navy suit, light brown belt & shoes

[The Knize]

Obsessed, did you try running a Google search on this question? Lots of stuff out there on things like StyleForum and AskAndy.

I have not had enough time with it to come to any specifc conclusions except that lighter brown shoes (I am talking Cognac or so, I guess not really "tan" unless a dark tan) with a navy suit woud apparently be considered "fashion forward," so I guess my impression was correct that some time ago one started seeing lighter brown shoes with navy suits for the first time in lifetime. Apparently the old British rule was never anything but black shoes wih a navy suit--with actual Brits writing in on this to confrim that their fathers had stated this rule unequivocably, but there is debate over how old that rule is and whether it went away say 80 years ago. (I do not understand where cordovan and oxblood shoes would fit it to that. I thought the rule was that cordovan went with everthing.) But there are Continental Europeans writing in saying they do not like black with a navy suit and wear nothing but brown shoes.

I think your gut and my gut feeling is black shoes with a navy suit is the "rule." My feeling is that it is okay to break a rule for "fashion." It is less okay to break a rule for me just because I think it looks okay. Like lots in life, I want the impression to be that "I know how something show be done and have consciously chosen not to do it that way, rather than I do not know how something is supposed to be done!"

I would say that gray suits are a whole other thing. I am frankly not convinced that blue suits other than navy ones are!

 

[richmondesi]

Obsessed, did you try running a Google search on this question? Lots of stuff out there on things like StyleForum and AskAndy.

I have not had enough time with it to come to any specifc conclusions except that lighter brown shoes (I am talking Cognac or so, I guess not really "tan" unless a dark tan) with a navy suit woud apparently be considered "fashion forward," so I guess my impression was correct that some time ago one started seeing lighter brown shoes with navy suits for the first time in lifetime. Apparently the old British rule was never anything but black shoes wih a navy suit--with actual Brits writing in on this to confrim that their fathers had stated this rule unequivocably, but there is debate over how old that rule is and whether it went away say 80 years ago. (I do not understand where cordovan and oxblood shoes would fit it to that. I thought the rule was that cordovan went with everthing.) But there are Continental Europeans writing in saying they do not like black with a navy suit and wear nothing but brown shoes.

I think your gut and my gut feeling is black shoes with a navy suit is the "rule." My feeling is that it is okay to break a rule for "fashion." It is less okay to break a rule for me just because I think it looks okay. Like lots in life, I want the impression to be that "I know how something show be done and have consciously chosen not to do it that way, rather than I do not know how something is supposed to be done!"

I would say that gray suits are a whole other thing. I am frankly not convinced that blue suits other than navy ones are!

I'd totally disagree with wearing black shoes with navy because that's the "way it's supposed to be done". It isn't. It can be done, but all of the clothiers that I've talked about this kind of stuff with say it is ok, but brown is much preferred with Navy suits.

 

[bishop]

Cordovan is the way to go. I always look at black or brown shoes with a navy suit and think the wearer must have dressed in the dark. Sort of like wearing black socks with blue pants.

 

[Cuttingboard]

I always look at black or brown shoes with a navy suit and think the wearer must have dressed in the dark. Sort of like wearing black socks with blue pants.

Unfortunately, I have to get dressed in the dark because I get up so early in the morning that my wife is still asleep. I think I'm going to buy red socks and wear them with everything and show some flare...

 

[richmondesi]

Unfortunately, I have to get dressed in the dark because I get up so early in the morning that my wife is still asleep. I think I'm going to buy red socks and wear them with everything and show some flare...

 

[rgc]

Traditional business attire for the city would be black shoes with a suit. Keep in mind traditional attire for city suits also would be navy, grey or maybe black pin stripe.

 

[Holton181]

Traditionally you would wear black soes with the navy suit at a stuffy office in my opinon the brown shoes bring life to a classic style and allow for the introduction of more color combinations in the suit.

FTW!

Come on guys... Even the stuffy suits over here on the Hill wear brown shoes with Navy suits. It breaks up the white shirt/red tie combo that EVERY staffer wears EVERY DAY... sigh.

 

[richmondesi]

FTW!

Come on guys... Even the stuffy suits over here on the Hill wear brown shoes with Navy suits. It breaks up the white shirt/red tie combo that EVERY staffer wears EVERY DAY... sigh.

