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In the very first movie, Harry Hart leads Eggsy into the Kingsman armory. There, he imparts a phrase that's become synonymous with the franchise and iconic in its own right…

Oxfords, not brogues. 

Did you guys understand what he meant by this? It wasn't very clear.

Gents, I love this movie and I love men's style. What better way to combine the two than by addressing this quote?

Today is all about oxfords for men. We're going to delve deep and find out just what the heck the difference is.

 

This article was brought to you by Beckett Simonon – the makers of premium men's dress shoes. Every Beckett Simonon shoe is made-to-order, meaning your order is custom made on the spot! This minimizes the cost to the customer, meaning you get amazing dress shoes at an amazing price. 

Every shoe is made with blake stitching, meaning your soles are interchangeable once they wear out. Every shoe is handmade and they have a fantastic variety to choose from – including oxfords and brogues! What are you waiting for? Click here to shop with Beckett Simonon

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1. The Story Of The Balmoral Oxford

First thing's first: Where and when did these classic shoes come from?

There are two origin stories. The first goes back as far as the year 1800. At Oxford University, there was once a time where students were required to wear knee-high boots. As you could imagine, this was pretty uncomfortable.

So, they started to rebel…

Not in the bloodthirsty and violent sort of way, but by simply changing up their shoes! The Oxonian half-boot was born, and the modern oxford is believed to be a successor to that style.

The other story stems from its other common name – the Balmoral.

It stems from Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a property purchased in 1852 by Prince Albert as a gift for Queen Victoria. The term became synonymous with the boot he wore: A close-laced boot he had made for the purpose of hunting grouse and being suitable as house wear, which leads me to my next point…

2. What Makes An Oxford… An Oxford?

So, what sets an oxford apart from other men's dress shoes? Gents, it's simple. An oxford is any dress shoe with closed lacing.

What does this mean?

Shoes are generally divided between open and close-laced variations. In the former, the eyelets on the quarter are actually sewn over the vamp. Meanwhile, close-laced eyelets are sewn beneath. Shoes with open-laced construction are referred to as Derby's or Bluchers.

It sounds like a minute difference, right? Wrong. Believe it or not, it makes the shoe look much sleeker, and as a result, more elegant.

 

3. Brogues

Now we come to the infamous brogues. Believe it or not, oxfords can be brogues and vice versa.

Allow me to explain.

Brogues are not a unique kind of shoe. Rather, they are a type of decoration applied to any footwear, be they oxfords or dress boots.

They consist of perforations that are cut or punched into the shoe at various points. They serve purely as a decorative addition, but it wasn't always like that.

Brogues, like so many men's style classics, originated from Britannia. In Scotland, it was actually a way for people in the lowlands and highlands to traverse marshes and bogs. The perforations served to let water out as soon as you stepped back out of the swamp.

It was almost as if they were… CROCS!

I know, it's ridiculous to think of it that way. The bottom line is that they began history as an outdoorsman's shoe, only making their way into refined menswear much later.

It's for that reason that they are not as formal. True to their rugged roots, brogues serve the elegant man as a more casual shoe – suited for business casual. You could even wear them with even more casual looks than those! Just avoid them in more formal settings.

Brogue Types

• Quarter-brogues: Exactly midway between the classic oxford and a casual shoe. This design features minimal broguing along the toe cap and seams. It's only slightly less formal than a regular oxford.
• Half-brogues: The perforations along the seams and the cap are more prominent. These are best used with informal wear, as well as tweed and flannel suits.
• Full-brogue: Also known as “wingtips,” these are as brogued as you can get – and very casual as a result. They traditionally use a more elongated toe box to accentuate the look. Another variation is known as the “longwing” in which the brogues make a complete circuit around the shoe.

 

4. The Different Types Of Oxford Shoes

Oxfords, not brogues? Yeah, we got the basics down. Now we need to get down to the nitty-gritty. Oxfords for men come in several different variations themselves, each with their own quirks and trademarks.

Let's list them.

• The Plain Oxford: Consists of a quarter and a vamp – nothing more, nothing less. Its simplicity means that it's perfectly acceptable for black tie and business formal.
• Saddle Oxford: This shoe uses an additional strip of leather that goes on the top of the shoe across the center. Contrasting colors are common here, and thus the shoe is more casual in nature.
• Wholecut: As sleek as you can get – this shoe is cut from a single piece of leather, which makes it pricy. It's suitable for the most formal occasions in black and sure to draw attention with more casual outfits in brown.
• The Cap-Toe Oxford: I call this one the workhorse. It's great for business formal, and even business casual (but not less). This is the very first shoe I recommend for any aspiring gent. Its utility cannot be understated.

 

Summary – Oxfords For Men

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At the end of the day, telling an oxford apart is a simple affair – it's just a matter of how the eyelets and built into the shoe. When it comes to differentiating them from brogues… well, they can be both. Just remember that the more broguing there is, the more casual the shoe.

 

This article was brought to you by Beckett Simonon – the makers of premium men's dress shoes. Every Beckett Simonon shoe is made-to-order, meaning your order is custom made on the spot! This minimizes the cost to the customer, meaning you get amazing dress shoes at an amazing price. 

Every shoe is made with blake stitching, meaning your soles are interchangeable once they wear out. Every shoe is handmade and they have a fantastic variety to choose from – including oxfords and brogues! What are you waiting for? Click here to shop with Beckett Simonon

The post Oxfords Not Brogues! A Kingsman’s Guide To Oxfords For Men appeared first on Real Men Real Style.

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Antonio, Khareem Sudlow