Brogue my Blog

I say brogues are back, but I don’t really think they ever went anywhere. The footwear staple for a lot of Male’s formal and professional outfits over the years, brogues have started becoming more than just a work shoe. They are definitely making a splash in the world of fashion this season, with a lot more variety from the major designers and also the high street catching on quickly. We have started to see the evolution of brogues, with boot/brogue hybrids that have especially caught my eye this year.

Here is a quick description from Wikipedia “Brogues proper are traditional men’s country shoes, less formal than even brogued Oxford shoes, or shoes with less than full broguing. As outdoor shoes, they are normally made in brown and are not traditionally worn in town” – This year we are seeing much more variety in colour ways; with tan, brown and black versions available, I might even be able to find some colour versions today because I saw some in catwalk previews late last year (fingers crossed). As you can see from the quote, they are traditionally associated with a country shoe – so with quilting also being another massive trend this year, we can see why the brogue has also made a revival in fashion circles.

Men’s Fashion is going back to it’s roots this year so the revival of traditional styles with a fashion edge I think is an amazing idea. We are starting to push the boundaries and this is a trend that younger or older audiences can get involved with. You could rock the brogues in an eccentric country bumpkin kind of way with waxed or quilted jacket, flat cap and chinos but really bring it fashion forward by mixing colours and skinny fitting your items. This can really set you apart from the usual crowd.

The other way to wear brogues would be to push the geek chic or modern gentleman vibe. You can pair them with dark denim, and if you pick up some of the modified boot varieties that are on sale right now, you can even tuck your skinny jeans into them. Really push the formal vibe with crisp shirts and blazers, but also bring it bang up to date with skinny or knitted ties, braces and geek specs. Really envelop the whole geek vibe and show that you are being ironic – it oozes confidence and style because you know what you are doing.

Do not be afraid to go for brown or tan versions or brogues, they look just as good with dark denim and also provide more of a focal point than a plain black pair would. Obviously if you are going for an investment piece you might want to stick to the blacks in order to have a shoe that will never go out of fashion.

stay stylish, stay fashionable :)