Shoes. The reflection of your style and personality
Shoes are perhaps one of the most personal elements of an outfit, capable of transmitting the essence of the person who wears them. In other words, shoes are an extension of a man’s personality and character.
Shoes are perhaps one of the most personal elements of an outfit, capable of transmitting the essence of the person who wears them. In other words, shoes are an extension of a man’s personality and character.
Despite the uniqueness behind choosing the right shoes for the right moment, there are some guidelines that need to be followed in the art of choosing, designing and wearing a pair of shoes, as unique as you are. First, to ensure you get the most comfortable men’s shoes, make sure you get the fit right. At Cambrillón we give you all the tools you need in order to select the perfect size for your next pair of men’s shoes.
Choose your look
There are many types of men’s shoes, and getting the perfect look starts from the feet up. Feeling comfortable, both physically and mentally in a pair of shoes will surely update your style. It’s easy to find the best dress shoes for suits, but it’s harder to find ones that go with both casual and formal wear, without them losing their unique look and touch.
In this guide we will provide some general style guidelines, focusing on five models of dress shoes, which can be considered “The Essentials” in any gentleman’s wardrobe. However, having a good selection of smart shoes is the best way to be prepared for any situation.
Oxfords
The Oxford shoe is one of our favourites when it comes to choosing a smart men’s shoe. Since 1825, the style and design of the Oxford shoe we know today has evolved from the one of its ancestor, the Oxonian “half boot”. Through this evolution they have become a shoe that is easily worn with formal outfits, but can also be paired with more casual or smart casual pieces like chinos and denim trousers.
The lacing
The Oxford shoe is one of our favourites when it comes to choosing a smart men’s shoe. Since 1825, the style and design of the Oxford shoe we know today has evolved from the one of its ancestor, the Oxonian “half boot”. Through this evolution they have become a shoe that is easily worn with formal outfits, but can also be paired with more casual or smart casual pieces like chinos and denim trousers.
Although there’s no set rule on how to tie your Oxford shoes, bar lacing is usually the most common, neatest and elegant way of finishing off your look. You can either have the end of your laces tied in a bow and displayed at the top of your shoes, or tied underneath the tongue, obtaining a cleaner look.
Smart Casual Look
Although Oxford shoes seem to be set in as the perfect shoe for any formal look, they were originally intended to be a more comfortable alternative to the high soled shoes of the day. IN any case, combining a pair of Oxford shoes with more casual clothing pieces, such as denim trousers or chinos allow you to dress up any smart casual outfit. It is important to consider though that while it’s possible to get a more casual look with these shoes, the overall look should always be streamline and neat.
Smart Look
You can really go for a huge range of styles, as oxford shoes and men’s formal trousers go effortlessly very well together. For instance, a traditional pair of dark brown Oxfords will go with various coloured suits, especially navy blue and grey.
For a simple but yet classic and very elegant outfit, combine a navy blue suit with a white shirt and a pair of dark brown oxford shoes. The white shirt adds a crisp contrast to the suit, while the men’s brown Oxford dress shoes perfectly complement the navy blue trousers. It is a timeless colour combination which suits every one regardless of their age.
Derbys
The exact origin of the Derby shoe is not clear, but there are hints that it originated from Ireland designed to be worn as a walking shoe. Like the Oxford, the design of the Derby shoe has evolved over the years. However, its evolution goes beyond its design reinventing its purpose:
Originally, the Derby shoe was not intended to be worn in a formal way like nowadays when it is one of the most recognisable men’s dress shoes.Derby shoes are available in different styles: From those featuring a glistening finishing in smooth plain leather, to others featuring broguing on the toe cap or around the vamps also. Whatever your favourite style is, there are different ways to accentuate its design and ensure that your outfit looks neat, elegant and in harmony with style of your Derby shoes.
Smart Casual Look
Derby shoes are a comfortable and extremely versatile choice; hence there are several ways to incorporate them into a sleek smart casual look. Chinos or denim trousers are a great choice, but denim trousers surely add more of a casual touch to your overall look, allowing you to experiment more with the top half of your outfit.
If you go for denim trousers, make sure you choose a pair of cuffed straight leg denim trousers. This combination will give a well-tailored, yet relaxed and casual touch to your outfit.
Smart Look
Derby shoes are one of the most popular choices when it comes to dressing them up in a sharp, stylish way. Tip: To achieve an elegant, well balanced, smart look, avoid brogued Derby shoes. If you want to achieve a perfect and well balanced smart casual look, combine your Derby shoes with a slim fit pair of chinos or trousers, a smart shirt and a matching blazer as the final touch.
