One of those welcome remnants from the men’s nautical fashion that frees us a couple of decades ago is the boat shoe. It’s a thing of a footwear chameleon, able to be dressed up or down while sending the material of sophisticated but comfortable. It’s a shoe most likely to be seen by the hundreds in the members’ section at the cricket, or anywhere Pimm’s is served, though it’s so much more elastic than that.
When to Employ Boat Shoes
Typically, we baulk at the idea of steadfast rules for dressing that shouldn’t be deciphered, but boat shoes do include two or three recommendations.
Firstly they are, for the most part, a weather shoe. Given the dressed-down appearance of a boat shoe, it lends itself nicely to the summer wardrobe. Fortunately, if you end up in a cooler climate, then you will be able to wear your ship shoes outside of the summertime.
It’s crucial to listen to what you are wearing with boat shoes. It’s not simply an issue of matching the colour of the shoe to your own belt. Generally, don’t attempt to make them work with a tux or a tie. Socks are best avoided too, although we have got some pointers about how you may break this principle.
Boat shoes do their best work as a subtle counterpoint to the rest of your outfit. Dressing semi-formal? Let them do the heavy lifting in creating a more approachable aesthetic. Sexy enough for shorts? They can bring some maturity to an outfit which may otherwise be lost.
Smart Casual
The dress code ‘smart casual’ seems to bring more confusion than any other. By its nature, it is a subjective and vague term, however there are few clothing items that exemplify the clever casual soul better than boat shoes.
Chinos and ship shoes go hand-in-hand and will grant you enormous flexibility for a variety of occasions. Rolling up the pants’ cuffs lend an air of effortlessness that’s very necessary for the smart casual kingdom.
Shorts are just another option with the right circumstance and outfit. Opt for a good match, and pair them with a tailored top to get balance.
For footwear, it is best to choose natural colours. For a summertime vibe, pair some shorts with navy, tan, white or pale blue boat shoes.
Wearing Socks with Boat Shoes
Should you mention the idea of wearing jeans with ship shoes, many guys will laugh at your face and walk away in their blistered, un-socked feet. But so long as you’re smart and confident with your selection of socks you’re able to bring this summer shoe into your winter attire.
Should you choose to slide on a pair of socks together with your boat shoes, you cannot just pick up a pair of woollen explorers and think that they’ll do just fine. Think about how they operate in tandem and you’ll be able to add another layer of attention to that part of your ensemble.
If you’re sporting a navy blue boat shoe, a splash of yellow can draw down the eyes in the most effective way possible. This works particularly well in the event that you would like to create with an otherwise conservative color scheme. Brown leather goes well with woolly, woven socks and milder colours with pastels.
How to Tie Boat Shoe
The question of how to tie your boat shoes is one which pops up for most recent converts to this kind of footwear. With most styles of boat shoes comprising brief leather laces, they can be notoriously hard to tie in a stylish manner.
Although the laces are largely there for aesthetic value, they will need to be tied one way or another. Here are four common versions for tying boat shoe laces.
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How to Employ Boat Shoes
- Decide on the situation you will be sporting the boat shoes.
- Select a shoe style that matches your outfit.
- Select a leather or canvas boat shoe.
- Settle on jeans, chinos or trousers to compliment your shoes.
- Choose a shirt to finish off your look
