Experimenting with menswear is easier than it seems.
You’ve got suit jackets, trousers, shoes, and finishing accessories. The essential items in your closet can mix and match already. With just a little bit of finessing, you can create new pairings and breathe life into a standard suit collection. The best place to start? Your footwear.
Depending on the occasion, you can wear practically any pair of boots with any suit in your closet.
Finding Boots That Work With a Suit
The best place to start is with a great pair of high-quality boots. While these styles are all fairly similar, each offers unique style details that make a big difference in your final look.
Here are a few of our favorites:
- The Dress Boot
Dress boots are the statement shoes of the menswear world. They include the classic cap toe, wingtip, or brogue styles– all of which are equally appropriate in the office and on the red carpet. To take things up a notch, try choosing a pair in a unique shade of gorgeously detailed leather (think bright camel or deep oxblood). These gorgeous shoes attract the best kind of attention.
- The Chelsea Boot
The classic Chelsea boot is a universal choice for men looking to broaden their footwear horizons. These slide-on boots rely on streamlined simplicity and feature elastic panels at the sides for functionality and a hint of style. If you’re going all-black, consider the simplest possible Chelsea boot with lots of shine. For a more striking look, consider a brown suede or a pair with accent-color elastic.
- The Cowboy Boot
If you’re in the habit of wearing cowboy boots on the daily, then you know the difference between a dress boot and a work boot. Make sure you honor that distinction and only pair dress boots with the suits in your closet. Go understated with a gorgeous black cherry leather boot, and if you’re feeling extra confident, experiment with either square toe or pointed toe pairs.
- The Chukka Boot
Also called Desert boots, these polo-inspired shoes are a simple and versatile option that feature only a couple of eyelets for lacing and a unique folded look. They can be easily dressed up or down, depending on the material. For more casual-leaning looks, wear suede Chukkas in a neutral like navy or beige. Go for shined leather in a rich shade of brown if you want to dress things up.
These options are just the beginning.
If you find a really fantastic leather combat boot with a thin sole, pair it with your best grey suit and see how things look. You could also pull off an alpine or hiking-style boot, assuming the leather has enough of a certain sophisticated look.
When you wear boots with a suit, you’ve officially given yourself permission to have fun and take a risk. You never know which boots will be the perfect counterpart for your suits until you try.
Three Style Examples to Try
Want some inspo before planning your own looks? Try one of the following outfit combinations and see how it fits with your wardrobe and your style.
Option One: Boardroom Appropriate
If you’re planning to rock the boots-with-suit combo in a conservative office setting, start with a classic dark charcoal suit. Peak lapels, flap pockets, nothing too flashy. Add a conservative-colored dress shirt that doesn’t attract too much attention. Then lace up a pair of dress boots in a dark brown– we’d suggest a wingtip pair with plenty of detailing. Finish the look with a belt and wristwatch in corresponding shades of leather and a modestly-detailed tie.
Option Two: Business Casual
In a more relaxed office environment, you can feel comfortable rocking a casual boot. Pair your navy suede Chukka boots with a light grey suit and wear a brightly colored or patterned dress shirt, top button undone, sans tie. For a little extra flair, add a colorful pocket square or some bright dress socks.
Option Three: Going Out
The right pair of boots can be appropriate for even the poshest black tie events. Try wearing a unique tuxedo– like this Vitale Barberis Canonico in midnight blue— with a white tuxedo shirt, cufflinks, and black bow tie. To finish, slip into a pair of black patent leather Chelsea boots.
The Best Suit to Pair With Your Boots
We started this journey with high-quality leather boots in a wide variety of styles– but we could just as easily have started with the suit you plan to wear with them.
A good quality, well-fitting suit is the foundation of a successful wardrobe. It’s the only thing you need to make boots “work” for any occasion. Whether you’re wearing a grey suit with brown shoes or pairing your favorite black blazer with sneakers, it’s the suit that makes the look.
If the suits in your closet seem to be lacking, try going custom.
At Knot Standard, we craft menswear that brings out the best in you. Our finished garments are crafted from over 27 unique measurements and come in only one size: yours. Visit one of our showrooms to experience the custom difference. With help from your personalized style assistant, you’ll be able to select the designer-quality fabric, lining, and construction details to make this the best suit you’ve ever owned.