why would it be significant that someone is american and not european? are you suggesting that their style might be different because of the difference in history and traditions?

i don’t agree with everything i read. for example, i think penny loafers work better with suits than most people might think, which is somewhat controversial. but derek, in particular, is such a valuable source of knowledge because it’s his *job*.

i have my own style. i rarely wear navy suits, i mostly wear sport coats in country fabrics like tweed, with warm colors and patterns like herringbone. i enjoy corduroy, sport coats and trousers both. i like repp stripe ties and brass button blazers, as well as other elements of classic U.S style

opinion. there is history and traditions (lol) to draw from.

the nice thing about tailoring and classic menswear is that you don’t have to figure everything out for yourself. there are plenty of good writers (simon crompton, jesse thorn) that have talked about all these things already. they tend to share the same opinions because it’s not solely based on-

certain combinations, i can’t explain any more about why black shoes work so well with navy suits. the shoes you’ve posted as examples of good shoes for navy suits are frankly, ridiculous.

not sure what else you’re looking to get out of this discussion. it’s been very fun but since you seem to disregard the traditions and history that influence menswear GREATLY (and make it more fun to learn about), while also acknowledging the fact that there are practical and aesthetic reasons for

true “dancing” (not clubbing/partying) is not as common as i suspect you think it is. for most people buying tailored clothing this is not going to be something they think about

although this is a tradition, it’s also useful. buttoning only one (or on a 3 button, two at most) allows for a lot of fluid movement and easy unbuttoning for when you eventually sit down.

this is why dark brown or black shoes are so good with navy suits - and tan shoes are not

because the problem isn’t just about the shoes not matching - it’s about how they’re more of a distraction than a supporting element. none of these shoes match, but they also don’t drag your eye down to the floor.

i suppose you would want people to look at your feet while you are tango dancing. this is something most people do not do, so it’s not very useful advice for most. in tailored clothing we don’t button the bottom of the jacket because of King Edward the VII, who couldn’t easily button the bottom.

things like having socks that match your pants instead of your shoes are also for this same reason. you want to lengthen your legs, not your shoes. the goal is not to draw attention to your shoes. dark brown or black shoes go well with navy suits because of how clean and undisruptive they are.

it’s not just about tradition. the goal of tailoring is to compliment your figure and bring attention to your face. everything in the outfit does this, especially the jacket/shirt/tie combo, ideally with long lapels and a low buttoning point that draws a big arrow pointing to your face. (cont.)

are you crazy? is this an elaborate troll?

you mean a color besides navy or dark brown? because this looks extremely good

ok, tell me what’s so difficult about finding shoes to wear with navy

black or dark brown. it’s really not that hard

purple bart simpson