The guys that say that black shoes is just "how it's done" are either old or not paying attention (if not both)

 

[Cuttingboard]

FTW!

Come on guys... Even the stuffy suits over here on the Hill wear brown shoes with Navy suits. It breaks up the white shirt/red tie combo that EVERY staffer wears EVERY DAY... sigh.

Don't forget the boring light blue tie with white shirt combos!

 

[Devil Doc]

Black or cordovan. Never brown with navy blue. I should know

Doc.

 

[RoyalKooparillo]

Black with navy for a more formal or conservative look. Cordovan can look very good, but it's overdone IMO. Brown is just fine for a confident, fashion-forward look (as another said), but it requires matching the shade of brown correctly with the suit ('poo' brown never seems to go well). I personally like the look, when it is done well. I have a pair of brown shoes with an antiqued cognac finish that looks devilishly good with with a navy suit.

 

[Cuttingboard]

I really like chocolate brown cap-toes with a grey suit and blue dress shirt.

If I were going to a more formal or evening event and wearing a navy suit, definately black shoes. But during the day to work, dark brown and oxblood are perfectly fine and very european.

 

[marvin100]

I never wear black shoes.

Guh?

 

[scottish steve]

Hey GDS, for a moment there I thought that was a pic of Morrisey and therefore automatically acceptable. I didn't realise until just now that I had that attitude. Anyone else consider Morrisey a style icon?

 

[The Knize]

Hey GDS, for a moment there I thought that was a pic of Morrisey and therefore automatically acceptable. I didn't realise until just now that I had that attitude. Anyone else consider Morrisey a style icon?

Had not really thought about it, but he is not bad, at least after the sheer shirt and band aid over the nipple era.

 

[Kouros]

Blue goes well with earth tones (brown, green, orange) while black looks best with grey, white, red, or purple. Navy and black should only be mixed on a job interview or if you are military IMO.

 

[The Knize]

Blue goes well with earth tones (brown, green, orange) while black looks best with grey, white, red, or purple. Navy and black should only be mixed on a job interview or if you are military IMO.

So one should only look, what exactly? for a job interview, and no other time?

Here was a January 2005 GQ on-line answer to this quesiton: "There are many older men who will go to the grave believing that wearing brown shoes with a navy suit is morally wrong. Actually, it is wearing lighter brown shoes with a navy suit that is wrong. Your shoes should be at least as dark as your suit. If your brown shoes are of a darkness approaching black, you are okay. If they are tannish, the old man is right, and you should be banned from the executive washroom."

I agree with the first sentence that this is what some older American guys think. I am pretty well conveinced that the second sentence is now wrong, although I suppose if one is a bit away from true navy it might make a difference.

This have been a really interesting thread. I do think the old Briitish rule was black shoes in the city and brown shoes in the country. And I do think there was a move away from black shoes for anything on the Continent.

 

[Midlander]

No, no, no, never, never, never. Oxblood or Cordovan are really the best choices to go with Navy. I wouldn't even wear black with Navy.

I second this - Oxblood with Navy is the standard.

However, I've seen an increase in Brown with Navy, hence this post. It works sometimes, but other times it fails. Maybe it depends on the shirt/tie combo.

 

[Barbarian]

The guys that say that black shoes is just "how it's done" are either old or not paying attention (if not both)

+1 Depends on if you are an old traditionalist or not. There is nothing wrong with change, as long as you have the self-confidence to handle it.

 

[The Knize]

+1 Depends on if you are an old traditionalist or not. There is nothing wrong with change, as long as you have the self-confidence to handle it.

Nothing wrong with change. Like everything else. Depends on the signal you want to send. I thnk everyone in these matters wants to say "I know the rule, but I choose not to follow it," rather than "I am so oblivious I do not know the rule!" If one's boss is some hide bound tradtionalist, one might as well go with tradition, if it matters. You are going to the trouble of wearing a suit so you might as well take the trouble to accomplish whatever you want to with it.

Rememeber I am one of the ones that thinks cognac with navy is perfectly fine and trendy.

I like Cordovan and oxblood with a navy suit, too. Not sure whether I would wear that to say Court though. I like Cordovan and oxblood with most suit colors, especially the former.