wedding shoes for men – Herring Shoes Journal

Wedding shoe guide part 2 – shoes for a lounge suit wedding

7 June 2024

Seated male model in checked three-piece suit wearing black Oxford shoes with female model wearing cream dress and navy suede loafers — Shoes for weddings where lounge suits are required

Last week, we offered you some guidance on what to wear at a very formal wedding where morning suits or black tie are the required dress code. We now turn our attention to consider shoes that would be suitable to wear with lounge suits for a formal, yet a little more dressed down, occasion.

Most weddings fit this bill, where the groom, the ushers and the rest of the male wedding party wear matching or complementary lounge suits. If these suits are black, then see the formal wedding section in this guide, if not, then there is so much more choice available to you.

If you still want to choose an Oxford, then choose a brown or tan style. The Sussex comes in dark brown calf and the Knightsbridge has a chestnut style too.

For a wider foot, a Derby will give the comfort you need for being on your feet all day and we suggest the Westport. They are a gorgeous tan colour and have a rubber sole for a bit for extra spring.

If you want a little decoration, then consider a brogue or semi-brogue. The Henry II is our bestseller and has stylish swings to the facings and quarter patterns giving this shoe a bespoke look. The chestnut calf has a beautiful, burnished finish. For something a little more financially comfortable, our best-selling Carnaby brogues (below) is a stunning British-made shoe.

Close-up on male model's feet wearing chestnut calf Carnaby brogue shoes — The Carnaby

New to our brogue collection is the Bournwell. Made using dark brown calf, it is an elegant, exquisite brogue with a delicate toe rosette and hand finished to a high shine. There is a rakish swoop to the swan neck facing with more fine brogue detailing.

The Villiers has a similar feel to it, but in a rosewood calf, while the Dunkeld (below) is a slip-on shoe with clever faux laces.

Close-up on male model's feet wearing slip-on rosewood Dunkeld shoes with faux laces — The Dunkeld

The monk shoe is a handsome alternative to the Oxford with single, double and triple buckle styles to choose from. The Shakespeare is a beautiful shoe with a double buckle made on the Z160 last so has a chiselled toe box. If you like three buckles, then the Dahl is for you.

Lastly, for the lounge suit, may we suggest a two-tone or spectator shoe or boot. Like the Gusborne, they have a little bit of the dandy about them but look oh-so good.

If you want something more lightweight, then both our Henley and Henley II (above) generously provide this by blending canvas with calf, while the Farnham is a beautiful mix of navy suede and chestnut calf. These are truly standout shoes.

If you want a full wedding shoe guide, please download our free The Wedding Shoe Guide for Men – 2024 edit.

If you want to bulk buy shoes for your entire wedding party, we can give you a 25% discount when you order four or more pairs. Just give us a call.

Shoe style guide

Wedding shoe guide part 1 – shoes for a formal wedding

3 June 2024

The summer months hail wedding season. Whether you are a member of the wedding party or a guest, we have just the footwear you need to enjoy the day and into the evening too.

We have collated the very best formal men’s shoes in our guide below to help you celebrate the big day in style and in comfort.

We have ordered this guide into three wedding types to make it easy for you to navigate and choose the most appropriate footwear for your celebration. We are starting with shoes for a formal wedding.

Most people will buy something new to wear for the happy occasion and we would urge you to consider your footwear at the same time to not only look smart but to support you through a tiring day.

Grooms, ushers, and guests alike will be on their feet for much of the day, whether at the ceremony, posing for photos, drinking bubbles and eating canapes before the wedding breakfast, standing in the receiving line, making speeches or dancing… it’s not your average day at the office.

You will need comfort which means getting a pair of shoes that fit you properly. This is where handmade shoes will serve you well. They will mould to the shape of your feet. No slipping at the heel and no pinching at the toe will prevent blisters from forming.

When we refer to a formal wedding, we mean the type where a black morning suit or dinner jacket is understood to be the appropriate clothing choice for the male guests. Often though, the guests are permitted to make up their own minds on what they wear while the wedding party may choose a morning suit or dinner jacket to distinguish themselves from the rest.

The jacket of the morning suit is the distinguishing factor. A derivative of the frock coat, which had been modified with curved front edges to accommodate the horse-rider’s knees, the morning suit jacket is usually teamed with striped, grey trousers and a matching or contrasting waistcoat. In the 1930s, grey three-piece morning suits also became fashionable.

Recently, black tie weddings have become more popular. A bit of a slow burner in the UK at first, but the US and social media influence have ensured this style choice has reached these shores.

