In this epoch of trends, consumerism, and late capitalism, everyone looks the same.
Only gentlemen with authentic identities wish to express themselves truly and wear their true personas on their sleeves while staying composed and dignified.
“How to achieve that?”, you may ask.
Changing one item in your wardrobe into its luxurious substitute will do the trick. That item can make or break your look;
it’s the first noticeable item that men wear. Did you know that?
Yes, it is shoes but not any shoes. It should be a pair of shoes accentuating and complementing your overall style.
“How would you find such footwear?”, you may ask.
Don't ponder upon that question a lot because bespoke shoes are indeed the ultimate solution to your dilemma.
You paid careful attention to your upper body parts and clothing.
In this comprehensive guide,
you’ll identify the ins and outs of styling custom-made shoes to set you apart from the average joe!
Why Styling Your Handmade Shoe Matter?
A real gentleman is punctual and meticulous about very few details, including his appearance.
A person of substance has style and grace uniquely tailored to him and by him.
That's to say that he has an undeniable signature look that bespeaks his strong presence, rather than being lured by trends. He harbors pride in himself that he cannot borrow a leaf out of someone's book and jump on every bandwagon.
He writes his book of life and style himself elegantly.
That’s why we’ll provide our polished men with a list of do’s and don'ts when it comes to bespoke shoes:
Dos
- Go for the smart casual look (perfect for meetings and dates).
- Slightly looser jeans paired with black or brown suede Desert or Chelsea boots make the perfect match.
- You can also pair these dress shoes with a dress shirt or a t-shirt with a blazer.
- Wear formal-looking jeans. They perfectly match dress shoes.
- Match slim and darker jeans with dark shoes, especially brown or black shoes.
- Pair Chinos with casual dress shoes, such as boat shoes, penny loafers, or moccasins.
- Wear white/light outfits with suede penny loafers, oxfords, and bluchers.
Don’ts
- Wear sports white socks with luxury footwear, especially on formal occasions.
- Mix slacks with slippers. It’s a fatal faux pas.
- Wear sneakers with khakis. It’s a big no-no for gentlemen.
- Pair socks with sandals. It can seem scandalous to many people.
With fast fashion mass-produced shoes churn out in thousands weekly,
it is inevitable to be caught in the trap of being dowdy. Did you know there's a sustainable way out?
In an age in which sustainability is all the rage, get out your secret model and designer and make your fashion statement with custom design shoes, tailored just for you.
Styling Custom-Made Shoes 101
Upgrade your shoe design experience via/by fathoming the elegant universe of shoe design materials to optimize your custom-made shoes to blossom into the most beautiful shoes to ever set foot.
To style your shoes for different occasions, combine the following customization options:
- Leathers (antique calf, full-grain leather, or suede).
- Soles (leather, rubber, or a combination of both).
- Designs (perforations, construction of the apron, and the shape of the toe).
- Accessories (fringes, ties or ribbons, and decorative leather laces hanging from the vamp).
- Patina (light or dark).
Various combinations cater to the needs of different settings. One can be formal, the other can be casual, and so on.
For a fancy schmancy night, whether a date night or a luxurious restaurant, calfskin leather and full-grain are the perfect bespoke shoes, yet when it is a casual BBQ, suede is your way to go.
That’s some juicy morsel of custom-made dress shoes.
Styling Different Types of Bespoke Footwear
One can be overwhelmed with the plethora of options offered by different bespoke shoemakers.
How to opt for the right style with all of this overwhelming plethora of options?
Well, we made it easier with only simple two-step guidelines. Your choice should have two bases.
To elaborate more, consider the following scenarios:
- On the basis of the bigger picture of a bespoke shoe, i.e. the construction of the bespoke shoe whether round or square toes? Leather or suede? Thick full-grain leather or calfskin leather?
Leather soles, rubber soles, or a combination of both? And the list goes on. - On the basis of the overall lifestyle, i.e., the frequent type of occasions the gentleman usually finds himself in, whether more formal settings, casual ones, or one bespoke shoe fitting all settings?
