# When did brown shoes become the thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263 "2018-06-17T15:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/21 "2018-06-26T16:18:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Yeah, I see brown shoes with blue suits more and more these days, and die a little inside. NOKD. But, like I said before, wasn’t that the standard? That’s what I learned growing up in the 80s and 90s. I thought brown shoes with navy blue suits was the classic combo. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/22 "2018-06-26T16:47:18Z")
My red Chuck Taylor high-tops seem to go with everything. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/23 "2018-06-26T21:55:37Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I can’t bring myself to wear brown shoes/belt with non-brown clothes. I do black or oxblood with navy, gray, and black suits. I know brown shoes are officially okay with dark suits, but I just can’t do it. I’m the same way. Brown shoes with everything from dark brown through khaki and tan to beige slacks, but black shoes with navy, gray, and black. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/24 "2018-06-27T03:10:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But, like I said before, wasn’t that the standard? That’s what I learned growing up in the 80s and 90s. I thought brown shoes with navy blue suits was the classic combo. I started wearing coat and tie in my teens in the late Seventies, when I went to prep school, and never learned it that way. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > …Brown shoes with everything from dark brown through khaki and tan to beige slacks, but black shoes with navy, gray, and black. Ditto, although I’ll wear matching brown shoes and belt with a light(er) gray suit or gray pants and an appropriate sports coat, and think that looks OK. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/25 "2018-06-27T15:23:35Z")
I don’t care enough to color coordinate day to day, but if I went to the effort to wear a suit (a once a year thing if that), I wouldn’t be caught dead with brown shoes and a black suit. Just looks terrible. My bigger beef is light shoes/dark clothes. That is distractingly eye-catching. I just don’t like the idea of drawing attention to my feet, though I know shoes used to be a status symbol back in the shoe shine on every block days. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263/26 "2018-06-27T20:16:18Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Guys wear them with black or blue suits. I was always taught that the shoes and belt need to match the suit color, but apparently not anymore. It just looks weird to me. Blue suit? I’m supposed to own a blue suit for work in the event I have to be deposed on a case. It hasn’t come up yet, but I’d sooner show up in gym shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt open to mid belly. And of course flip flops. Force me to wear a blue suit and I’m gonna wear [blue shoes](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&biw=1272&bih=943&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=koQmW9KbH5PV8AOYiKn4Ag&q=blue+dress+shoes+mens&oq=blue+dress+shoes+mens&gs_l=img.3...0.0.0.19419.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.img..0.0.0....0.OBfpqBDIxXg#imgrc=RFuN91WRGaWEmM:&spf=1530130184551) pursuant to Bo’s advice. One wallet, one belt, one pair of shoes, one color, four seasons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-brown-shoes-become-the-thing/816263.md?page=1)