Sugest some mens work shoes to go with jeans
June 3, 2009 11:31 AM Subscribe
What type of non tennis shoes are ok with jeans?
I work as tech support, so sometimes I have to crawl in ridiculous places. Mostly I am in an office though. This leads me to wear jeans to work. Usually it is with a Polo shirt or a button down casual shirt. Anyway, I want to know what type of shoe is acceptable to wear with nice men's jeans that isn't a sneaker? In the winter I wear some reasonably stylish boots with my jeans, but this doesn't work so well in the summer heat. Also, I wear a 13 or 14 in most shoes, so many options look ridiculous on my large feet. And they have to be comfy as I am on my feet, running around putting out fires. Also, i work in a smaller not very fashion conscious city.
I eventually hope to step it up a notch in career and want to dress a little nicer. This question got me thinking. Thanks for any hlepful suggestions.
I work as tech support, so sometimes I have to crawl in ridiculous places. Mostly I am in an office though. This leads me to wear jeans to work. Usually it is with a Polo shirt or a button down casual shirt. Anyway, I want to know what type of shoe is acceptable to wear with nice men's jeans that isn't a sneaker? In the winter I wear some reasonably stylish boots with my jeans, but this doesn't work so well in the summer heat. Also, I wear a 13 or 14 in most shoes, so many options look ridiculous on my large feet. And they have to be comfy as I am on my feet, running around putting out fires. Also, i work in a smaller not very fashion conscious city.
I eventually hope to step it up a notch in career and want to dress a little nicer. This question got me thinking. Thanks for any hlepful suggestions.
Any brown shoe will look ok.
Black shoes are a no-no with jeans or any other trousers that aren't black or a shade of gray.
posted by randomstriker at 11:37 AM on June 3, 2009
Black shoes are a no-no with jeans or any other trousers that aren't black or a shade of gray.
posted by randomstriker at 11:37 AM on June 3, 2009
My husband wears Keen Portsmouths to work year-round. They even have a "see with jeans" option on that page. You might find some other Keens that would work for you.
posted by candyland at 11:39 AM on June 3, 2009
posted by candyland at 11:39 AM on June 3, 2009
On the Sketchers angle, I wear a version of these that seem to scale up and down in terms of casualness.
posted by mmascolino at 11:43 AM on June 3, 2009
posted by mmascolino at 11:43 AM on June 3, 2009
I have a pair of shoes with a round, smooth nose and thick soles that look vaguely like steel-toed workboots, but are in fact dress shoes; somewhat dressy, but kinda formal, too.
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:44 AM on June 3, 2009
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:44 AM on June 3, 2009
Wow - I'd actually recommend against Sketchers. Look at the back of that shoe. The nubs (or whatever you call them) go way up the back of the shoe. I've found that they snag at the bottom of my jeans whenever I'm going up or down stairs.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:46 AM on June 3, 2009
posted by 2oh1 at 11:46 AM on June 3, 2009
Simple do really cute shoes to wear with jeans. I have these in the Dark Earth colour.
posted by Iteki at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2009
posted by Iteki at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2009
My husband wears the old preppy standby, Topsiders, or some variation thereon. He's a 13W.
posted by immlass at 11:52 AM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by immlass at 11:52 AM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
I've always been anti-Sketchers & Doc Martens, as my feet tend to get ridiculously hot in them. But about a year ago I picked up a pair of these because I liked the looks of them, and wear them all the time now with Dockers or jeans.
Unbelievably comfortable for both sitting and walking, even compared to sneakers.
posted by coolguymichael at 11:53 AM on June 3, 2009
Unbelievably comfortable for both sitting and walking, even compared to sneakers.
posted by coolguymichael at 11:53 AM on June 3, 2009
I do not agree with randomstriker's advice about brown & black shoes -- although in purely dress attire circumstances, it's mostly correct. In any event, we are talking about jeans.
