Herring Shoes

How casual is ‘casual’ ? by Guillaume Bo of MNMS

10 March 2016

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Nowadays casual means everything and…nothing. Originally, gentlemen had to wear suits in town. Casual meant country. Casual meant colours. Casual meant more “room for manoeuvre”

Thanks to our first article dedicated to dress or formal shoes, you know what you should wear with your suits. But nowadays far fewer people wear suits regularly and so things have changed a lot. The “old rules” are no longer available for a lot of men. “No brown in town” for example is completely out of date. These days you have choice and sometimes that is not easy!

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Herring Shackleton

This is why also we must tell the difference between casual and…casual.

Do you still wear a jacket or a blazer? Do you walk a lot? Do you drive a lot? Do you want to have a nice pair for the week end only? Or do you only wear denim?

EXFORD AND GIDLEIGH BAG 2
Herring Exford and Gidleigh bag

Basically, you should consider that if you do wear classic attire, like a blazer with nice trousers, or even nice blue denim trousers with a jacket, you are more “formal” than casual. In this case feel free to wear nice Oxfords for example, but not black ones. In fact you can almost wear whatever you want as long as it is not black. (This applies to your clothes too – no black!). Think about blue or brown loafers, tan double monks, nice derbies. Be bold and try and coordinate with what you are wearing.

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Herring Fiennes

It is the same thing for your socks. Casual means fewer constraints and less rigidity.

Casual also means “practical”. Rubber soles can be very helpful for those who walk a lot or those who need to worry about the rain and the slippery sidewalks for example.

If you are lucky enough not to have a dress code at work, feel free to wear whatever you want. Same thing for your days off and weekends.

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Herring Shackleton

But never forget that a nice pair of shoes makes always the difference. Play with textures, fabrics and colours but don’t go to far.

Just forget about black ones, horrible flip-flops or Crocs of course. A contemporary gentleman is still a gentleman and he knows that balance and moderation are the key.

Sartorially yours,

Guillaume Bo ( MenNeedMoreStyle )

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