What shoes go best with a tux?

[funneman]

I admit, I don't really know.


Loafers? cap-toe? Patent leather?

[huh]

 

[Josephine]

Try The Essential Black Tie Guide's Classic Black Tie Footwear page.

(He says either a pump with a grosgrain bow, or a lace up balmoral or blucher, plain toe [but cap can be ok if you have to], no loafers, and no wingtips or brogues [too similar to daily work shoes])

 

[CharlestonBows]

3 options

IMHO, you have three options, in descending order of precedence:

Black patent leather formal pumps

Black patent leather formal lace up (too rentalish?)

Quality made velvet formal slippers, preferably embroidered (not always an option with formal wear, but my personal favorite [huh] )

I would recommend the Black Tie Guide ^^^ though.

 

[dhermann1]

One of the useful things I learned from the aforementioned guide to formal wear, was that there are different degrees of formality, even among tuxes. Some would even put the idea of "Tux" or "Tuxedo" in a different bracket altogether from the more traditional, and correct, term "dinner jacket". The most formal (correct me if I'm wrong on this, guys) would be the single breasted peak lapel dinner jacket, with a "boiled shirt", and either a white or black waistcoat. Wing collar optional. The double breasted tux from the 40's that I wore for years is actually a couple steps down on the formality ladder. I would suspect, and I'd like the opinion of more knowledgeable gentlemen her in the Lounge, that the less formal styles can be worn with less formal shoes. The two times I've worn my new 40's vintage single breasted, shawl collar dinner jacket (less formal than the peaked or notched lapel) I wore black cap toe oxfords, with a very high shine. Like several guys who posted on the subject, I'm not quite ready for the proper formal pumps, with the patent leather and bow. But that's the correct shoe to wear. I think you'll notice that in most of his dancing numbers where he's wearing a tux, Fred Astaire is wearing patent lether cap toe oxfords. If you don't have anything fancier, black cap toe oxfords with a high shine should be fine. Loafers or wingtips would just be too too de trops, not to mention declasse!
And BTW, don't make the extremely common mistake of having your trousers too long! Tux trousers should NOT break over the shoe.

 

[scotrace]

Formal Wear Primer.

 

[Edward]

At a push, I should have thought that if you happened to have a pair of plain black shoes that don't get worn much, they could be bulled in the same manner as British Army parade boots to have the same effect as patent.... bit of work, but doable.

In reality, given that most people are unlikely even to notice the shoes (alas!), pretty much any black shoe is doable, but my preference would be a plain patent shoe. I've considered the pumps, even just for white tie, but outside of house slippers and my engineer boots, I really can't get on with slip-on footwear. I don't think they give off a "rental" look, as IME most folks who hire black tie simply wear whatever black shoes they have to hand with the outfit. In all likelihood, outside of the vintage community you could well be the only person in the room wearing them (as well as with your own tux).

 

[Martinis at 8]

I go with patent leather lace-ups.

 

[Tomasso]

In reality, given that most people are unlikely even to notice the shoes (alas!), pretty much any black shoe is doable

I'd have to disagree, Edward. In fact, the first thing I check out on another gent's formal rig are his shoes: first, they are one of the few choices allowed men and secondly they illustrate the commitment one has made to his rig. The choice of footwear is where men generally fall short in any outfit but never is it more glaring than with formal wear.

Personally, I prefer highly shined calf as opposed to patent leather. I have a pair of plain whole cuts and a pair of pumps with a grosgrain bow.

When I say highly shined calf, I mean............

 

[Martinis at 8]

Tomasso,

Tell us about the finish on the calf.

M8

 

[jjl5000]

Although they would be even more 'correct' without toe caps, I have these for semi-formal occasions:

 

[AlanC]

^I'm hoping to order a pair of the ribbon laces from Cleverley soon.

 

[jjl5000]

^I'm hoping to order a pair of the ribbon laces from Cleverley soon.

That's where I purchased mine from.

 

[Caledonia]

Personally I'd go for a Ralph Lauren 3 1/2 inch heel, black, glace leather, slip on pump. In your case, I'd go for Tomasso's suggestion.

 

[Edward]

I'd have to disagree, Edward. In fact, the first thing I check out on another gent's formal rig are his shoes: first, they are one of the few choices allowed men and secondly they illustrate the commitment one has made to his rig. The choice of footwear is where men generally fall short in any outfit but never is it more glaring than with formal wear.

Cdertainly, but when I said that I wasn't thinknig folks on the lounge, I mean folks in general. In my experience, the average guy in the street who ends up at a black tie is unlikely to notice details like that - to him all black shoes are pretty much the same. way of the world. Of course we one here are a whole nother animal, but that's another story.

Personally, I prefer highly shined calf as opposed to patent leather. I have a pair of plain whole cuts and a pair of pumps with a grosgrain bow.

When I say highly shined calf, I mean............

Those look great - kind of the 'bulling' effect I was thinking of, to a degree. Actually, I've been considering doing that with a pair of plain, uncapped Sanders I fell in with on eBay for a song a few months back.... What have you done with those, is that purely a high shine with parade gloss, or have you hit them with something else?