Years ago I bought a pair of standard black Navy oxfords at a surplus store that I wear with jeans on a regular basis. I think they look great, and I've received compliments on them. They are a simple, straightforward design that seems to work in a lot of different contexts. I am not talking about the patent leather type, btw.
posted by OilPull at 12:02 PM on June 3, 2009
Years ago I bought a pair of standard black Navy oxfords at a surplus store that I wear with jeans on a regular basis. I think they look great, and I've received compliments on them. They are a simple, straightforward design that seems to work in a lot of different contexts. I am not talking about the patent leather type, btw.
posted by OilPull at 12:02 PM on June 3, 2009
Any shoe will look just fine with jeans. Even black ones- the rule is to not wear black shoes with blue dress pants, and even that's pretty flexible.
posted by mkultra at 12:10 PM on June 3, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by mkultra at 12:10 PM on June 3, 2009 [4 favorites]
Nthing Skechers. I'm wearing something like those Citywalks right now and they're comfortable as hell. Pretty much all of my non-dress shoes are Skechers - they're comfy, casual without looking frumpy, and relatively inexpensive.
posted by HumuloneRanger at 12:32 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by HumuloneRanger at 12:32 PM on June 3, 2009
I wear a pair of rubber-soled, brown-leather-upper, low-cut loafers by Børn nearly every day with jeans. They are comfortable and casual and I have gotten numerous compliments on them. I also occasionally wear velcro-closure, suede Puma "drivers," which look sort of like much classier sneakers. (I have somewhat narrow feet, though, so I tend to choose European brands; YMMV.)
posted by ijoshua at 12:33 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by ijoshua at 12:33 PM on June 3, 2009
sketchers are hideous. yuck! don't do it!
you can wear sneakers, just not big clunky workout sneakers—check out puma, onitsuka tiger or adidas, for example. they're stylish, go with jeans AND you can comfortably walk miles in them. there's a reason you see lots of people in them in nyc.
posted by lia at 12:36 PM on June 3, 2009
you can wear sneakers, just not big clunky workout sneakers—check out puma, onitsuka tiger or adidas, for example. they're stylish, go with jeans AND you can comfortably walk miles in them. there's a reason you see lots of people in them in nyc.
posted by lia at 12:36 PM on June 3, 2009
oh my goodness, I can't believe there are folks who think black shoes are ok with jeans. it looks horrible.
posted by randomstriker at 12:37 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by randomstriker at 12:37 PM on June 3, 2009
oh my goodness, I can't believe there are folks who think black shoes are ok with jeans. it looks horrible.
Well, it depends on the color of the jeans, doesn't it?
posted by mr_roboto at 12:39 PM on June 3, 2009
Well, it depends on the color of the jeans, doesn't it?
posted by mr_roboto at 12:39 PM on June 3, 2009
oh my goodness, I can't believe there are folks who think black shoes are ok with jeans. it looks horrible.
It's absolutely fine if the jeans are a dark dye. As mkultra says, the rule is to do with dress pants.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 12:41 PM on June 3, 2009
It's absolutely fine if the jeans are a dark dye. As mkultra says, the rule is to do with dress pants.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 12:41 PM on June 3, 2009
Another vote for Sketchers. My husband (size 14) has a couple pairs of their leather shoes (similar to the Citywalk mentioned above) and they looks very sharp with a pair of jeans and a dress shirt.
posted by LolaGeek at 12:41 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by LolaGeek at 12:41 PM on June 3, 2009
Response by poster: I have to jump in and say I am not a big fan of the euro inspired bowling shoe/track shoe combination. the Citywalk sketchers linked above fit in this category. They look ridiculous on my huge feet. And my feet are the opposite of narrow. and I have found the sketchers that aren't the "street/euro sneakers" to be a bit too clunky to look semi professional.
posted by Amby72 at 12:48 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by Amby72 at 12:48 PM on June 3, 2009
Clarks desert boots! They come in all sorts of colors; my favorite is beeswax.
posted by pravit at 12:52 PM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by pravit at 12:52 PM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
oh, there is a great sale right now on simple shoes planet walkers. I just bought a black mid height pair and I'm really feeling the love for them (size 13's for me). I may buy a brown pair too, check them out here: http://www.simpleshoes.com/search.aspx?searchfor=planet%20walkers
posted by midwestguy at 1:00 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by midwestguy at 1:00 PM on June 3, 2009
Huh. I'm sitting here wearing a pair of black Merrells and blue jeans. I wear black shoes with blue jeans all the time. Maybe the rules are different for women. In any case, mr. ambrosia has a pair of brown Ecco slip-ons that he wears with jeans and they look very nice and he says they are quite comfortable. Definitely a notch or two nicer than sneakers, but not "dressy." His are a couple of years old now and I can't find a photo or I'd link it. But almost any of these shoes (with a handful of obvious exceptions) would look fine with jeans, look nice at work, and be comfortable without being too too fashion-forward.
posted by ambrosia at 1:16 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by ambrosia at 1:16 PM on June 3, 2009
If you're looking for comfort, Simple is NOT the way to go.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:20 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by Sys Rq at 1:20 PM on June 3, 2009
Why don't you go to a nice shoe store and try a bunch of shoes on? Go by what they look like to you first and then try on the ones you think look nice. The ones that are comfortable out of the ones that look nice you buy.
