Strictly speaking, the Oxford is considered to be a formal everyday shoe, however, this does not hold strictly true anymore as they come in many colors, variations and more casual leathers such as suede and brogues.



The Plain & Cap Toe Oxfords


Traditionally Oxfords are a simple shoe with a closed lacing system that is the quintessential dress shoes for any semi-formal attire from suits to business wear. A “cap toe” refers to a seam across the toe box which many oxfords have.

They can also be worn when you want to add a dash of sophistication to your casual dress options like chinos and a blazer.

In terms of color, black should only be paired with classic business suits and tuxedos in a pinch, but otherwise black is too formal for other outfit choices.

Cognac, mid-brown, cherry or oxblood serve this purpose much better, and because these colors come is some many tones, they are far more versatile and interesting to buy.

For tweed, it is generally recommended to wear boots or derby shoes instead, while fresco, Solaro, linen or seersucker can be worn with cap toe oxfords.


Instead, a spectator or a solid shade of brown is a much better choice.


The first Oxford every man should own is a black cap toe Oxford.

It may seem unexciting but at the end of the day, it is the shoe that can be worn to the office, funerals, weddings, evening events and maybe even black tie and as such, it is very versatile.

Unlike brown, black does not come in different shades, and so you don’t need two pairs of black shoes of the exact same style.

Many well-dressed men may have only a couple pairs of black shoes in their shoe closet, one of them always being the black cap toe Oxford, while they have 10, 50 or 100 pairs of brown shoes.