Brogue boots are a smart and versatile option
Image: Samuel Windsor

Brogue boots are one of the most versatile footwear choices around. Choose black and they’re easily smart enough to wear with a suit. Go for brown and you’ll look great in tweed. For a funky weekend vibe, twin your brogue boots with jeans or moleskin pants and a bomber jacket. Confused? Here’s your guide to looking smart in brogue boots.

Smart brogue boots

Black brogue boots make an excellent work shoe, especially in bad weather
Image: Black brogue boots from Samuel Windsor

You want something more substantial than your standard issue Oxfords, but you’re worried in case your choice of boots raises eyebrows for not adhering to office dress code? Don’t be.

Black brogue boots are an excellent stand-in for your standard black work shoe – in fact they go very well with a navy or charcoal business suit and are particularly appropriate during the winter months when you need that bit of extra weather protection and foot support.

Tweed brogue boots

Tweed and brogues both originate from the Scottish Highlands
Image: Prestige Country Boot in tweed from Samuel Windsor

Just like the rugged woolen cloth, brogue boots are a product of the Scottish Highlands. Originally called ‘ghillie brogues’, the decorative holes were traditionally added to allow the water to drain from the gamekeeper’s shoes as he strode over the mountains and through the glens of Scotland in pursuit of grouse or deer.

It is, therefore, completely appropriate to twin your tweed suit with a pair of brown or black brogues. Generally, black brogue boots suit charcoals and grays, while brown boots go with reds, browns, heathers, and mossy colors. For a bit of fun, why not try a leather/tweed brogue boot – a contemporary twist on a classic boot that’s sure to turn heads.

Wax jacket and brogue boots

The perfect pair of brogue boots for a weekend in the country
Image: Prestige Chelsea Brogue Boot from Samuel Windsor

Dressing for a weekend in the country? You’ll need sturdy footwear that’s equally suitable for casual and smart-casual venues – and which also keeps you comfortable on longer walks as you enjoy the fresh air. Chelsea style brogue boots do it all.

We recommend you go for a soft brushed cotton tattersall shirt and jeans. In fact, these leather boots make superb winter footwear, and look great with rugged knitwear like fisherman’s sweaters. Wear a wax jacket, the epitome of British country style, to complete the look.

Cords and brogue boots

Suede brogue boots are timeless and smart
Featured: Prestige Suede Country Boot from Samuel Windsor

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home? Anticipating a stroll that takes in your local bar? A walk with the dog with a suitable refreshment stop to keep your strength up? There’s no need to look like a scruff while you join your fellow wanderers to sink a beer or two and set the world to rights.

Throw on a pair of toasty cord pants, a comfy check shirt and perhaps a Nordic sweater if it’s chilly outside. For your feet, you’ll want a pair of brogue boots – try a suede pair – they’ll really complement the texture of your cords.

Moleskins and brogue boots

Brogue boots pair beautifully with moleskin pants and a tweed jacket
Image source: Prestige Country Brogue Boot from Samuel Windsor

Dressing for a night at your local theatre, a musical performance or meal out with friends? Try a pair of tan leather brogue boots and some contemporary moleskin pants for an effortlessly stylish look.

To complete the ensemble, go for a checked shirt worn with a lightweight cardigan. If there’s a nip in the air, you won’t go wrong with a tweed jacket which shields you from the wind and keeps your silhouette long and lean.

Bomber jacket and brogue boots

For a youthful vibe, pair your brogue boots with a bomber jacket
Image source: Samuel Windsor

Want to project a youthful image without losing your dignity? Time to reach for a pair of black or dark brown brogue boots. Wear them with indigo jeans – go for straight or slim fit but not skinny or you’ll look like an old turkey.

For your top half, we suggest a t-shirt underneath a bright plaid shirt or bomber jacket.  Think – echoes of James Dean.

Brogue boots really are the most versatile men’s boots around. So eminently suitable for a wide range of formal and social occasions, no man’s wardrobe is complete without a pair.

Monk shoes are sleek, stylish and brimming with personality
Image: Samuel Windsor

Your monk shoes look sharpest when you wear them with smart pants, a crisp shirt and cashmere sweater. It’s a classic look that’s perfect for almost every social occasion. To dress things up a little, or for an evening out, add a tweed jacket.