1. Bespoke Oxfords
Complement your capsule wardrobe with an extraordinary low-ankle, low heel, and lacing close to your toes English shoes, i.e., our special Oxford. What a classy piece! Got a tuxedo? You might pair it with its perfect bespoke shoe match,
Oxford handmade shoes.
Thus, Oxford is not just a timeless, classic beauty but also you can snug your way in it and feel
incompatible comfort and coziness.
You may wonder what the difference between bespoke Oxford and Derby bespoke shoes is. It is the lacing system for Derby that makes it unique, as it is open both at the lacing compartment top and bottom. (There’s more to the Derby bespoke shoes unveiled below!)
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2. Derby Footwear
Derby style of shoes has a such intriguing history behind its name. The 14th Earl of Derby had a peculiar condition where his feet were abnormally wide feet. Once upon a day, he called for his bespoke shoemakers to design him open-laced custom shoes to ease his way in and out of it. In the early 1900s, Derby hit the market with the initial purpose of being hunting and sports shoes in the 1850s.
Despite the common mistake of being the doppelganger of Oxford shoes, Derby custom-made shoes up their game for their being highly customizable. In fact, Derby"s make one of the most customizable pairs of custom shoes,
accentuating their value.
Do you have any problem not knowing what to wear? Well, Derby is here to solve it! Wide feet or not, in 2020, this style of shoes came to be the jack-of-all-trades. Got your good old denim and t-shirt match it with a suede Derby and you're good to go. Have a formal occasion shaken you up?
Dress to the nines by ensembling your finest leather Derby bespoke shoes with a suit.
To work or to casual events, Derby is the new answer to whatsoever your needs are.
ADORSI offers its gents a wide range of advanced materials to tailor their own magnum opus designs.
Fashion your pair of shoes to cater to your styling desires and needs with ADORSI's 3D design tool,
including for your office, casual events, or even both!
3. Brogue Shoe wear
A Brogue is defined as any low-heeled shoe wear or boot adorned by decorative perforations (i.e., broguing) sewn along the edges of its sturdy leather pieces.
Originally, brogues historically trace back to 16th-17th century Irish traditional attire.
Notwithstanding its exquisite aesthetic, the perforations actually had a practical purpose to drain out water from the shoe wear when trekking across Ireland’s arduous and swampy land.
Now, considering the W-shape leather stitching, the terms brogue and wingtip are used interchangeably. Since brogues are worn outside, they became synonymous with causality. It's given by now that the more perforated holes, the more casual the pair of brogues.
Yearning for a "sole mate" to accompany you on your weekend activities?
Pamper your feet with brogues' customized pair of shoes!
4. Wingtip Footwear
A w-shape leather stitching on the top of the toe defines a wingtip shoe wear, which in turn is a specific type of brogue. Blending touch, personality, and class for wearer, wingtips became inevitably the most prevalent brogue.
Notably, once a Wingtip is always a Brogue, but not vice versa. To elaborate, a Brogue is deemed to be any type of leather shoe wear, embellished perforations along with its layered pieces,
whereas Wingtip is one certain design peculiar to Brogue shoes.
While both brogues and wingtips are deeply rooted in casual apparel, modern styling can alter them to perfectly suit your formal attire when appropriate.
Therefore, it's your unique style and only your unique style that can tweak wingtips and brogues
to fit highly formal occasions.
Unleash the artist within to tailor the ultimate daring wingtips without limitation!
5. Longwing Blucher Shoes
Unique in design is indeed an epithet for Longwing Blucher shoe wear. For the reason that they combine the special perforations of the Longwing design with the top-notch structure of Blucher shoe wear. Some consider it the uncharted waters of the Brogue's world.
In design, Longwing's and brogues are similarly fashioned with the sole exception of the toe ornamentation wrapping around the entire shoe like a gift. Thus, Longwing footwear is a sure thing an intriguing choice compared to common styles,
and a weak point for footwear enthusiasts.
If you ponder on it, Longwing's can be deemed an exquisite spin-off from your traditional wingtip. What is critical to such a design is the W-shape extended to the back rather than stopping at the midpoint.
In the US, the terms "Derby" and "Blucher" are synonymous now. Considering that both have an open lace system, make it true. To differentiate between them, you should consider that the Derby has two quarters sewn together and a vamp with a tongue, whereas the Blucher has small pieces of leather sewn onto the vamp, forming the lacing system.
