If the saying’s right, then a man’s outfit starts with the shoes, and the shade comes second. Nowadays, men’s wear has gotten less rigid, and now you can wear Oxfords with jeans and trainers with a suit. 

The key to pulling it off is knowing how to match them. Get them wrong, and you’re going to look like a salesperson on a night out, or like you’ve changed into your comfy shoes for your commute. Getting the colors right at once is the most simple and the hardest thing to do when getting dressed in the morning. 

It’s easy to match tonal combos, like black shoes with black trousers or brown shoes with tan chinos, but it’s the fastest way to sartorial tedium as well as financial ruin. Now, if you are prepared to only stick to a few colors, then you are all good. Otherwise, you’d need a rainbow of shoes to have enough options in your closet. 

Black is the most innovative option in your closet, and to keep things a bit more casual, you can get something with a like toe cap or brogue. However, it would help if you looked to diversify your options and keep your black pairs classic. 

At Jose Real Shoes, we have a curated list of high-end Italian handcrafted casual and dress shoes. One of the most common pairs of shoes we sell are men’s burgundy casual shoes, and the question we often face is, “how do we pair a color like that?” 

Well, in the following passages, we will lay down some basic rules to guide your choice each morning so that questions like that pop into your head. So let’s check out the rules:

• Block colors are always better than multicolored choices. 
• Darker tones are smarter than lighter tones usually. 
• The decoration is also essential. Black Derbies are smarter than tan, but chocolate Oxfords can be more refined than both.
• Trainers have different rules than smart shoes. White oxfords are a bit weird, whereas white trainers go with everything. 
• Your shoes won’t matter if they are scuffed. 
• If you are wearing something bright on your feet, anchor them with neutrals elsewhere.

Now that you know the basic ground rules, let’s dive into some specific descriptions about shoe colors and what you can do. So without any further delay, let’s begin!

How To Wear Black Shoes?

Black is always the most brilliant option out of whatever color is available, which means there are limits to what you can do with them. They look perfect if you are getting dressed up, but if you are trying them out with a pair of jeans, you will end up looking like a magician. Always start from the top-down, and black shoes should be your go-to with black tailoring.  

You can even pair them with grey or charcoal tailoring in a more formal office. Now, you can pair your black shoes with blue as long as you stick to shades of navy blue rather than something more celebratory, like royal blue. 

Casual trousers are a bit trickier to pair with black shoes and don’t go well with Oxfords, so if you have a pair of Derbys at home, you should stick to those. Oxfords only go with very slim black jeans. However, you can look like a forgotten member of the Libertines in them. 

How To Wear Brown Shoes?

Out of all the casual men’s shoes, brown shoes are the most forgiving for shades. You should be able to find a wide range of brown shoe options for almost every occasion except for the most innovative offices. 

Remember that lighter shades give off a more relaxed tone than darker ones, especially if you want to add some detail to your outfit. So a brown brogue is less formal than the same shade Oxford. 

Another thing you should keep in mind is that brown shoes are your absolute go-to for chinos of any color as long as you don’t match them too closely. There should be at least two shades of difference between your trousers and shoes. Otherwise, you’ll end up looking like you’re wearing a onesie. 

Darker brown shoes pair nicely with indigo denim and work with more washed-out shades. But you will have to step down into a less formal style. We recommend not going into black jeans and brown shoes. It’s a whole another fashion minefield that’s best avoided. 

How To Wear Blue Shoes?

For formal shoes, blue can be a painful color. However, on other occasions, they can work. A pair of blue casual men’s shoes should be a staple in every closet. Try getting some in textured leather, as they go well with shades of navy. 

If you have blue suede brogues, you’re in luck as they go well with almost the color of the suit as long as it’s not black and it’s the same for Chinos. 

Again matching your shoes and trouser shades too closely with blue shoes will only result in a fashion disaster and nothing else, so be wary of that. If you doubt your outfit, then make sure to add a brighter sock in a complementary shade, like red, to break things up a little bit.

How To Wear Burgundy Shoes?

Burgundy men’s casual shoes are classic and a must-have for any closet. Not only is it cool looking, but it’s also fashion-wise quite flexible. Navy and burgundy are two primary colors that pair wonderfully together.

One of the most classic pairings in men’s wear is a navy blue suit with a casual burgundy shoe, and it’s a bit more unique than a pair of regular brown shoes. 

Keep in mind that its tan leather will clash with navy trousers and wouldn’t be a good pairing, but a burgundy calfskin leather shoe will help frame the tan and blend it in with navy trousers. Another color that works well with burgundy is dark grey. 

Casual burgundy men’s shoes and dark grey trousers are a can’t-miss combination and are more of an office look than the navy blue pairing. It’s the perfect option for you if you work in a sartorially conservative industry and want to stand out in a subtle, positive way. 

You can make your burgundy shoes more weather appropriate by pairing them with light gray trousers. These colors compliment each other beautifully, and you can even be bold by tossing in a red accessory or two. 

Another classic burgundy shoe pairing is with brownish-green trousers or olive trousers. Now, lighter shades of green will work with the look but make sure you don’t venture into kelly green territory.

Burgundy shoes pair nicely with olive suits, and you should look into adding them to your collection if you don’t have any yet. Pairing burgundy shoes with tan is a great way to stay formal while wearing informal colors. You can even throw in a blue top to work in a primary color combination for extra points. 

Beige is another color that, in theory, shouldn’t work with burgundy but does, especially the oatmeal shade beige. It provides a richness and depth of color that lends itself very well to burgundy and is often better than a plain brown shoe. 

For a night out, dark jeans and burgundy shoes offer you class and a fashion statement in one go. Blue works the same reason navy blue works. However, lighter blue is more of casual wear, so make your choices with blue carefully. 

Brown and burgundy is a harmonious combo as burgundy already has a hint of brown in it. Get your brown suit and pair it with a white shirt and your burgundy men’s casual shoe, and you have a killer outfit on your hand. 

White, however, should be only reserved for summer evenings. Now, for the big no-nos with burgundy shoes, black and red don’t go well with burgundy shoes at all, so make sure to stay away from them. 

The Best Place To Buy Handcrafted Italian Shoes

So that concludes our simple guide to matching your shoes with your trousers. As you can see, burgundy men’s casual shoes are much more fashionable and versatile than most others, but when it comes to formal wear, there’s no beating a good old black casual men’s shoe. 

If you are looking for some handcrafted Italian leather shoes that won’t break your bank, check out Jose Real Shoes. Our carefully curated list of dress and casual shoes offer you the best bang for the buck in the market, so contact us if you are looking for one. 

Also, if you have any other questions regarding men’s casual or dress shoes, feel free to drop them in the comments below or hit us up on our socials, and we will answer them all for you. And with that being said, that’s about all we have for you today. We will come back with something new for you soon. Until then, see ya!