Buckle brogues yes, Ghillie no: Come & have a go if you think you are 'ard enough

[The Barry]

Those are quite interesting. I would also like to see those brogued.

[DWFII]

With all due respect and with tongue only slightly embedded in cheek...

Fer cryin' out loud why can't we just appreciate the leather for what it is without mucking it up with a bunch of superfluous and even detrimental-to-the-integrity-of-the-shoe perfs?! Ie. broguing.

Regardless of whether they would be suitable for kilts or not, what would broguing add to those shoes that they don't already possess? Why not add sequins while we're at it?

As it is they are clean, spare, and elegant. If they are a little "too-too," adding broguing (or sequins) is only gonna make it worse.

There is a concept in the world of aesthetics---that means what-looks-good--that "more is less." It applies to what we wear, too. At one point whether it pertains to shoes or the whole kit, things can get so busy you can't see what is really there.

Is it a way to hide?

[Hamish]

Hamish, yes I like that although I would prefer it with a more brogue or 'wing tip' style of shoe.

You can also get monk shoes. What would you think of this (in black). I will be tempted if my issue brogues ever wear out:

Hmmm. I can see where you are coming from CM, but I don't think those are quite 'me'. Maybe I know a few too many chaps who wear that style as a t-----r shoe.

For less formal occasions, I normally wear ordinary black (or brown), short-laced, brogues.

Take care,
Ham.

[Leprechaun 91]

Personally I have no problem with Ghille Brogues, though I would be inclined to only wear them with a PC.

I appreciate that "buckle brogues"/"mary janes"/etc. are considered traditional formal footwear, but they're not quite to my taste for my own wear. (The same applies for glengarrys, balmorals, Montrose doublets, and the like.)



I do like "monk" shoes, however, and think they shoes above would be just fine for daywear. I wouldn't have a problem with a black pair being worn in lieu of ghillie brogues or any of the aforementioned "buckle" shoes, but I appreciate that this might not be deemed proper by some. I suppose it depends on the level of formality. ("Close, but no cigar?")



I've been considering the following myself, in fact -- the first to be worn with my Braemar, perhaps; the second for more casual wear:

I own the bottom pair and wear them every week at work. they are quite comfortable and dress up well when I wear a suit. I have not try them with my kilts though. I think they are a little ...bulky? for my tastes.

[svc40bt]

Have you got as pair, or is this speculative research?

No, I have none of these styles, and am unlikely to ever have them unless I have someone like DFWII make me a pair. None seem to come in anything but the standard D width. Just curious what others thought of the opera pumps.

[GDub]

I'm not partial to the the "fussy" shoes, but I guess that's not a big surprise.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I have a pair of these that are about 30 years old, which I wear with white tie (formal balls, not dinners). They look quite smart with diced hose, providing the dicing goes all the way to the toe. Otherwise a bit of the solid colour foot shows between the vamp (? terminology) and the dicing and looks every bit as bad as a white shirt showing between the top of the kilt and the bottom of the waistcoat.

With cut steel buckles they look alright with highland attire. That said it should be pointed out that cut steel buckles are technically only worn to court; at all other times silk grosgrain bows (as in the photograph) are worn.

[JSFMACLJR]

I invariably wear buckled shoes in the evening with the kilt: either the "Mary Jane" style, or these with the one buckle:


My MJ shoes are at the cobbler right now getting new, thinner soles put on. The pair I have were the same as McMurdo, made by Thistle. They are very nice shoes but the thick, military issue sole is not ideal for dancing.

I also have several pairs of evening pumps: two in patent leather, and one in calf. One patent was made by Peal and has been with me since my college days. The second pair was made by Crockett and Jones. The calf pair is an old court shoe from John Lobb...I found them in a second hand shoe shop once. I don't think they had any idea how valuable they were, or else they wouldn't have sold them to me for $20.00! I am so lucky they fit!

Nice well made, and well cleaned shoes are the ultimate accessory, which accentuate the foot and leg. Many men take their foot-ware for granted, much to their great loss, for many women have told me how pleasing and sexy it is to find a well-shod man!

[McNulty]

I've got three pair of Florsheim wingtips (black, cordovan, and tan) for the past twenty-five years and they are still going strong. When dressing up... they work. Some of the shoes shown before sorta look foppish.
Nulty

[Phil]

I could be interested but I don't understand how they are fitted, mt shoes very definitly need a bar in the buckle to fasten them and the one on the left looks as if its missing the hole - I've probably missed the point... What material are they made of? Can they be polished?

They are brass, silver plated. I treated them with the stuff from John Lewis that re-silvers them and they look a lot better now. The little balls around the edge appear to be cut steel. They are 6cm at their longest point and 3.8 cm tapering down to 3.2 cm wide. They are not missing the hole - that is a leather insert and kept as a template for the bit of leather that fits onto the shoe. The width of the bar is 2.3 cm, a bit narrower than the ones that come with the shoes. I found it quite a struggle squeezing the attachment leather through because of the metal studs on the piece of leather.