Men's Chelsea boot
Although this men’s dress boot is not among the most common formal shoes, given its sleek and elegant design the Chelsea men’s boot can be considered a men’s dress shoe that can be worn in various outfits; from sophisticated smart looks, to more laid back casual styles.
Back in the 1950s, the avant-garde and creative socialites of London chose the Chelsea boot as their “uniform”, and once the Beatles incorporated this model to their wardrobe the popularity of the Chelsea boot sky rocketed.
Without a doubt, the design of this men’s dress boot has evolved over the years. Nowadays, you can buy them in a wide range of materials and combinations, being leather still the most popular choice, although a pair of Chelsea boots in suede is perfect to give your outfits a more subtle look.
Smart Casual Look
Versatilidad y elegancia son los adjetivos que mejor describen a la bota Chelsea. Debido al corte y ajuste de esta bota de vestir, que hacen que se esta termine a la altura de tu tobillo, te sugerimos llevar unos pantalones de corte ajustado. Tanto con vaqueros como con unos pantalones tipo chino, un par de botas Chelsea son el complemento ideal para conseguir un look smart casual moderno y urbano, que desborda sofisticación.
Smart look
Su elegante diseño es perfecto para cualquier look formal. Recuerda que los tonos marrones y azul marino son los más fáciles de combinar, así que opta por unas botas Chelsea en boxcalf burdeos y combinalas con un traje azul marino. Para un look más tradicional, escoge un traje negro que combine con unas botas Chelsea en boxcalf negro.
Men's Loafers
Men’s loafers are without a doubt, one of the most popular dress shoes for the summer. Nowadays, there is a wide range of colours, materials and models; from the tassel loafer, the Gucci loafer, to the penny loafer; all available in suede, leather, sartorial fabrics or even a combination of them. They all have their own unique origin and stories behind the design and uses.
Smart Casual Look
There is no other shoe that resembles the essence of the summer, like the Loafer. The loafer is a great alternative to slip on with any smart casual outfit since they can be combined with denim trousers and chinos, always with a slim lined cut. To add a bit of interest and flamboyance to your look, a pair of Tassel loafers is the perfect option. A well fitted T-shirt with a pair of cuffed chinos, and a brown pair of tassel loafers is an outfit that can be worn time and time again with just a few variations.
Smart Look
Men’s loafers are the perfect summer shoe for a simple and polished smart casual look; but they are also perfect to dress up any smart look too. Choose a dark leather penny loafer, which is perhaps more streamlined and elegant than a tassel one. Combine your penny loafer with a classic black or grey slim lined suit and you are dressed for success. Last but not least, when slipping on to your pair of loafers, avoid visible socks.
Monkstrap
It’s well known that a gentleman can be dressed head to ankle in the best clothes, but if he chooses the wrong shoes his overall outfit will fall apart.
Your sartorial savvy allows you to mix and match different styles of clothes with different footwear, so owning a pair of men’s dress shoes that fit into the versatile sector is definitively a wise decision. In this sense, you might be surprised to know that Monk strap shoes are the epitome of this category, and despite their formal appearance they can go with a fair few casual looks.
Double buckle monk strap shoes give a more complex, unique style, whereas single strap Monks are more streamlined and give a formal, simplistic vibe.
In general terms, Monk strap shoes are quite similar to the loafer shoe but with a clear influence of the Oxford shoe in terms of design and fit. Monks have a lace-less and easy slip on design which grants them their unique comfort.
They come in single or double buckle straps and you can commonly find Monk strap shoes in leather, although they are available in a variety of other materials, such as suede or sartorial fabrics, for a less formal sheen.
Smart Casual and Smart Looks
Given their versatility, elegance and flamboyance, Monk strap shoes can be easily used to combine with the most classic and elegant formal look or to lift up any smart casual outfit.
With Monkstraps, our style guide will focus more on the colour of your shoes rather than on the actual outfit.
Black monk strap shoes.
They can easily be combined with any finely tailored, formal outfit, thanks to their very unique style adding a subtle boost of flamboyance to the standard suit and tie outfit.
Brown monk shoes
A pair of brown monks is ideal to combine them with lighter colours such as a navy blue suit, as the warm tone compliments the tone and keeps overall look balanced. This combination works equally fine when you pair your brown suede or leather Monks with slim cut denim trousers.
Burgundy monk shoes
A pair of Burgundy Monks is the perfect choice to add a boost of colour and elegance to your everyday casual looks. They combine very well with cool toned outfits, but when paired with a grey suit, they add a subtle touch of elegance and colour to your overall look.
