THE MODERN STYLING OF DRESS SHOES
Over the past 100-200 years the styling of dress shoes really has not varied much, if at all. High quality shoe makers will attest to the longevity of the classic styles and designs. As long as you stick within the bounds of the article you will be guaranteed a shoe that will never go out of style.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN SHOE STYLES
No matter the maker or designer a dress shoe/boot will fit into one of the categories below.
THE OXFORD
A Oxford shoe is defined by having a “closed lace” system. This is where the eyelets of the shoe are connected underneath the vamp, in contrast to Derbys which have an “open laced system”. When it comes to wanting a formal business shoe the Oxford is the only option, this has been the standard for over a hundred years.
Under the Oxford title there are 4 main designs that a shoe will fall information
- The Classic Oxford
- The Balmoral Oxford
- The Adelaide Oxford
- The Wholecut Oxford
With the Classic Oxford, the vamp (The leather pattern piece in between the lacing and toe cap) is curved along the length of the shoe ending just before the heel block.
In the Balmoral Oxford the vamp creates a horizontal line all the way to the back seam of the shoe. This creates a beautiful aesthetic with the shoe being divided into 2 horizontal sections.
The Adelaide Oxford is distinctly different as the line around the laces closes them off going straight back up into the top line of the shoe. This gives the shoe an unique look when compared to the other styles.
Finally you have the Wholecut Oxford. Rather than being constructed out of multiple pattern pieces of leather, the wholecut is formed out of a single pattern piece. Leaving only a seam at the heel of the shoe or in some cases no seam at all, the latter being referred to as a seamless wholecut.
THE DERBY (OR BLUCHER )
The Derby, commonly referred to as the Blucher in American English, is a style of shoe where the eyelets are sewn on top of the vamp. This is known as an “opened laced” system in contrast to Oxfords having a “closed laced system”. Due to the added freedom of having the eyelets sewn onto the vamp it is generally understood that a Derby can be easier to fit than an Oxford as it allows you to tighten or loosen the shoe to your exact preference.
Due to the use of an “open laced” system, the Derby is the more casual shoe when compared to the Oxford. This also stems from the shoes origins of being first used as a hunting shoe in the mid 19th century.
It can be a very versatile shoe as show in the images below. Often styled with a split toe and an apron stitched upper, it can provide a level of casual elegance not obtainable elsewhere. Other popular choices are the Wingtip Derby and then the Classic Derby with no additional decorations.
THE LOAFER
A Loafer is the most casual shoe out of the main designs and styles. Originally developed in 1847 by London bespoke shoe maker “Wildsmith Shoes”, it was designed for King George VI as a casual house shoe. Although being a very casual shoe, due to increased popularity it can be worn with more casual suits. However if you are going to do this it is recommended for your loafer to be made out of a calf skin leather with little detailing.
The shoe is a slip-on so there are no laces used to tighten the shoe against your feet. This makes Loafers particular hard to fit when compared to a shoe with a lacing system
Due to the relaxed nature of the Loafer it is an incredibly varied when it comes to styling. Often being made out of different materials, calf skin and suede being most popular, different colours and with numerous small intricate detailing choices a loafer can really be a reflection of the wearers design preferences.
THE MONK
The Monk shoe is a shoe which doesn’t use laces but instead uses buckles to fasten the feet into the shoe. It is most commonly found with either 1 buckle, known as the single monkstrap, or 2 buckles, known as the double monk strap. Monkstraps can be found with more than 2 buckles however these shoes tend to be very fashion forward and go out of style very quickly. The formality of a monk lies below an Oxford but above a Derby.
It can be made more formal by giving it a toe cap or more casual by crafting it with a split toe and an apron. They are made out of a leather as commonly as being made out of a suede.
THE BOOT
A Boot can be made using both “open lacing” and “closed lacing”. Therefore you can have Oxford and Derby Boots. Boots generally fall into one of the following categories:
- The Oxford/Derby Boot
- The Chukka Boot (A nuanced derby boot)
- The Chelsea Boot
- The Jodhpur Boot
- The Button Boot
The Oxford/Derby boot is a boot styled exactly like an Oxford or Derby shoe. It will feature either a “open lacing” or “closed lacing” system. Unlike with shoes the Oxford Boot is not the most formal boot, that belongs to the Chelsea Boot.
The Chukka boot is a nuanced derby boot as it should only contain two or three pairs of eyelets. If it has more than 3 pair of eyelets it would be classed a derby boot. The origins of the chukka boot refer to a type of desert boots that were worn by British soldiers in the Western Desert Campaign of World War Two. Chukka boots are the most causal boot due to the “open lacing” system and low number of eyelets. Because of this they should only be worn with more casual outfits and very rarely with suits.
The Chelsea Boot is the most formal boot you can own. These boots are very close fitting and use an elastic side panel covering the ankle, which make them very comfortable and easy to put on and take off. To assist with this they often can be found with a loop of fabric at the back of the boot allowing you to more easily pull them over your feet.
Like the Wholecut Oxford, the Chelsea Boot is made out of either one or two pattern pieces of leather. This clean design makes the boot formal enough to be worn with suits when crafted out of leather but suitable to be worn casually if made out of a suede.
