Best Shoes for Dark Suits

There is a shoe that works well for just about any type of outfit. Suits look sharp with a good pair of shoes, and a dark suit looks even better with the right pair of shoes.

Shoes for dark suits may seem like an easy task at first, however, there are many things to consider when finding your perfect match. You have more options than just black, or brown. You must also consider where you are going, and what color your other accessories are.

Suits have been around for a very long time, and a well-dressed person gives a certain impression to others.

When going in for a job interview, or a fancy date, you will want to look as sharp as possible. A good dark suit with the best shoe can transform you into someone who demands attention.

Figuring out which shoe to wear with your suit can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.

Let’s think about what your options are and when to wear the correct type and color of shoes.

Where Are You Going?

You might want to consider where you are going. A dark suit can be an awesome way to look your best.

Business

Dark suits in the workplace can help let others know you mean business.

Many lawyers, businessmen, and even servers wear dark suits. When looking for what type of shoe to wear with a dark suit to work in you should probably keep it simple. Black shoes go best with black suits.

And the darker the shoe the better when it comes to really dark suits.

Casual

If you are wearing a casual suit you have a few more options. You can wear a shoe that stands out and fits your style a little more. Wearing a dark suit with the right shoe to a casual setting allows you to look sharp but not like you’re trying too hard.

Pleasure

When it comes to dates and going to places with fancy attire, the right shoe for your dark suit can make it or break it.

You want to stand out, but not too much. You have more options than business, however, you still want to keep it relatively simple.

Consider wearing suits that use colors like charcoal with oxblood/burgundy or dark navy blue suits with black or dark brown.

What are the Wrong Shoe Colors for a Dark Suit?

When it comes to a dark suit there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind. The darker the shoe color the better.

This means with a black suit, a black shoe is the best way to go. You can go with a dark brown as long as it is dark enough that it still fits with the black.

Wearing a light brown shoe with a black suit does not look good and will make your feet stand out when you want to stand out as a whole.

Red shoes such as oxblood and burgundy can look great with certain types of dark suits such as dark navy blue and dark olive green. However, red shoes do not go as well with black or dark brown suits that are almost black.

You do not want to wear white shoes with a dark suit. You will stick out like a sore thumb. The same goes for light tan shoes and other lighter colors.

You should avoid any shoe colors that are not black, dark brown, or oxblood/burgundy.

Styles of Shoes

There are many styles of shoes and some of them work better with a dark suit and darker shoe colors. Let’s take a closer look at styles of shoes to wear with dark suits.

Oxfords
Derby
Loafers
Cap Toes
Monk Straps
Dress Boots

Oxfords are an elegant, formal, classy looking dress shoe. They work well with dark suits and suits in general. The black oxfords are sleek and look nice with a black suit.

The derby is a shoe that is similar to the oxford shoe. The difference is that the laces are on the outside. They come in many awesome colors that work well with dark suits such as black, dark brown, and burgundy. They also work well for casual suits.

Loafers look good with just about any type of suit. Business suits, casual suits, and fancy dress suits. They come in many styles with many options for colors that work great for dark suits.

Cap toes are a great dress shoe that has an extra strip of leather on the toe area. They come in many designs and are nice leather shoes that look good for fancy dress and business suits.

Monk straps have a leather strap that goes over the top. They are fancy dress shoes that can really step up your game when it comes to wearing a nice dark suit. They come in many styles of leather and look and feel nice.

Dress boots have their place. They can work with dark suits in a casual or fancy setting. You would not wear a dress boot with a business suit. Keep it casual.

Black Suit Brown Shoes Yes or No

A lot of people will tell you that you can only wear black shoes with a black suit. However, this is just not true. Black shoes give a more sleek look when paired with a black suit, but a good pair of dark brown shoes can give a black suit a great touch.

Not every brown shoe will work with black. When looking for a brown shoe to wear with a black suit as a rule of thumb you should go with the darkest possible brown.

The dark brown color will not try to compete with the black suit when it comes to standing out.

You do not want your feet to stand out as much with a black suit, you want your overall look to match, to look sleek, and give the impression that you are here for business and to look your best.

Matching Belt with Shoes

When finding the best shoes to wear with a dark suit you will want to consider your accessories. Matching your belt with your shoes can be a great way to show that your tastes are complex and classy.

A dark brown belt looks great with a pair of dark brown shoes. If you are wearing a dark suit and a black leather belt that matches your black leather shoes they can give a great impression.

The same goes for other accessories, your tie, your undershirt, and even your watch can match your shoes and dark suit to give a sleek, complex look.

Best Shoes for Black Suit

Black suits give a certain impression. A nice black suit can say that you mean business, you want to look sharp, and that you are passionate about looking nice. Let’s look at what types of shoes and what colors work best with black suits.

The best type of shoes for a black suit:

Oxford
Derby
Monk Strap

The oxford shoe works really well with a black suit. A black oxford shoe looks sleek and professional.