Need a joker card for gentlemen? Blucher is your lucky card. On formal occasions like a business dinner, they fit! On more casual occasions like a morning date, they are your perfect choice!
Combined with the alluring designs of Longwing design, there is no wonder that Longwing bluchers are the heart of the most resilient luxury footwear.
6. Double Monk Strap Shoes
Perhaps one of the hottest menswear items on the market is the double monk. The reason for its broad popularity has to do with its well-rounded nature. Whether a casual outing or a formal business meeting, the double monk is born to be worn. Figure out what t-shirt or suit goes with which Double Monk shoe, and you are all set to go.
Because the more, the merrier, ADORSI offers a myriad of designs when it comes to Double Monk bespoke shoes. You can tailor this footwear to the finest and smallest detail. To exemplify, you can opt for burgundy, navy, and even patina as colors.
Design your custom shoes in every known fabric, suede, and leather from tweed through a genuine alligator to a blend of a real ostrich with calf leather! There are infinite possibilities for designs that have the sky as the limit.
7. Loafers
Loafers vary in shape and type. Using different materials for different occasions, different styles are made. Different loafers fit various situations. For example, one can be worn in a work environment, while the other can be worn outside. Therefore, context matters when it comes to tailoring your luxury bespoke shoes, and your loafers.
Because ADORSI gets its men's needs and feelings, we know how annoying not to have versatile shoe wear. That's why at ADORSI, we give the ultimate space and freedom to customize your shoe totally. To give you a snippet from the bigger picture, ADORSI's Lusitano signature loafer is tailored to complement your formal look.
When you are in the desert, hiking out, or even at work, you can choose its tweaked version LUSITANO Runner.
8. Moccasins
Since Moccasins are mistaken for Loafers, it’s of prime significance to highlight the differences between them. 2
First and foremost, most moccasins come with a separate, soft sole, usually created by one piece of material along the sides of the foot before the stitching with an apron takes place.
Secondly, moccasins don’t come with hard soles. Thus, a defined heel is a characteristic of loafers solely.
Last but not least, moccasins are typically less refined than loafers, retaining the rough appeal.
Can the upcoming question be brought up? What if you want uniquely customized moccasins as refined as loafers?
Is that even possible?
Yes, it can, and yes, it is. We provide what our gents need; we got style, we got quality. Hence, ADORSI is the way to go when you customize Moccasins with defined heels. You can even laser engrave your initials on your heels.
Styling Your Unique Custom Shoes
When in doubt, class your way out! In a nutshell, this should be your motto. You've got myriad options of bespoke shoes, Moccasins, Loafers, Longwing Bluchers, Wingtips, Derby"s, Oxfords, Brogues, and Double Monk Strap footwear.
All of them are now in your hands anytime just design your own piece of art at ADORSI and try your hands at being creative with your personal style.
Instead of waiting for decades for a find Ready-to-Wear (RTW) shoe that fits your needs
which is proven to be baseless in reality,
come to ADORSI's 3D design tool and design the shoes of your dreams!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do you wear socks with dress shoes or not?
This can be influenced by two factors the settings and the style of footwear. Let's say you're wearing loafers. Loafers are kind of neutral ground as in you can go some or the other.
It's up to whether or not to go sockless. As for formal settings, it's pivotal to wear dress socks on your custom shoes. While on more casual occasions, it's preferable to wear invisible socks.
2. How do I choose colors for my custom-made footwear?
Your shoes must match your belt. Take this rule with no grain of salt! Here are some points you should consider when matching your suit with your footwear:
- Black and Charcoal Suits: easy pair with black, charcoal, or deep burgundy footwear.
- White Suits: beautifully paired with tan bespoke shoes, preferably oxfords.
- Gray Suits: best matches with black or brown bespoke shoes.
- Navy Suits: feasible options are black and brown when formal and oxblood and burgundy for social events.
- Blue Indigo (for summer): perfectly paired with oxblood brogues, tan shoes, or black loafers.
- Khaki Suits (for summer): navy, burgundy, brown, or tan all work.