There is a variety of the Chelsea boot known as the Jodhpur Boot. Rather than using an elastic side panel to secure the shoe, it used a buckle and strap positioned above the ankle. This boot was originally designed as a riding boot but today can be found being worn as a casual boot with more informal outfits.
The final boot variation is the button boot. This boot is the least common but is slowly coming back into style. Rather than using laces, elastic side panels or buckles and straps the button boot uses a set of buttons to fasten the boot to the foot. It was first popularized in the late 1800’s and was a staple in the footwear for many many years. It then went out of fashion for a very long time but is slowly becoming more relevant so is definitely worth a look if you want a shoe that chances are no one else owns.
THE LAZY MAN
A very uncommon style of shoe, the lazy man shoe has a elastic side gusset that allows for better comfort when fitting the shoe. This also makes for an easier show to put on and take off. This shoe originates to when Sir Winston Churchill wanted a shoe he could put on and take off without having to lean over and untie.
This style can be incredibly formal if made out of a black calf skin leather with a cap toe. Or it can be styled down being made out of a lightly coloured suede or styled as a full wingtip.
DECORATIVE ADDITIONS
When it comes to shoes there are a couple things that can be added to any of the above shoes styles we have gone over above. I am going to be calling these options “Decorative Additions”.
BROGUING
Broguing is the characterized as the small perforations and sometimes serrations along the edges of the leather upper pieces. Broguing was originally designed for outdoor and country shoes and not for business shoes but in modern day they are acceptable as business shoes. It is generally agreed though that the more broguing a shoe has the more casual it becomes due to the added complexity of design. Broguing can be added to any style of shoes, whether that would be an Oxford, Derby or Monk. The amount of broguing a shoe has can be split into 4 different designs, a quarter brogue, a semi brogue, full brogue or wingtip and the longwing.
A Quarter Brogue is an Oxford shoe that only has broguing along the toe cap of the shoe. A semi brogue is any shoe that has more broguing than a quarter brogue but does not feature a wing in its design. Semi brogues can often have medallions which are intricate design patterns formed out of the punching used to make broguing on the toe cap of the shoe. A full brogue/wingtip has the same amount of broguing as a semi brogue but instead of having a toe cap it has a broguing in the shape of a wing on the toe. And finally a longwing with is the same as a wingtip but the broguing from the wingtip follows the entire length of the shoe rather than ending before the heel.
Due to the custom nature of a brogued shoe some bespoke makers will allow you to design your own medallions or even the full pattern of broguing on the entire shoe.
SPLIT TOE
A Split toe is generally used on more casual shoes. This is where two pattern pieces of leather are joined together at the front of the shoe forming a seam along the toe, leading to the name “Split Toe”.
A Shoe might also feature a Reverse Stitched Split Toe. This is where the reverse butt stitch only shows the marking of the underlying thread but not the stitches themselves leading to a much cleaner look. To the untrained eye this might look like a small blemish or manufacturing error but for those aware of design choice it is a clear sign of handwork and fine human skills. Even in this day and age there is no machine that can perform the reverse butt stitch.
THE SOLE AND HEEL
One of the most overlooked styling and design areas of shoes is the sole and the heel of the shoe. Even though this is an area of the shoe that is rarely seen while wearing the shoe it is an important area that fine craftsman ship can be executed and displayed.
THE SOLE
The first thing to notice about the sole of a dress shoe is whether or not it features a closed or open channel stitch. If a shoe has an “open channel” stitch this means the stitching used to construct the shoe is visible when looking at the sole. However if the shoe features a “closed channel” stitch this means that a thin layer of leather is peeled back over the channel so that after the shoe has been stitched together it can be glued back forming a clean sole. The latter is the preferred choice of high end dress shoes as it gives the shoe a more elegant and timeless look.
The waist of a shoe will fall into one of the following three categories:
- Bevelled waist
- Fiddleback waist
- Square waist
A Square waist is the most common form of waist on a shoe. This is where the sole is attached and then no extra detailing or handwork is put into place. The waist is flat and is square against the heel block.
A Bevelled waist is what it sounds like, the waist of the shoe is bevelled so that it forms a smooth rounded curve across its width. This allows the waist to be much narrower which looks much more elegant. The Fiddleback waist is a variation of the bevelled waist. This is where a sharp V-shape along the middle of the sole is added to accentuate the bevelled waist.
THE HEEL
In most shoes the heel will be straight, directly going down to the ground. However some high end and bespoke shoe makers provide what is called a pitched heel. This is where the heel is shaved so it slopes inwards following the natural line of the heel cap of the shoe. This gives the shoe more elegant and timeless look and is a clear indicator that your shoe is incredibly well made.
Some heels also feature something called a “gentleman’s notch” or “gentleman’s corner”. This is where a small notch is taken out of the inner most front corner of the heel to prevent snagging on on your trousers cuffs. This has mainly lost its use as generally most people don’t wear their trousers that long but for the few of you that do then this is a worthwhile addition.
This very informational post was researched, written and published by Jacob Powell on his personal blog Hacking in Style.
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This is a fantastic read. Thanks, Jacob and Simon!
From Ashwin (thenewshoereview)
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