If you choose a traditional black suit, then you need to choose black shoes. The safest option is the black Oxford. This is one of the most enduring styles of men’s shoe and is a must in every gentleman’s wardrobe.

Black Oxfords are the go-to shoes for formal weddings

It is a style that is timeless and elegant. A black Oxford gives the dark trousers of a morning suit the sleek look most grooms, ushers and guests are seeking. This shoe will also serve you well for other occasions and for work.

Our luxury bestseller is the Churchill II or the Knightsbridge (below) for a premium experience. These are both classic Oxford toe-cap design that have been handmade from start to finish in Northamptonshire.

The Sussex would also be an excellent, opulent choice. Made on the traditional but elegant Z401 last, the Sussex features a blue sole that has been made exclusively for us. If your wedding ceremony involves any kneeling with your back to the congregation, a handsome sole will be appreciated!

If you want something a little different while maintaining your loyalty to the dark side, then why not consider a monk shoe?

The Monkwell is a classically refined single monk shoe, also featuring that exclusive blue sole. We have used the finest leathers to create this stunning monk style.

Monk shoes look great with a formal wedding suit

If you have wider feet, a Derby shoe may fit you better but that does not mean you have to compromise on style. The Carroll is a gorgeous, bespoke looking plain fronted Derby. The last has a very distinct shape with a sleek toe that emphasises the handmade look of the shoe.

The last few styles to consider are definitely more about the evening festivities after the wedding breakfast. The Gusbourne is a black and white two-tone classic that harks back to the era of spats. Very The Great Gatsby!

While patent shoes will add a bit of sparkle. Our Aston (below) and Martin styles are very popular and go well with black tie ready for you to dance the night away.

If you want a more fulsome step-by-step guide ahead of your big day or want to strike the right note a guest, please download our free The Wedding Shoe Guide for Men – 2024 edit.

If you want to bulk buy shoes for your entire wedding party, we can give you a 25% discount when you order four or more pairs. Just give us a call.

Herring Shoes

Men’s shoes for a casual wedding

17 August 2021

We have covered formal wedding shoes and boots, and footwear that’s suitable for wearing with lounge suits, now we turn our attention to the casual wedding. We are thinking open-necked shirts, tailored shorts or chinos, linen suits, and maybe a blazer or waistcoat.

It’s a good opportunity to wear easy, breezy clothes that you feel comfortable in but still ooze style…your own style. There isn’t much scope for obvious personality with the uniform of a traditional morning suit; it’s all a bit black, grey and a white shirt. A casual wedding though gives you more opportunity to vary colours and styles. You can go to town on your footwear too.

Before I roll out the obvious choice, I am going to offer you a few alternatives.

The Collins Oxfords have a summer feel to them with their interweave style in tan super-soft suede. They look like a wholecut, as there are no separate panels, so they very smart while offering a cooler – and I mean temperature here – upper, thanks to the weave.

The Marlborough rubber-soled Derby style gives you an opportunity to shake up the colour. The taupe style would look good with a pair of cream chinos while offering the comfort of a lightweight rubber sole.

For swanky style, have a look at the chestnut Salobrena monk shoes. They are sleek, they are shiny, and they are made from croc-effect leather to give them uber continental flair! I can envisage their wearers on a sunny terrace drinking a few pre-wedding breakfast cocktails or bubbles.

Ok, I have put it off long enough…a casual wedding is a perfect excuse for a new pair of loafers. I am going to suggest soft suede for a summer do. The Consort blends the weave of the Collins Oxford with a loafer in a tan and walnut suede. The Barcelona II tasselled loafer is smart too while the Cannes offers a navy upper, which is in pleasant contrast to the crepe sole, as does the Ingleby.

To really kick back though, you could opt for the Murlo II and really ramp up the colour with the turquoise option or slip into our biscuit Sanremo suede espadrilles.

You can ditch the socks with all the above suggestions to really embrace the casual nature of the occasion. With any of these choices though, you do not have to ditch the style!

We have waited a long time for weddings to be back on the agenda, so why not treat yourself to some new shoes that will see you through the big day but will also be a welcome addition for a variety of other uses and occasions this summer.

Herring Shoes

Shoes and boots to wear with lounge suits at weddings

23 July 2021

In the first part of our wedding shoe guide, we covered the formal black shoes and boots you would wear with morning suits and more formal attire. Today, we are going to consider shoes that would be suitable to wear with lounge suits for a formal, yet a little more dressed down, occasion.

Most weddings would fit this bill, where the groom, the ushers and the rest of the male wedding party wear matching or complementary lounge suits. Most will buy something new for the occasion and we would urge you to consider your footwear at the same time.