Derbys can work well with black casual suits and some business suits. They come in many styles of leather and look good in multiple situations.

Monk straps can look very good with a black suit. They provide you with a more fancy looking style that looks great for parties and situations that call for a more fancy looking dress shoe.

When it comes to a black suit you want to wear a dark color shoe. In most cases we suggest wearing a black shoe with a black suit, however, you also have the option of wearing a dark brown or dark burgundy.

Shoe colors for a black suit:

Black
Dark Brown
Dark Burgandy

Keep to these three colors and you should be just fine in a black suit. As a rule of thumb when wearing a brown shoe with a black suit, try to go as dark as possible. The same goes for a burgundy, a near-black brown or burgundy work really well with a black suit.

Best Shoes for Dark Navy Blue Suit

A navy blue suit is a great way to look sharp and add a little color while you’re at it. Most navy blue suits are a dark shade. So we follow the rule of thumb that your shoe needs to be a few shades darker.

Shoe colors that work well for navy blue:

Black
Shades of brown
Oxblood

Black is probably the best color to wear with a dark navy blue suit. With black shoes, you will be able to match your belt nicely.

You have a few options with brown. Since there is some color in your suit, a medium shade brown would work. As long as it looks good in the mirror you should be fine.

Dark Brown looks better, the darker shade of brown the better it will look with a dark suit.

Oxblood can be an option for a dark navy suit as long as it is a nice dark shade of red. You may want to go with a dark red tie to match.

Shoes to Match with Dark Green Suit

Dark green suits are not that common but they can look good with the right accessories. Dark olive can be a great suit color if you match it with a medium brown shoe or dark brown.

An oxblood or burgundy goes well with a green suit as well and can match great with a tie.

Avoid wearing black shoes with a dark green suit. Black is a great looking shoe when your outfit is more formal. With green, you are saying you are different than the norm, and that’s where brown and red come in.

Even though green is not your average suit, there is no reason you won’t be able to pull it off. Be confident and use your sense of style, if it looks good, it looks good. If you are on the fence about how you look in it, pick another color.

Shoes for Charcoal Suits

Charcoal suits can look good in the workplace as well in casual settings. So the big question is what shoe colors go well with charcoal.

Shoe colors for a dark charcoal suit:

Black
Oxblood

For a charcoal suit, the best option is black. Charcoal is a sleek color and black makes it look really sharp.

Oxblood also works well for charcoal suits. It adds a little bit of dynamic to the overall look. An oxblood banded watch or belt can also be great accessories for a charcoal suit.

Colors not to wear with a charcoal suit:

Brown

Avoid wearing brown with a charcoal suit. The look doesn’t show as much maturity. You want to keep it sleek looking and well-matched.

Brown and charcoal grey can be a conflicting or stark color mismatch.

Shoes for Dark Brown Suits

Dark brown is a color that works surprisingly well for suits. However, there are a few rules of thumb to consider with a brown suit.

Here are colors that work with brown:

Dark brown
Oxblood/burgundy

The best shoe color to wear with a brown suit is the color brown. The rule of thumb is to make sure that the brown is a darker shade than the suit.

Never wear the same color brown, it will make the outfit look off and will not be very impressive.

Oxblood and burgundy work well with brown as long as they are dark shades. You wan the shoe color to be a darker shade than the suit, always.

Oxblood can also work well with other accessories such as watches, belts, and ties when it comes to a dark brown suit.

Colors not to wear with dark brown:

Black

The color black clashes with brown when matching shoes to a dark brown. You do not want attention to be drawn to your feet.

A brown suit is not as formal as a black suit, however, it does look good with the right pairings.

What Are the Best Brown Shoes?

There are many shades of brown shoes. When it comes to dark suits, the shade of brown is the most important part of pairing the colors.

Brown shades for dress shoes:

Dark brown
Medium brown
Walnut/light brown

Matching brown shoes with a dark suit can be a little bit tricky. There are many rules of thumb concerning different dark suit colors.

A dark brown will work the best for most dark colors like black, brown, and navy blue.

In some cases, as with olive or dark green, a medium brown can work well. Medium brown shoes can also work with brown suits, however, it is best to go with a darker brown in most cases.

There are very few times when a light-brown or walnut-colored shoe will work with a dark suit.

To keep things more professional and mature looking, go with the darker shade.

Do not Overthink It Simple is Better

A lot of times people will overthink situations. If you are pondering what color shoes to wear with your dark suit, there is probably a simple answer.

The most simple answer is probably the correct choice. Black shoes will always work well with a black suit.

Brown shoes always work well with dark brown suits. While you do have some color options, like with oxblood, if you are unsure, go with the rules of thumb we have discussed in this article.

If you have the opportunity to wear oxblood or burgundy, make sure to look in the mirror, if it looks good, it probably is a good choice.

It can add some complexity to your outfit and add to the level of maturity, however, don’t overuse complexity.

You will know what works best for you, keep it simple, and have confidence in what you wear and you will go far in life.

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