If you have a love for both grey and brown hues, there’s no reason to not incorporate them in your wardrobe. From basic to elegant, grey and brown really can strike a look together and play nice.
Can you wear grey pants with brown shoes?
Absolutely! This is a look worn by many film stars and is often seen as the choice of dress-style in television shows. It’s such a simple combination, it’s no wonder that it is a favorite! Black shoes and black pants also might be a favorite, but brown shoes reign supreme when it comes to a look that’s flexible.
With grey trousers, you can choose to dress down or up, because the pants are versatile. Even if they are considered less formal, we think that brown shoes are the exact same way. With the right clothing, they can be just as formal as black dress shoes.
Does the shoe style matter?
Because shoes come in a variety of shades and materials, style definitely does matter. Depending on the style of your shoe the look you’re going for will be altered. So if you want a formal appearance, with brown shoes and grey pants, consider wearing a simple, brown leather shoe that does not have too much going on.
Shoes that have intricate designs, such as brown leather brogues or tassel loafers, are definitely not what you want to wear to formal occasions because the style of the shoe seems to be more relaxed.
Some styles of shoes have major differences. The main difference between oxford style and blucher style is how the eyelets are stitched. Oxfords have the eyelet stitched under the vamp, while bluchers have it stitched on top, and that simple thing gives bluchers more of a less formal look.
And of course, toe design matters. A plain toe, featured in the oxford pictured above, is more formal than say, the blucher’s capped toe (also pictured above). And, since we’re on the topic of style, any shoes with decorative patterns (known better as broguing) are considered less formal.
Does the type of leather matter?
There are three types of leather that are used with shoes. Full-grain leather, which is top quality. That means full-grain leather does not have to be sanded down, and as it ages it just looks better. Top-grain leather is thinner, easier to work with. It has a split layer and any minor imperfections are sanded away and finish is applied. Correct-grain or genuine leather is low-grade leather, crafted from blemished hides, and then dyed or stained to get the color.
There are two variations to consider: shell cordovan leather, which is made from specific parts of horsehide and they last a very long time; and pebbled leather, which is a raised texture found in some leather shoes, and is often used to hide low quality. However, not all pebbled leather is of low quality.
What about the soles?
While the sole is on the bottom of your foot and not often seen by people, it isn’t something you should gloss over when picking shoes. Leather is the most elegant and has a good sound to them. Dainite provides a lower profile sole, and are good for when you need to walk around a lot in your shoes across rugged surfaces as they still provide a professional look. Rubber is good for gripping but does not do well in the professional style.
For the best look, you want to make sure you wear leather soles or dainite soles, avoid rubber soles at all costs.
Does construction matter?
There are three different approaches to get the leather of the shoe attached to the sole. Goodyear welting, blake stitching, and cementing. Goodyear welting uses a leather welt, which is basically just a strip, to stitch the upper and outsole together. This means it is very easy to resole your shoes without damaging them.
Blake stitching means that the upper is stitched directly to the insole and the outsole. The look is very smooth, streamlined, as no leather separates the shoe components. However, when water gets into the shoe, it’s harder to fix.
Cementing is considered the cheapest option, as there is a cement separation from the shoe and the sole and that cement will separate eventually. It’s best used on casual shoes.
If you’re buying shoes that you hope will hold up for a while, do your best to avoid the cementing option! Also, beware that sometimes manufacturers will have stitching added onto a cemented shoe. You should really research your brand and go in with a plan about the purchase, making sure you’re getting what you want.
What goes with grey pants?
While grey trousers are the most versatile, especially when fitted with brown leather shoes, if you really want to get a “grey look” you should pair dark grey pants with a light blue shirt or light grey shirt, maybe even a white shirt. Then choose middle-toned brown shoes that suit whatever look you’re going for, whether that’s professional or casual.
Match your shades. If your pants are a cooler shade, pair them with a cooler color such as blue, or a light purple. However never fear the bold look, if you’re confident you look great in your style, you could even pair darker pants, with lighter shoes and shirts or vice versa. As long as you think you look great, you’ll feel great.
One thing to really avoid is walnut-colored brown shoes with charcoal grey. You are better off pairing walnut with a light grey! For a charcoal grey look, add dark brown shoes instead. Dark grey pants with pinstripes, whether fine or chunky, checkered grey pants, grey tweed, charcoal grey pants, and light grey pants are just a few of the styles of grey pants out there. If one style does not work for you, you can always try another pair of pants.
The best thing about the grey pants and brown shoe combination is that you can add your own flare with the shirt. Start off simple with just the pants and shoes, and try different shirts, go as crazy as your heart desires.
What color of shoes goes with grey pants?
This depends on the shade of grey of the suit or the pants. If it’s a light grey, it’ll be more versatile to fit with a variety of shoes, like tan or camel-colored shoes for a relaxed vibe and dark brown or burgundy for a formal vibe. Make sure to keep the seasons in mind, as well! Summertime calls for light brown shoes, over dark brown shoes.
When you are pairing your brown leather shoes with grey pants, you should take into account the shoe shading before looking at the actual color. After all, there’s a variety of grey shades and a variety of brown shoe shades. For shoes, the groups are light brown, standard brown, and burgundy.
In the light shade group you have:
- Tan
- Cognac
- Walnut
- Neutral
- Bronze
In the standard group, which is “medium to dark”:
- Burnished brown
- Medium brown
- Dark brown
- Mahogany
In the burgundy group there are two shades:
- Chili
- Bordeaux
The main differences between the three-shade groups are how the colors are displayed and what color is mixed into the brown. Burgundy has more red, while the standard burnished has more black, and the light shade group focuses on lighter tones overall.
Do the seasons matter?
The seasons matter a bit because you’d want to wear boots or lace-up shoes in winter and fall due to the cold and the type of ground you’d be walking across, while derbies and loafers are more suited for the springtime and summertime. While wearing the wrong type of shoe suited for the season wouldn’t be the end of the world, it could certainly mess up your overall style.