’s essential to pair them with light shoes. While black, burgundy, and dark brown will all look much too heavy, shoes in light brown or white will create the perfect pair.
Light brown shoes make a great footwear option for cream and beige suits. Classic enough to be worn to formal functions and Light enough for the ideal summer look; light brown is a winning choice. Choose between oxfords and brogues for a polished look or loafers and suede styles for a more relaxed touch.
Beige and cream suits can also be paired with white shoes for semi-formal occasions. Perfect for outdoor summer events, as the all-over light look is a refreshing one. Just remember to stick to more casual footwear styles, such as sneakers, relaxed brogues, and loafers to don this daring look in style.
RELATED: How To Wear The Classic G.H. Bass Penny Loafers
A blue suit is a worthwhile investment for men whose suited social engagements skew more smart-casual. You’ll need to tread a little more carefully when it comes to shoe choice; as blue suits are less traditional than navy, tailoring in lighter shades of blue is also marginally less versatile.
Similarly, as with navy, brown shoes function admirably with lighter shades of blue; however while dark browns supplement the navy’s profundity, you’re in an ideal situation adhering to lighter brown colored tones with blue fitting. Tan Derbies, brogues, and monk straps function admirably, as do marginally more extravagant shades of brown – think milk instead of dark chocolate.
Matching a blue suit with black shoes is anything but a sackable offense either; however black’s inalienable dressiness can jostle somewhat with blue fitting’s lack thereof; so take any blue-suit-black shoes blend for a decent test drive in front of a full-length mirror before going out.
This sartorial set-up works well for work and smart events with a relatively relaxed dress code. Wearing a navy suit and brown shoes is a more youthful alternative. Don’t skimp on the suit (cheap fabrics look exactly that in brighter shades of blue); choose shoes in shades of brown from tan to chocolate. Anything lighter will contrast too starkly, while anything darker won’t contrast quite enough.
These two colors paired make a safe bet for guys that want to stand out without going full Pitti peacock. As for the suit, a punchy, vibrant shade such as cobalt works best; while the shoes should be in saturated black leather that looks almost patent but, you know, isn’t.
Like a light, slate, or mid-grey number, a charcoal suit looks sharp with shoes in black, burgundy, and oxblood. Unlike suits in lighter shades of grey, however, a charcoal one won’t play well with navy or light brown footwear.
Because it’s a neutral color with a lot of depth, charcoal is best paired with strong hues that subtly punctuate, rather than starkly contrast with it. By far the best options in this regard are black and oxblood styles in high-quality leather that, after you learn how to polish like a pro, are sumptuous in color. Brown works too, but only in rich, deep shades like chestnut and mocha.
While there may be exceptions for the suit colors mentioned thus far, there aren’t any when it comes to charcoal. So, veer away from this advice at your peril.
“A poor match for the charcoal gray suit is going to be dark brown and lighter brown or tan. You can pull this off in a pinch, but I would recommend that you look at the other colors.” Antonio Centino the founder of RealMenRealStyle
Watches are expensive, sure, but its shoes that’ll do real damage to your wallet. Buy the wrong pair or the right pair in the wrong color, and you can wave goodbye to hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of tailoring.
“Your choice of footwear can instantly change the aesthetic of your suit,” says Topman personal shopper Frazer Goater, who suggests before doing anything that you invest in a stalwart of the shoe rack. “A pair of black Derbies will provide you with a footwear choice for any suit color; from grey, black, or navy to heavy checks and impactful floral designs.”
We provide you with a guide to whom other combinations definitely work, and coincidently, which ones definitely do not. That’s not to say though, that there aren’t exceptions in every case. Color, like a style in general, is largely subjective, so it’s important to experiment. Still, to paraphrase one Señor Pablo Picasso, you need to know the rules before you can break them.
