Formal attire for men

What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits

 
Rebecca Sarmiento
By Rebecca Sarmiento. Updated: January 16, 2017
What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits

When it comes to fashion, there is no single rule to follow, really. Being fashionable is all about being able to express yourself through the clothes you wear. But then again there are certain occasions that call for formality and certain standards. Men’s fashion have come a long way and the choices have become wider over the years. Now there are many available colors of suits and shoes for men to wear; the trouble is finding the right matches.

Do you often get confused with what and how to wear your clothes? This OneHowTo article will guide you through the mixes and matches and tell you what color shoes to wear with suits.

Contents

  1. What shoes to wear with black suits
  2. What shoes to wear with navy blue suits
  3. What shoes to wear with indigo suits
  4. What shoes to wear with gray suits
  5. What shoes to wear with brown suits
  6. What shoes to wear with champagne suits
  7. Other considerations

What shoes to wear with black suits

It would seem that black suits would be very flexible in terms of matching shoes because it is generally a safe color in other clothes. But the general rule in suits and shoe matching is to pick a shoe color that is darker than that of your suit. Black suits would look too casual in any other shoe color other than black. Bottom line: black suits = black shoes.

What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits - What shoes to wear with black suits

What shoes to wear with navy blue suits

Now, navy blue suits are highly versatile and can go with almost any colored shoes. Since navy is relatively light-colored, almost every common shoe color for men is darker and will match well with it. Popular shoe matches for this color of suits are: black, red or burgundy, and brown. You can decide which shoes to wear depending on the occasion. Because of its flexibility, navy-colored suits are among the top choices for office wear.

What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits - What shoes to wear with navy blue suits

What shoes to wear with indigo suits

A lighter shade of blue than navy, indigo suits are generally less formal and can work well with most shoe colors. It is an ideal summer wear due to its loud and lively hues. Good shoe choices for this suit would be oxblood brogues, tan monk-strap shoes, or black loafers.

What shoes to wear with gray suits

Light gray suits share the same versatility as navy blue suits as they are also less formal. They can go well with almost any shoe color. On the other hand, medium gray suits are best paired with black shoes if it will be worn with a white shirt and a necktie.

Gray still isn’t the most formal of suits but it’s a good choice for places or occasions where suits are required but the rules are relaxed, such as offices. For both light and medium grays, the popular choices of shoe colors would be: black, brown, red or burgundy.

What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits - What shoes to wear with gray suits

What shoes to wear with brown suits

Brown suits would pair well with most shades of brown shoes. Just don’t get shoes that are the exact same color of the suit. You would at least want to see some color contrast between the shoe leather and the suit. If they’re identical or even nearly identical, it won’t look good. In most cases, it would be better to follow the general rule to have the shoe color darker than the suit, but NEVER pair your brown suit with black leather shoes.

What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits - What shoes to wear with brown suits

What shoes to wear with champagne suits

Summer weddings and formal daytime affairs are a good time to put out your champagne-colored suits. Since they are light, they go well with light-colored shoes. Put out your whites, navys, tans, or browns for this soft-colored suit.

Other considerations

If you're wearing a suit with a mismatched top and bottom, take a look at these articles which might help you get the style right.

So now you know what color shoes to wear with suits; if you have a favorite winning combination, please tell us in the comments section.

If you want to read similar articles to What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits, we recommend you visit our Fashion & Style category.

Write a comment

What did you think of this article?
1 of 5
What Color Shoes to Wear with Suits