How to Match Shoes

So you’ve just bought a great suit and now you have an event to attend. But how do you accessorize? What shoes go best with your suit?

Styles have changed throughout the years and suits have become more and more modern. Depending on your event, they’re no longer seen as too formal and can even be worn with sneakers!

There are three basic branches of shoes: Dressy, semi-casual, and casual. We’re also looking at two general colours for dress shoes – black and brown.

Your choice of shoes will mainly depend on the event you’re attending or the reason you’re wearing a suit. Leather dress shoes are always a classic option – you really can’t go wrong. Your two primary options are black or brown leather.

A general rule of thumb is black dress shoes are best for a formal event. Black shoes are safest for black-tie weddings, funerals, and formal business events and should be worn with darker suits, such as black, burgundy, and shades of grey. Black shoes should not be mixed with brown, so be sure to pair your black leather shoes with a black leather belt.

Brown leather dress shoes are generally the more casual option of dress shoes. They’re still taken seriously, but are best for summertime. They can still be worn to weddings and business events, but pair them with suits like beige, brown, olive, and especially all shades of blue! Try and avoid mixing brown and black or grey as it can clash. Brown leather dress shoes can also be worn casually with chinos and denim for a semi-casual event or even a nice dinner.

Semi-casual shoes are a new branch of shoe paired with suits. They range from loafers to chelsea boots, with fabric ranging from leather to suede. Semi-casual is based mainly on the style of shoe rather than the fabric. The fabric should still be formal, while the style can be more playful. And semi-casual shoes are a great place to experiment with colour. Your options can range from black to brown, but can also include blue and grey. However, the latter two should be reserved for denim and chinos.

What are casual shoes? Sneakers. However, sneakers have become more popular and formal. Typically with suits, you should be wearing white leather sneakers. Pairing any colour suit with a white t-shirt and white leather sneakers creates an elevated casual look reserved particularly for casual events like dinners with friends or even everyday business depending on your line of work. However, check with your place of work or the venue you will be visiting if sneakers are permitted.