Burgandy Brogues

[Hemingway Jones]

Call me weird, but I like to pair my shoes with my socks. For instance, I think that a nice warm orange sock looks great with a cognac color shoe or a red or scarlet sock looks great with a burgandy or oxblood shoe.

Currently, I don't have a pair of cordovan, burgandy, or oxblood wingtips and I am casually searching for them. Have you noticed how relatively difficult they are to find? It seems most shoes come in either brown or black, period.

Why do you suppose there is such a decline of burgandy???

 

[norton]

I'm not real good with colors, but I think that what you're calling burgundy may actually be cordovan, and that is still available but pretty expensive. Here's an example, which by the way is my favorite shoe: Alden long wing

 

[French]

don't understand the lack of burgundy/merlot

I don't understand it either. A burgundy color shoe can be worn with blue, grey, tan, olive...the list goes on suit. In my opinion, it is the most versatile shoe color going. I purchased a pair of merlot color Allen Edmonds wingtips about a month ago. It was the first pair of Edmonds I purchased new, and they are fantastic.

I'm sure Boston has wonderful sellers, but, living in central CT, I went to Footprints shoes in Newington, CT.www.footprintsshoes.com

No affiliation, just a highly satisfied customer.

good luck in your search!

French

 

[Hemingway Jones]

French, it's odd; brown and black are ubiquitous, but cordovan, oxblood, and burgandy are very tough to find in a wing-tip or brogue. I just wonder why that is, why it's such an unpopular color.

 

[Edward]

I have read that burgundy was always more a US thing.... don't have any myself, but I'd love a couple of pairs. I imagine its popularity has been a victim of this being an age when the average person rarely goes "formal": most men I know nowadays possess only a single pair of 'dress' shoes, typically black. Maybe brown if they have a second pair. I agree with the view that Burgundy is at least as flexible as the others, but that is perhaps now a minority opinion - I think most folks have the default black because "it goes with everything". I remember back in the early eighties my Dad wearing a lot of light grey shoes, navy too - those seem to have disappeared.

 

[Puzzicato]

There's a pair of flaming red co-respondant shoes in the shop across from my office at the moment. Not burgundy, but certainly coordinate-able with your socks.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Thank you, Puzzicato for looking out for them for me.

Yes, they just seem to be getting rarer. Ten years ago, they were ubiquitous, but alas, times change.

Edward, indeed, forget about blue and gray; and what do they look like when you do find them; usually some designer reinterpretation.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

What I find elusive (and am actively thrifting for) is a burgundy/cordovan colored dress leather belt - to match cordovan shoes. I have one, but it's getting worn out. Belts GALORE at second-hand shops - 50 cents to a dollar each (!) - but never cordovan. :rage: [huh] Oh, and it'll have to be 28" - 32" to work on me when I find it.

 

[norton]

Try holster makers for custom belts.

 

[Tomasso]

Allen Edmonds


MacNeil

Lombard

They also offer the McAllister in merlot.

 

[Smithy]

Might not have enough holes for you HJ but I saw a Loake oxblood half brogue the other day which was very nice.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Those are very nice Tomasso. Some of my favorite shoes. Smithy, that sounds nice as well.

I was interested in why you all think that they are relatively difficult to find over black and brown.

 

[Smithy]

I'm by no means an expert on these things so this is purely personal opinion...

...I think it is merely a case of colours coming and going in and out of style and fashion. Although I think Edward might have hit on it a little when he mentioned it being more a US thing. I would disagree slightly with that and say it's been a popular colour in Britain/the Commonwealth but far more common on Oxfords or half brogues. Perhaps oxblood full brogues are a more American style?

Anyway here you are HJ, I found the link for the Loakes:

 

[Tomasso]

I was interested in why you all think that they are relatively difficult to find over black and brown.

In all my days they've always been a tweener. [huh]


That said, everybody makes them...........

 

[The Shooman]

Why do you suppose there is such a decline of burgandy???

A good question and yes, burgundy shoos are very rare. To me burgundy/cordovan calf is abit of a wierd colour to wear for shoos, why wear burgundy when you can wear sharper shades that more people take more seriously, ie black.

My burgundy calf shoos are the least worn in my closet. One pair has been worn once in 10 years and another (beautiful Florshiem captoe oxford) has been worn only four times in 25 years. l'm trying to talk myself into a nice pair of burdundy Vass wholecuts but l still can't bring myself to buy such a colour.

lt is a very versatile colour but not always the best choice when various browns and black can be had instead.

 

[Yeps]

why wear burgundy when you can wear sharper shades that more people take more seriously, ie black.

I would say: why wear black when you can wear a shade with more character that makes you stand out a bit?

Also, why be worried about people taking you seriously?

I do like brown shoes though. I tend to only wear black shoes with black suits, or maybe with gray in the evening, especially if my brown shoes need polishing. I would love a pair of burgundy dress boots of some kind.

 

[The Shooman]

I remember back in the early eighties my Dad wearing a lot of light grey shoes, navy too - those seem to have disappeared.

Grey shoos are very popular amongst the over 70's men in my area, pretty much a staple. $7 vinyl sip up loafers with: plastic glued soles, synthetic linings and sythetic uppers.

 

[The Shooman]

Also, why be worried about people taking you seriously?

Depends on your profession, sometimes you don't want articles of clothing standing out too much. To me...burgundy shoos are a distraction.

 

[Talbot]

I remember back in the early eighties my Dad wearing a lot of light grey shoes, navy too - those seem to have disappeared.

Thank god for small mercies. I remember them - zip sides.

 

[Yeps]

Depends on your profession, sometimes you don't want articles of clothing standing out too much. To me...burgundy shoos are a distraction.

Oops, I sometimes forget that there are people who do real work. I have the double whammy of being a student and a musician. Standing out and theatricality are part of the job description.