My Black Sebagos are definitely the shoes most commented on by women. I must wear them more often. Desert boots don't seem to get the girls so excited.

Definitely if they were made to be polished then polish them. Dusty like what? You've just emerged from a year locked in the campus library? You hitched from New York to Chicago? Too affected for me.

JFM once commented ’I do own black shoes but when I wear them I always find myself wishing that I had put on something more interesting’.

I feel much the same, it must be forty odd years of having to wear black footwear in work.

I own Black Longwings,Smooths,penny loafers and they are all exclusively for work.
They are all sadly gathering dust after 22 months of remote working.

Thinking about it, I'm with Yuca on the black loafer.  Wine is probably favourite.

Your point on 'relaxed' is well made.

I have a pair of Dexters in a colour described as Antique Burgundy.
Could be considered more formal than regular Burgundy much darker,.

I did try the Weejun's hack back in the day but gave up on Weejuns after that.
Made in USA Dexters have been my loafer of choice for 7 or 8 years.

My background is Irish/English with very fair (ie red) complexion and white hair.  If I wear black anything I look like a wanker about to have a heart attack. Charcoal grey is as close as I will go, and only for funerals.

I still have plenty of black shoes, though, and I should probably get rid of them except for the Park Avenues (funeral) and the AE wingtips (for impersonating an FBI agent).

Yuca said = Same for me: black footwear is for work only, or with a suit, and even with a suit I prefer to make it more 'playful' by wearing brown shoes if the situation permits.

As for black loafers: a concept I have never understood. The whole point of loafers is that they are the most relaxed shoes ever, so making them in black defeats the purpose.

However I did wear black longwings with jeans years ago and might try it again.

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When l look back over the last few years l have found myself hardly worn black shoes, and even burgundy is being worn less. I am now really beginning to understand what Bruce Boyer said about brown shoes looking more natural with clothes.

I nearly wore burgundy shoes with my gray tweed trousers and thick cranberry cardigan when visiting my tailor yesterday, but l decided the shoes were too prominent and bright for the outfit and that l should tone it down and give a more casual look. I wore a medium brown pair instead and the look of the entire outfit was so good and natural without a thing out of place.

Yes, black shoes goes good with certain more formal clothes, and l personally like black shoes a lot, they are so sharp. When it comes to loafers, nothing better than a nice black loafer, it is nice and sharp and strong. Brown or tan loafers = nah, a bit weak looking. Love a black penny loafer with casual and love a black elastic loafer with numerous things. So classic. Funny isn't it: l like black shoes with a gray or navy suit or more formal blazer and trousers combination, and l like black loafers, but l like brown shoes for everything else.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2022-06-17 20:07:54)

I have always had a pair of black Sebago loafers. Well since I was seventeen. I wore them at school where we had to wear black shoes with our school uniform and I continued to wear them throughout the decades. At one time when they were not so easy to find I would buy them from Stockmann Finland, a shop that used to have a fine selection of USA shoes and also London Fog products. For many years I wore them in office jobs and recently I dug out a pair to wear at my Aunt's funeral. I love them but today in my retirement I don't wear them very often

Most of the time, in my retirement , I wear desert boots. I find Clarks suit my feet, so that's what I buy. I used to visit Italy once a year and I usually bought back a Made in Italy pair of desert boots. I'm missing my Italian visits.