Monk shoes are a versatile addition to your menswear wardrobe, working just as well with a sharp suit as for weekend brunches at your favorite cafe. Wear single or double monk straps to create a look that’s sleek, stylish, and just that little bit different.

What are monk strap shoes?

Monk strap shoes can often be slipped on like a loafer
Image: Single strap monk shoes from Samuel Windsor

As the name suggests, monk shoes are descended from medieval monks who first introduced a strap-fastened shoe to provide more comfort and protection than their usual sandals.

Modern monk shoes are often smart dress shoes featuring a side fastening consisting of either one or two buckles. But they’re occasionally used to add an unexpected dash of flamboyance, and so you’ll also find funky two-tone, patterned and leopard print versions under the guise of men’s goth or punk creepers.

Single or double monk straps?

Patent leather double-buckle monks are incredibly smart
Image: Double strap monk shoes in oxblood from Samuel Windsor

There’s some debate about whether single or double monk straps are smartest. Some argue the more minimalist single buckle creates a cleaner silhouette that’s more suitable for formal occasions, while others point out that with a larger piece of leather covering the opening, double monk straps are actually the sleeker of the two styles.

Our advice is to base your decision on the individual shoe – what looks to be the more formal footwear probably is, indeed, smarter. After all, whether they feature one buckle or two, patent leather monks look great with your tux.

Are monk shoes suitable for the office?

Brogued monks are ideal for an approachable look
Image: Brogued monk shoes from Samuel Windsor

Yes, you can wear monk shoes to the office – a pair of single or double strap monk shoes offers a very acceptable alternative to your usual Oxfords. Wear yours with your navy or charcoal suits, and if you feel like adding a unique touch to your office ensemble, try oxblood monks – a very tasteful way to rock monk straps!

For tan or rustic tweed suits, brown monk shoes are a better choice than black. Brogued monks look great with tweeds, and because this combo adds approachability, it’s a look that’s a great choice for people-facing professionals like teachers, college lecturers and therapists.

Smart casual monk straps 

The less shiny the shoe, the less formal it appears
Image: Monk shoes from Samuel Windsor

Think of monk straps as a sturdier version of a loafer. They’re almost a slip-on, but not quite. What you’d normally wear with your loafers is equally suitable for a switch to monk shoes – think chinos, cotton shirt and a thin sweater. Or go preppy by wearing a button-down shirt and cardigan, or a tweed sports jacket for fall and winter seasons.

Alternatively, choose a pair of pants in a textured fabric like tweed, corduroy or moleskin, and top with a shirt, knitted tie, and smooth twill jacket for contrast. Our tip – keep a twill jacket ready for cool blustery days – twill packs a high thread count which results in a fabric that offers more than token wind resistance.

Casual monk shoes

This casual tan coloured leather is great with jeans
Image: Double strap monk shoes in tan leather from Samuel Windsor

Wear a pair of brown monk shoes with with tan cords, a burgundy fisherman’s sweater and a wax jacket and flat cap. It’s a look that gives more than a nod to the kind of wardrobe typical of English countrymen. Add a soft, brushed cotton tattersall shirt for a touch of British comfort.

Feel like kicking back and relaxing? Go for black or oxblood monk straps with indigo or black jeans. Add a pair of classic sunglasses and you’re ready to unwind.

Monk shoes make an excellent addition to your wardrobe. Extremely versatile – you can wear them with your tux, your business suit, your smart casual ensemble, and even your casual weekend gear. Whatever the occasion, there’s a monk strap to suit.

Dress to impress with a sleek pair of brogues.
Image: Shutterstock

Stylish shoes are a necessity for any fashionable gent, and men’s brogues, also known as wingtips, are a good match for all but the most formal of dress codes. They’re the cool shoes worn by gangsters in The Untouchables, and celebrities like Jude Law. 

For formal occasions, black brogues are the best choice – opt for a conservative semi or quarter-brogue and make sure they’re well polished. For more casual occasions, brown or tan are perfect. For those who like to push the envelope, there’s suede. And most flamboyant of all, there are two-tone ‘spectator’ brogues. Here’s how to wear your favorite brogues with confidence.

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