Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How to wear Oxford shoes (and Brogues)?

Q: Hello Brigadeiro!
I hope you are well? (...) Now question for you - what are your thoughts on Brogues or Oxfords? I adore the way they look, but being 5'2", a little curvy and with legs that really aren't skinny I don't see myself pulling these off!! I want painless style (is there such a thing?) and practicality without ugliness in the London winter. Any tips at all would be much welcome. My ballerinas need a break. And I feel like spending some money. Speak soon, Shu.






Hey Shu!
Being 5'4" with short stumpy legs, and more curves than the drive along Amalfi Coast, I must admit brogues are not for me (oxfords on the other hand...are more my cup of tea), although I see their cool comfort appeal as this season's hottest footwear trend...
Unfortunately, the fact is that while flat shoes may feel fabulously comfy, they often look unflattering on us mere mortals (as opposed to long legged skinnie minnies such as Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung - with their twiglet legs), with a thickening effect on our calves and ankles...

Having said that, it does not mean that we cannot wear them (where would I be without my comfy ballet flats), but for those of us not blessed with legs up to our armpits, there are tips to minimize flats making us appear overly short and stumpy.

What to wear oxfords/brogues with:

Brogues
work best when worn with bare ankles, cuffed/cropped/rolled pants or slim/baggy jeans with a simple tee, pretty summer or floral dresses with or without blazers, ...This you can do because the wonderful thing about brogues – apart from being flat, comfortable and not ballet pumps – is that they disguise 'robust' ankles...

How to wear oxfords/brogues:


1. Wear oxfords/brogues in a tan or nude colour to elongate your legs (with hosiery-free legs, best worn with short shorts or skirts, so not really for Winter...). The color palette is neutral and cool, but makes you appear effortless and sophisticated.


2. Cuff your pants. Cuffing the pants (or wearing cropped pants) not only allows you to show off the shoe itself, but also, if shows off your ankles, which gives it a more feminine appeal, otherwise your feet may appear a bit clownish.




3. Brogues/oxfords also look great with shorter dresses/skirts/shorts. A feminine dress looks great paired with a simple cardigan, oversized blazer
, coat or jacket.



4. A patent or brightly coloured pair, adds a touch of femininity to this 'masculine' pair of shoes, as well as a adding interest to the outfit...The patent shoe is also great to team with 'warmer' textures (wool, fur, etc)...



5. Wear opaque stockings or knee/thigh-high socks of the same colour as your brogues/oxfords. This is, once again, to elongate your silhouette (and also to keep you warm, I highly recommend Falke Merino Wool Soft Touch tights for London's Winter...these kept me so warm during my recent trip to Japan)


(click to enlarge)

6. If you find that all the above still do not make for a flattering silhouette, you can opt for brogues with a slight chunky heel (I say slight, as I see you are opting for 'painless style')



Hope these 'tips' are of some help, Shu (my sister E is staying with me and says 'hi'). If anyone out there wears brogues and/or has any tips on how to wear them, please feel free to share!

39 comments:

  1. Great tips! I kinda want to get a pair, but they're still a bit too mannish for my tastes.

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  2. Oooooh I am terrible but I have to say i am not a massive fan of them. I get it.... kind of.... in a preppy lets dress like a school boy kind of way.... but.... why wear them when you can slide on a fantastic pair of choo's!

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  3. awesome post! i wish I could find some for under $80 that were NOT complete crap!

    http://queenofmayhem.blogspot.com/

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  4. This post contributed to my longing for the perfect pair of brogues. :) It's difficult to find a pair that doesn't look too masculine!

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  5. I love Brogues !

    I wear my bicolor navy/white Ferragamo Oxford shoes i purchased on Ebay with skinny raw jeans, a deep V neck white shirt and a navy blue blazer.

    I plan to purchase the Repetto white Zizi Brogues. They are so chic !

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  6. I love them so much that when I got the chance to design a pair for a French footwear company, I did bicolor pairs of Oxford! So thanks for all those great ideas to wear them!

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  7. Great tips! Thanks for that post, because is really usefull for me!!xoxo

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  8. I am tall but I still am not crazy about "brogues." I'd rather have a ballerina flat instead. But nice job with the tips.

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  9. These are all great tips. I am a mere 5' 3" tall and have legs that always tend to be muscular. I am still unsure about buying brogues, but now I have some ideas about what outfit(s) I might wear to try them on so that I see them in the most flattering light.

