Listing the characteristics of the Brogue is a daunting task as it is a very versatile shoe and comes in various shapes. However, for the sake of convenience, the basic characteristics  you will find in most brogues are as follows  (not all brogues may have all these basic characteristics):

1. Low heels

2. Presence of toe caps.

3. The presence of heel caps.

4. The presence of lace panels.

5. The presence of Broguing or (now) decorative perforations.

Various designs have evolved over time, and so subcategories of brogues were created.

The Brogue was originally designed in Scotland and Ireland as a shoe suitable for wearing while working outdoors. The Irish and Scottish countryside is wet and characterized by bogs that made life very difficult for the people who worked there and, as was expected, their feet took a beating. The need of the hour was a pair of shoes that were suitable for this type of work and terrain. The original Brogues were rudimentary shoes made with untanned animal hide; their distinctive feature was a series of perforations and serrations (broguing) of each piece of leather that was used in their construction. The purpose of these perforations was to allow water to drain from the shoes. Another feature of their design was that they were laced by leather tangs and did not have the tongue as in other shoes; they also had high lacing that wrapped above the ankles. This design feature kept the laces free from muck and dirt and prevented the shoes from being sucked off while walking in the mud. This basic design is now known as the ‘ghillie brogue’ and is often considered the standard style for traditional Scottish dress footwear.