Wearing Burgundy Shoes with Beckett Simonon

*The burgundy shoes for this post were provided by Beckett Simonon. All thoughts are my own.*

It’s a conundrum, a quandary, a problem that, while completely first-world in nature, seems to baffle most of us. What do you wear when brown shoes seem a little too casual, black shoes seem a bit too formal, and (obviously) tan shoes just won’t do? We’ll save that tan shoes conversation for another day. But what do you do when you want to dress more formally, with a little more personality than a black cap-toe might offer? Don’t get me wrong, a black cap-toe is probably the first well-made dress shoe you should buy. However, I think we can all agree that it’s fun to branch out sometimes. Last fall I wore a navy suit with brown shoes to a wedding, and I wished I had worn black shoes. The brown fell slightly too casual for a wedding. However, the wedding started in the early afternoon and I think if I had worn black shoes, I might have re-thought that decision as well. A pair of burgundy shoes would have been perfect.

Wearing Burgundy Shoes with Beckett Simonon

This is not meant to a black shoe bashing post. I love black shoes. Black shoes are classic. Black shoes are necessary. Black shoes connote seriousness, business, formality. But sometimes, black is boring, and I want a little a little flash; a little color. That can be a little tricky with a charcoal or dark gray suit. Fortunately, a pair of burgundy shoes are perfect. They’re dark and serious, while at the same time a little different and colorful. It’s an ideal business combination with a little something extra. They can go by many names: bordeaux, cordovan, oxblood, maroon, all with slight variations. However, I think burgundy shoes is a great coverall for any type of brownish, reddish, purplish, dress shoe.

A quick note about cordovan here. Shell Cordovan shoes typically refer to a type of leather made from a specific layer of horsehide. This is different from the color cordovan so there can be a little confusion, and you should be sure to read product descriptions to make sure you’re buying what you want. Shell cordovan has a wonderful shine and avoids creasing, but is often more expensive than calf leather.

What makes burgundy shoes so versatile is they can be paired with quite a few different colors. They are almost and overlap of both black and brown dress shoes with a few exceptions. Burgundy shoes pair very well with navy, charcoal (dark gray), light gray, brown, olive, tan. My personal preference is to pair them with navy, charcoal, and light gray. So the other day, I pulled together a new charcoal paired with the Beckett Simonon Durant Oxford Brogues in Bordeaux. I’d love to know what you think!