As we have often alluded to in our blogs about wedding shoes, they not only need to look the part but also need to support you through a tiring day. Grooms, ushers, and guests alike will be on their feet for much of the day whether at the ceremony, posing for photos, drinking bubbles and eating canapes before the wedding breakfast, standing in the receiving line, making speeches or dancing… it’s not your average day at the office.

You need comfort which means getting a pair of shoes that fit you properly. This is where handmade shoes will serve you well. They will mould to the shape of your feet. No slipping at the heel and no pinching at the toe will prevent blisters. I mean, who wants a blister on their wedding day? If you are unsure of your sizing when it comes to choosing a pair of handmade shoes, then our guide here may help or just call our customer services; they are skilled in advising people on the size they need!

But what style and colour to choose? I am going to steer away from black as we have already discussed these in the formal wedding shoe blog. Here are a few ideas to choose from, but there are plenty of styles and brands on the Herring website to choose from, so please feel free to browse away.

Oxford
Due in this month, the Eden Oxford is a truly stunning formal shoe in a dark leaf colour. It has a contemporary shape with a brogue punch to the toe and swan neck broguing to the sides. Handmade by the craftsmen at Cheaney in Northamptonshire, this looks like a bespoke shoe and will make any groom or usher feel like they have paid attention to their footwear.

Brogue
Brogues are popular choice for a wedding in the country, but they can suit a town affair too. Our Henry II brogues in chestnut calf ooze quality. Also made in Northamptonshire by Alfred Sargent, they have a beautiful, burnished finish. The Carnaby brogue is a great alternative brogue too.

Spectator
These are still brogues essentially, but the two-tone element pops them into the spectator category. Again made by Cheaney, the Henley is a lightweight shoe with dark leaf calf bearing the broguing detail with the rest of the main body of the shoe made out of beige canvas. We have a Henley II as well, which has less broguing on the toe. Both of these shoes shout “summer wedding”!

For a navy suit alternative, the Farnham combines chestnut calf and navy suede. If you want to lose the brogue look, the Farnborough is a striking option with the navy suede across the vamp this time. Again, super-smart shoes that your mother and mother-in-law, oh, and your wife-to-be, will approve of!

Derby
These differ from Oxfords because the closing panels that host the eyelets and laces are sewn on top of the vamp. This gives the wearer a little bit of extra room if they have larger feet or a higher instep. That does not mean they are any less elegant. Take the Golding, as an example, or the Epping. I like the Burlington too for a lighter shade of brown.

Monk
Lastly, for shoes, I would suggest the single, double or, even triple, monks. The double buckle Shakespeare is uber classy and elegant, and come up a treat when you polish them. The Dahl has three buckles, which is very unusual so makes them extra special. For a single, try the Byron.

Boots
My husband wore boots to our wedding, and I assume many other do too. Elegance is key for a wedding. I love the Thatcher brogue Chelsea boots in burgundy or the Laverton II two-tone boots. You could also try the Orwell, which is a monk boot, or the limited edition and rather exquisite, Jordan.

The above is a romp through the more refined styles of the Herring collection that I think would work well with a lounge suit for a wedding. If you spot a style that you think would work well too, why don’t you comment below or post a photo on our social media channels in all your finery? We would love to see you!

Next up, we will discuss shoe styles for a casual wedding.

Herring Shoes

Formal shoes for a long awaited wedding day

20 July 2021

We have written multiple guides on wedding shoes for men (men’s shoes for a casual wedding, wedding shoes guide, shoes and boots suitable for wearing with lounge suits) but we think the topic is worth re-visiting as we have now reached so called ‘Freedom Day’, when restrictions have been lifted, and couples can have the day they have been waiting for. I know one couple who have postponed their wedding three times and I am sure there are others who have done the same.

If you have been holding on, it’s probably because you want all your friends and family to be there for the ‘big do’, so we are going to kick off our series of wedding shoe guides for men with a look at the more formal shoes.

Usually, I would head straight for the black Oxfords, but I am going to offer up something just as elegant and formal, but a little bit different. The wholecut – you can find out more in our recent blog ‘The art of the wholecut’ – is a beautiful thing. Carefully constructed from a single piece of leather, they are both eye-catching and classic. They also ooze craftsmanship. Just look at them! Our Chaucer wholecut can be leather or rubber soled, so you can decide how much comfort you need. This may depend on how much dancing you intend to do!

Like the Chaucer wholecut, the classic black Oxford gives the dark trousers of a morning suit the sleek look most grooms, ushers and guests are seeking. You cannot go wrong with this shoe. It will serve you well for multiple occasions and for work. Every man needs a pair of black Oxfords. Our bestseller is the Churchill II, but if you prefer a more rounded toe, the Charles II is a good option too. For a more continental shape, I would suggest the Nelson.

