The Essential Things To Remember About Formal Shoes
“Shoes are the aristocracy of man” one day my stepfather told me. Over the years and mediocre pairs of shoes that I had to constantly renew because they always deteriorate quickly, I ended up understanding the meaning of this sentence by dint of experience. What my stepfather was trying to explain to me is that a beautiful pair of shoes is above all a solid pair with a qualitative leather that will improve with time and the care we give it with being careful.
At Jamais Vulgaire it is a little bit the idea that we also have it in addition to being very demanding in terms of value for money. We will therefore briefly present the two-three little things to observe when looking to get a nice pair of shoes!
A. The Material And The Patina
A pair of shoes intended for a professional framework will be made of leather and not just any. There are several parts of leather on a hide, and with regard to shoes, it is better to favor a full-grain calf leather reserved for shoes and small upscale and luxury leather goods (and for good reason, it is the most beautiful part of the hide).
Most serious brands get their supplies from the French tanneries of Annonay and Du Puy. There are many other quality tanneries, but these are renowned and well represented on the French market. As for the patina (the color of the leather), in a professional environment, we will favor a black color (especially in the circles of lawyers like Magic Circle where the formal dress code is ultra-strict) or dark brown (a color that will pass in 95% of cases).
DO: A beautiful plain brown patina perfect for businessNorwich 5140rs-14b-3-resize
DON’T: A very interesting shade of patina with a nice glaze, but it is not really suitable for a professional.
B. The Form
There are three different shapes that dominate the formal shoe. The oxford, the derby and the monk (buckled shoe). All three have different aesthetic characteristics that will appeal to everyone, but the real interest is that they suit different feet! The oxford is suitable for fine feet while the derbies are much more comfortable for those who have a strong kick!
And for good reason the central seam is open, thus letting the piece of leather modulate to the shape of your kick while the seam of the oxford is closed. Finally, the monk does not have a lace-up and the loops allow you to adjust the central piece of leather as you wish. It is, therefore, suitable for all feet! We have created an explicit infographic on this subject which deals in more depth with the subject.
DO: A rounded shape and subtly worked at the end of the shoe gives this pair of the monk a sober and elegant.
DON’T: A pointed tip typical of cheap shoe models. We can choose Italian models less rounded than English but especially not this form there sharp-resize.
C. Finishes
The fitting of the shoe is very important. There are two schools that dominate the market, the English Goodyear sewn (2 stitch stitches, thick sole with long durability) and the Italian Blake assembly (thinner and less resistant but offers an aesthetic quite different from Goodyear).
Personally I was raised by the English school but I saw numbers of Blake mounting particularly successful especially on shoes dressed for ceremonies. One cut, topstitching, perforations. There are many finishes! Let’s say the one cut (one piece of leather) enhances the piece of leather and is suitable for nuanced patinas. On the contrary, a very dressed pair of perforations and topstitching will have a plain patina to come and calm it all down. There are even different shapes for the location of the lacing on the brogues!
DO: Very nice perforations on these grained leather derbies as well as subtle stitching all on a good year stitched sole that brings character. The whole becomes very dressed but completely portable and adapted to the formal register.
DON’T: A pair of oxfords with lacing on the side is certainly too eccentric, like the rest of the finishes. As for the sole, I am unable to define it, probably a poor imitation of the blake assembly.
The Formal Shoe Guide
If you liked this little introduction, know that we have written a more complete and precise guide on this subject. Once you have consulted it, you will become an enlightened amateur able to recognize a pair of bad manufacture visually and above all, you can now ask THE effective questions to the seller in case of doubts.
Do you have any doubts about how to wear well or choose another piece of men’s wardrobe? So take two minutes to see Merkmak collection of formal shoes, party shoes, casual shoes, casual sneakers, and slipper!
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