Suede shoes for the summer? ‘Kid has gone mad,’ you may exclaim. In the most traditional sense suede is meant for country shoes. But the good old Duke did away with that. So I suppose for the last few decades suede has mostly been thought of as a fall and winter thing. But even that is errant, at least as far as I am concerned. For suede is appropriate in every climate at any time of the year.
Suede is nearly as practical as smooth calf leather for shoes. It is more at home than calf for country wear and looks better with tweeds and many other non-worsted weaves. For all of you business heads, it can work well in more formal settings minus the most formal of business and social events.
At a minimum it is almost always more dandified and sophisticated looking. It is less expected so it adds a little visual interest to a man’s look. And for those men who don’t like to take the time to shine their shoes, all that is typically needed is a light brushing of the shoe with some stiff bristles; none of that Renovateur, cream and wax stuff… Suede shoes do, however, still require shoe trees between uses. So now the question is, how would you wear suede?
-JLJ
I have a pair of tan suede penny loafers with a red brick cork sole (more pointed than rounded toe)and I like to wear them with a nice pair of chinos or a summer styled suit or blazer.
I wear suede bucks three or four times a week year round. I have a half dozen pair in different colors. I wear a blazer with a tie and a pair of chinos for business casual to work, and suede bucks are great for that look.
Dan,
Sounds like a solid uniform you have going for yourself. Well done.
-JLJ
[…] we have discussed the wearing of suede in various seasons (recap: you can wear it year round), which partially boils down to my affinity for the stuff. And […]
If you like whatever, icluding suede shoes wear it ! It’s your style. Of course you probably wouldn”t wear trunks to a formal dinner. But if you like it and you feel it fits the situation do it. Screw the fashion gurus. I see plenty of them that I wonder “what were they thinking?”