How to Wear Brogues: Colours, Types and Outfits for Men
Wear quarter and semi brogues with suits, and full brogues with tweed, chinos and jeans. The more holes a brogue has, the more casual it is. Dark brown and burgundy are the most versatile colours, black is the most formal, and suede or tan brogues are best for weekends. Never wear brogues with black tie.
What Are Brogue Shoes?
Brogues are shoes decorated with broguing: rows of small perforations and serrated (zig-zag) edges along the seams of the leather. The name comes from the Irish word brog, a rough country shoe, and the holes were first cut so water could drain out of shoes worn in the wet bogs of Ireland and Scotland. Today the holes are purely decorative.
Brogue is a decoration, not a shoe shape. You can have a brogue oxford, a brogue derby, a brogue monk strap or a brogue boot. If you want the full breakdown of lacing styles, read our guide to brogues vs oxfords vs derbies.
The One Rule: More Holes, Less Formal
The more broguing a shoe has, the more casual it is. That single rule tells you where each type belongs.
| Type | Where the broguing is | Formality | Wear it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter brogue | Toe cap seam only | Most formal | Business suits, office |
| Semi brogue | Toe cap seam plus a toe medallion | Business | Suits, blazers, weddings |
| Full brogue (wingtip) | W-shaped wing cap down the sides, plus medallion | Smart casual | Tweed, flannel, chinos, jeans |
| Longwing | Wings run all the way to the heel | Casual | Chinos, denim, cords |
| Brogue boot | Any of the above on an ankle boot | Casual to smart casual | Jeans, tweed, winter coats |
The semi brogue is often credited to the London maker John Lobb in the 1930s, and it is still the easiest brogue to wear with tailoring.
Which Colour Brogues Should You Buy?
Colour matters as much as the amount of broguing. This is how the most-searched brogue colours work:
| Colour | Best with | Formality |
|---|---|---|
| Black brogues | Charcoal and navy suits, black or grey trousers | Most formal |
| Dark brown brogues | Navy, grey and charcoal suits, flannel | Business |
| Burgundy or oxblood brogues | Navy and grey suits, chinos | Business to smart casual |
| Brown and tan brogues | Navy, grey, olive and camel; chinos and jeans | Smart casual |
| Dark tan and light brown brogues | Chinos, linen, light suits in summer | Casual |
| Suede brogues | Jeans, chinos, cords, knitwear | Casual |
| Coloured and patina brogues | Plain navy, grey or white outfits | Statement |
If you are buying your first pair, choose dark brown or burgundy semi brogues. They work with more suits and more casual clothes than any other colour. Coloured and hand painted patina brogues come second, once the basics are covered. See our hand painted patina shoes.
How to Wear Brogues: Outfit by Outfit
With a suit
Choose a quarter or semi brogue in black, dark brown or burgundy with a slim leather sole. With a navy suit, dark brown or burgundy is the classic pairing; with charcoal, black or dark brown. Save full brogues for tweed, flannel and textured suits. Never wear brogues with black tie.
With chinos
Any brown, tan or burgundy brogue works. Stone and camel chinos pair with tan; navy chinos with burgundy or dark brown; olive chinos with tan or suede. Roll or hem the chinos so they sit just on the shoe.
With jeans
Wear dark, slim or straight denim with a full brogue or brogue boot in brown, tan or suede. Avoid light-wash and heavily ripped jeans, which make a dress shoe look out of place. Black brogues work best with black or charcoal jeans.
Socks
With suits, match the socks to the trousers. With chinos and jeans in warm weather, no-show socks give a clean ankle.
Brogue Boots
Brogue boots carry the same perforations onto an ankle boot, which makes them one of the most versatile cold-weather shoes. Wingtip boots look best with jeans, cords and wool coats.
See also Men's Black Wingtip Boots and our full men's leather boots.
How to Care for Brogues
- Brush out the perforations with a soft horsehair brush after wearing, so cream and dirt do not collect in the holes.
- Use cream polish sparingly and buff well; too much wax fills the broguing and dries white.
- Use cedar shoe trees and rest the pair a day between wears.
- For suede brogues, use a suede brush and a protector spray instead of polish.
Every pair in our men's brogue shoes and wingtip collection is Goodyear welted, so the sole can be replaced as it wears.
Shop men's brogues
Wingtip oxfords, brogue derbies and brogue boots, made to order.
See brogue shoesFAQs
How should men wear brogues?
Match the amount of broguing to the occasion. Quarter and semi brogues in black, dark brown or burgundy go with business suits. Full brogue wingtips go with tweed, flannel, chinos and dark jeans. Keep trousers slim with little or no break so the shoe shows, wear socks that match the trousers with suits, and avoid brogues entirely with black tie.
Can you wear brogues with a suit?
Yes. Quarter and semi brogues are smart enough for most business suits, especially in black, dark brown or burgundy smooth calf. Full brogue wingtips are more casual and suit tweed, flannel and textured suits better than sharp worsted ones. For black tie, white tie and very formal events, choose a plain black oxford instead.
What colour brogues are most versatile?
Dark brown and burgundy are the most versatile brogue colours. They work with navy, grey and charcoal suits as well as chinos and dark jeans, so one pair covers the office and the weekend. Black brogues are the most formal but the least flexible. Tan, light brown and suede brogues are best for smart casual and summer outfits.
Can you wear brogues with jeans?
Yes. Choose dark, slim or straight-leg denim and a full brogue or brogue boot in brown, tan or suede. Hem or turn up the jeans so they sit just on the shoe. Avoid light-wash, very baggy or distressed jeans, which clash with the dressy shape of a brogue. Black brogues look best with black or charcoal jeans.
Are brogues still in style?
Yes. Brogues have been a menswear staple for over a century because they sit between formal and casual. Today the trend is towards semi brogues and brogue boots in rich browns, suede and hand painted finishes, worn with slimmer trousers. A well made, resoleable pair will stay in style for years.