Basic boring black shoe?

October 13, 2010 12:17 PM

Suggest a basic black leather men's shoe to wear with jeans?

I go to the shoe store, I see a wall of black shoes, running the gamut from formal dress to trendy, and I just want something basic and inoffensive that I can wear with a casual outfit like jeans. What should I be looking for?

If a particular choice is available at Zappos or similar, even better.

posted by smackfu to clothing, beauty, & fashion (25 answers total)

Does it have to be a shoe? Chelsea boots or Aussie-style work books go pretty well with jeans.
posted by holgate at 12:21 PM on October 13, 2010

These may seem too informal with their big black rubber toe, but Keen Briggs are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I got some to wear with a uniform that requires black shoes and a lot of standing, and they're wonderful.
posted by ldthomps at 12:21 PM on October 13, 2010

consider boots. -T wears these excellent full-grain leather boots under jeans pretty much all the time, and they're perfect - quiet, a little tailored, unexpected, very sharp.
posted by peachfuzz at 12:23 PM on October 13, 2010

Blundstones!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:25 PM on October 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

My boyfriend has a pair of brown Clarks and a pair of black Eccos (that might be reversed, but whatever) that he wears with everything. The black ones are nicer so he generally wears those to work, and the brown ones he wears with jeans/whatever. They're both great pairs of shoes. The more casual pair is very similar to these, but he used to have a pair more like this. I don't know the exact styles.
posted by phunniemee at 12:26 PM on October 13, 2010

Dr. Martens.
posted by sbrollins at 12:29 PM on October 13, 2010

I like a good boat shoe for casual wear-- these are my everyday work shoe paired with jeans and a polo or casual buttondown. (They used to have it in black, but it looks like Zappos at least doesn't stock it anymore.)
posted by supercres at 12:30 PM on October 13, 2010

... Though they do have these nice-looking Sperry Top-Siders.
posted by supercres at 12:32 PM on October 13, 2010

I like the semi casual slip on loafer, like these from Aldo. They're nice enough to wear to work, but casual enough to wear with jeans, too. And if you don't shine them all the time, they work even better with jeans, and then when you want to spiffy up for something, then all you have to do is get them shined and you're good to go.
posted by Grither at 12:35 PM on October 13, 2010

What should I be looking for?

Well with the choice of black you're half way there. As Frank Zappa said: "Brown shoes don't make it."
posted by three blind mice at 12:35 PM on October 13, 2010

Does it have to be leather? Can it be imitation leather? If so, here's what I wear for exactly this purpose: Avalon. In fact, I'm wearing it today with casual clothes, including jeans. Seems to fit your description aside from the material. If by some chance you're going to be in NYC sometime (I see you're in CT), you might be able to find it at the brick-and-mortar MooShoes on the Lower East Side.
posted by John Cohen at 12:37 PM on October 13, 2010

Redbacks. Pull-on boots are great for getting through TSA security checks, also.
posted by Araucaria at 12:47 PM on October 13, 2010

Seconding DM black shoes. They've been my "casual or smart" choice of footwear for decades. And they look great with jeans. And as you can see from this pic, you don't have to go with the yellow stitching.
posted by Decani at 12:47 PM on October 13, 2010

I do love me some Blundstones (aka "Aussie-style work boots"), yes. Don't know if you really need straight BLACK black, but their standard is a very, very dark brown that looks great with everything. I think they do have black, though. As a bonus, they can dress up or down to a certain degree, and if they get a little scuffed so much the better :)

If he's like my fellow (okay, and me too), he's one of those no-tying-shoes people who prefer to slip them on and off. There are a lot of trendy loafers out there right now with pointy, slightly curved toes, but going for something a little more classic won't fail you. A non-penny vamp (top) This is an amazing price for a pair of Cole-Haans, and they have Nike Air built in. Clarks, Bass, Kenneth Cole regular and Reaction -- many others at various price points and degree of casualness. But I can attest that pairing them with jeans and a button-up shirt is easy and looks great -- not too formal. Very yummy :)
posted by Madamina at 12:48 PM on October 13, 2010

Some kind of blucher, maybe a plain toe or cap toe.
posted by cazoo at 1:00 PM on October 13, 2010

My all-purpose black leather shoe. The orange contrast stitch and square toe makes them interesting, but not flashy or non-dressy in my opinion. So comfortable.
posted by thedaniel at 1:01 PM on October 13, 2010

I am partial to Kenneth Cole. You may think they're too formal, but I think they're prefect with jeans. Not the wingtips, obviously, but the plain finish ones.
posted by GuyZero at 1:26 PM on October 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

Desert boots go great with jeans.
posted by philscience at 2:05 PM on October 13, 2010

Scuffed old brogues. At least, this was my high school look when I wasn't wearing combat boots.
posted by Flashman at 2:19 PM on October 13, 2010

I rock the Rockport Atmore at work and at play.
posted by alphanerd at 3:23 PM on October 13, 2010

With jeans? It seems as though I'm in the minority here, but I would advise against black leather shoes with jeans. Something about it just doesn't look right. Brown looks much better to me. Save the black leather for a suit.
posted by fso at 10:14 AM on October 14, 2010

To be honest, I think a lot of the suggestions look more like black sneakers than shoes. Maybe that just means I'm old.
posted by smackfu at 10:46 AM on October 14, 2010

No, it means you have taste. Buy some Kenneth Cole shoes which look like actual shoes but have rubber soles and are pretty comfortable to wear all day and walk in.
posted by GuyZero at 10:53 AM on October 14, 2010

Yeah, a lot of these suggestions aren't too nice.

Get these Frye chukkas off of Zappos. Sole isn't full leather, so you'll get some traction, and these dress up or down well.
posted by achompas at 11:23 AM on October 14, 2010

Whoops, forgot the link for those Frye chukkas.
posted by achompas at 11:25 AM on October 14, 2010 [1 favorite]