As most Herring connoisseurs already know, we also stock shoes from a range of respected UK manufacturers: Barker, Cheaney, Church’s, Loake and Tricker’s – so we have a full range of black Oxfords for you to choose from.

For a formal wedding, black brogues, semi-brogues or even quarter-brogues are also a good option. The Calne is a new addition to our collection and it has a really elegant shape accentuated by the long-wing brogue detailing. The Napoleon brogues are sharp too and look more formal due to the lack of toe punch and their longer toe. You could also consider the Belgravia with its leather sole, insole and lining. Again, our other manufacturers have their own varieties. I like the square toe and detail of Loake’s Kruger brogues.

Lastly, if you prefer boots, the Herring Flynn is a black Oxford in a boot style. No need for black socks for these, but they will still give you the super-smart you are looking for with a chiselled toe to elongate the look of dark trousers.

The second part of this wedding shoe series will focus on the more casual wedding where lounge suits are the suggested dress code. Until then, if you are getting married this year and you have been patiently waiting for your big day, then we would like to wish you all the best.

Herring Shoes

The Herring guide to wedding shoes for men

22 May 2019

If you search the internet for ‘wedding shoe guide for men’, Pinterest offers a collection that includes some rather fetching white patent styles…. If that’s your thing, then go for it, but you will not find any white patent Oxfords among the range of styles offered by Herring Shoes. We can, however, offer some alternatives to the classic black lace-up.

Not that there is anything wrong with a classic black Oxford. It is a super-smart shoe that will never offend, will go with most styles and colour of morning suits, and will complement the sleek looked created by dark trousers. However, many grooms, ushers and male guests now opt for a less formal suit, which means your choice of shoe is entirely down to what you like and, crucially, what you feel comfortable in.

Weddings generally require a lot of standing around and usually some dancing. Pinched toes or rubbing heels are a distraction we can all do without, so make sure you consider your comfort when choosing your wedding-ready shoes. Remember, if your feet are slightly wider, Herring offers two widths to ensure you get the fit that’s right for you.

Enough about comfort. Let’s get down to style.

We have already decided Oxfords are a safe choice. Our Churchill IIs are one of our best sellers, but there is even room for an alternative look with an Oxford. Herring can get you dancing with a mix of patent leather and suede in the aptly titled Jive Oxfords, or the Aston Oxfords and Waltz II formal shoes are both all patent. We have Oxfords in brown suede, in navy leather or with a brogue rosette on the toe, so you can truly personalise how you want to look on your big day.

But if you’re not into Oxfords, the brogue offers a traditional alternative. Again, it is an iconic shoe style that works well for a countryside wedding or beneath a kilt! Our Henry II brogues remain among our bestsellers as they truly encapsulate that classic style while our brandy-coloured Lewis brogues have a city edge with their square toe and the Thatcher brogue Chelsea boots suit a man that likes to be, well, suited and booted!

Many men opt for a boot as their preferred footwear for all occasions and Chelsea boots are always popular. However, these Orwell boots could provide an attractive alternative with their double monk-style buckles. If they are good enough for James Bond, surely, they are good enough for a wedding! Or if you are wearing a navy suit, the Stirrup in navy and tan leather could be just the job.

Not all weddings are formal with more people heading to reliably sunnier climes where jackets, let alone ties, are not required and tailored shorts or chinos meet the dress code. This is where a loafer will fit the bill nicely. Smart, yet relaxed, with plenty of personality, our recent spring guide will give you the full low-down on loafers. However, we do not think you can go wrong with our Ibstock loafers for suede or the Riviera for a leather weave.

If you are the groom, it is probably best to get your wife or partner to-be to give their pre-approval, while ushers should probably consort with the groom too to avoid shoe clash or, worse, the ushers upstaging the groom!

In homage to slow fashion, we would also advise you to consider what you will use your shoes for after the big day. A Herring shoe is an investment that will last you for many years to come, so unless you wish to be the office’s answer to Fred Astaire in your patent black Oxfords, you may wish to choose a style that may be more suited to everyday life.

Lastly, and to summarise, here are our top 10 wedding shoes for men:

Browsing Tag: wedding shoes for men

Wedding shoe guide part 2 – shoes for a lounge suit wedding

Wedding shoe guide part 1 – shoes for a formal wedding

Men’s shoes for a casual wedding

Shoes and boots to wear with lounge suits at weddings

Formal shoes for a long awaited wedding day

The Herring guide to wedding shoes for men