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  10. I'm so honoured to have a mention! Thank you very much, I didn't expect to have a whole post based on my question:-)

    I really feeling the whole cropped trouser idea, I will experiment!! I may even get into this whole self-pose thing and send you a picture reply;-)

    Hello to E too, we had homemade J cocktails on Saturday and it turned into a proper riot!! Shu xxx

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  11. I love your ideas! I always wear ballet flats because I think they're less legg-shortening than brogues but I've always wanted a pair... might want to buy some the next time I see cute ones :)

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  12. Happy wednesday, Brigadeiro.

    Can´t believe I missed somehow this post here.
    You took so much care about the detailed description and
    matching photos!

    Hope you are doing fine and are enjoying the sunny weather!
    Here in Germany it´s very cold ... brrrh ;)

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  13. This guide is fantastic! Your tips are awesome. By the way, if you're in town, us fashion bloggers are having a catch-up, you should come! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=288514445587

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  14. Que post excelente! Parabens!:)
    Eu amo meus brogues, seja primavera, inverno ou outono, mas acho quentes demais pro verao.. Ainda que fiquem lindos e estilosos em qualquer estacao.

    Beijos!
    :)

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  15. I feel exactly the same - I love the idea, but they just feel wrong... too flat & my legs look like stumps. But I love your suggestions (especially the left ones)!

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  16. I adore brogues (aka oxfords)! They are so darling~! They are inspired by menswear...I love making menswear into more feminine things though! Its empowering and delightful! I wear my brogues with more feminine clothes...balance is key!

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  17. I looooove oxfords, but I cant really afford them lol BUT I found, and as wierd as this sounds, on the Kmart website! Its amazing! They cost 16.99 and they have them in white black and camel! I thought I was going to die when I found out how cheap they were! :)

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  18. wow! amazing blog! I really like it because I learn a lot of this topic, thanks!! Also I want to know if you have any blog about generic propecia

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  19. Right now, Kohl's has a black pair of brogues by Candies on clearance for $9.99 and they are super cute! I just bought a pair last night.

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  20. thanks for the tips! i just bought a pair then realized i had no idea how to wear them!

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  21. Eu queria muito comprar um - a Richards sempre tem feminino
    mas não tinha muitas idéias de como usar
    agora sim!! vou comprar sem duvida amanhã mesmo!!

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  22. i just bought a pair of brown brogues with no idea how to wear them. your blog will definitely help a lot. thanks!

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  23. great post! i'm 5'3 and quite curvy, so this was exactly the advice I was looking for!

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  24. llbean.com has a BEAUTIFUL pair of brogues ( they also have a patent leather pair ). They have a heel though which opens up a whole new world of "how-do-I-wear-these"..lol. Anyway, they are gorgeous and even though I have no clue how to wear them I may have to get them.

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  25. Love the tips! I just ordered two pairs of 'brogues' (although I call them Oxfords!) and was lucky to find this page so I could figure out what to wear them with!

    xoxo!

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  26. This blog is really nice...

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  28. okay so what do i wear when i have shiny laced peach colored oxfords? im 5'3 and have thick legs.

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  29. Thanks for the post. I bought a pair a few months back and even though I do not have a waifish frame and the skinny ankles that go with it, I love them. They're really comfy and because I'm not really a girly girl, they're perfect for my style.

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  30. Hehe, eu uso uma ankle boot que é oxford, ela é bege. Geralmente eu procuro usá-lo com meias calças de cor escura, sempre funciona bem (: (seja com short, saia, vestido) e quanto as cores, só evito marrons e derivados, rosas e amarelos :D

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  31. Old Navy has a REALLY cheap pair, 50% off in stores right now. They may not last more than one season, but i probably wont like them more than one season, either!
    http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=55148&vid=1&pid=897669&scid=897669002

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  32. Thank you so much for this post and the assortment of pics - I've just bought soem brogues and needed inspiration about how to wear them. Sarita x

    saritaagerman.blogspot.it

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  33. Great piece...really interesting and inspiring too!

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  34. I like your shoes on picture no.4, can you tell where did you get those.. thanks

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    1. I'm afraid those shoes aren't mine, so I don't know where they're from. I do have a similar pair to those in a blush suede though, and they're by www.hobes.com.au. I posted about it http://brigadeirochoc.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/hobe-sweet-hobe.html. HTH!

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  35. I love the shoes on no.5a . Do you know anything about these? Name country designer? Many thanks

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    1. I'm afraid I don't know, but I have since bought Dieppa Restreppo Oxford shoes and love mine, if that helps.

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