Do you have a DSW or an Aldo near you? I tend to like their shoes a lot and they have a lot of different styles. Definitely a step above sketchers...
And black shoes look fine with nice dark expensive jeans.
posted by zephyr_words at 2:02 PM on June 3, 2009
Do you have a DSW or an Aldo near you? I tend to like their shoes a lot and they have a lot of different styles. Definitely a step above sketchers...
And black shoes look fine with nice dark expensive jeans.
posted by zephyr_words at 2:02 PM on June 3, 2009
Black shoes are a no-no with jeans or any other trousers that aren't black or a shade of gray.
What? Seriously?
posted by dfriedman at 2:17 PM on June 3, 2009
What? Seriously?
posted by dfriedman at 2:17 PM on June 3, 2009
Try brown suede or nubuck. Perhaps this or this one from Camper? (By the way, I bought two pairs of Camper Peu shoes two years ago, and I use them during the summer months at the office. They are light and comfortable, and the elastic laces are practical.)
posted by iviken at 2:19 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by iviken at 2:19 PM on June 3, 2009
Black shoes are a no-no with jeans or any other trousers that aren't black or a shade of gray.
What? Seriously?
No.
posted by jockc at 2:31 PM on June 3, 2009
What? Seriously?
No.
posted by jockc at 2:31 PM on June 3, 2009
Brown casual Rockports. Wore when I was in deskop support. They are comfortable to walk in, and give the jeans/polo combo a little class.
posted by wrnealis at 2:43 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by wrnealis at 2:43 PM on June 3, 2009
I've had my eye on these Merrell's for awhile. I love these Barcelonas, but they may be too granola or casual for you.
posted by HotPatatta at 3:24 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by HotPatatta at 3:24 PM on June 3, 2009
Merrell's are incredibly comfortable, btw.
posted by HotPatatta at 3:25 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by HotPatatta at 3:25 PM on June 3, 2009
I know you didn't ask for them, but consider what pants you wear too:
-I wear dark jeans. Not too dark, but definitely not on the light side.
-I also like to wear dark Gap khakis; not that I'm a crazy Gap enthusiast; they just seem to fit right and they're not gaudy.
At my semi-formal workplace, I sport brown Doc Marten Oxfords, which naturally fade quite nicely and look good with any dark, non-black pants.
I used to have a pair of Clarks very similar to their Desert Trek pair, but without the dichromatic tag-thing in the back. I also looked at Clarks' sizes and they only go up to US 13..
Regarding the brown vs black undercurrent: my advice is to consider each sartorial situation on a case by case basis, and don't contrast shades too much. Black can draw attention just as much as a bright color.
posted by hpliferaft at 3:38 PM on June 3, 2009
-I wear dark jeans. Not too dark, but definitely not on the light side.
-I also like to wear dark Gap khakis; not that I'm a crazy Gap enthusiast; they just seem to fit right and they're not gaudy.
At my semi-formal workplace, I sport brown Doc Marten Oxfords, which naturally fade quite nicely and look good with any dark, non-black pants.
I used to have a pair of Clarks very similar to their Desert Trek pair, but without the dichromatic tag-thing in the back. I also looked at Clarks' sizes and they only go up to US 13..
Regarding the brown vs black undercurrent: my advice is to consider each sartorial situation on a case by case basis, and don't contrast shades too much. Black can draw attention just as much as a bright color.
posted by hpliferaft at 3:38 PM on June 3, 2009
Check out these these Clarks. They are very very comfortable & durable. The main color (Beluga Black) looks very good inperson.
posted by thekiltedwonder at 5:03 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by thekiltedwonder at 5:03 PM on June 3, 2009
I favor Havanah Joe's myself. I had picked them up at Nordstroms years ago and when I went to check their site to share a link I could not find them. So I googled and Amazon has a least a link to them.
They are leather, so if you keep them polished they last forever. It's a nice heavy shoe that can look nice but casual.
I do networking in odd locations from time to time, so from dungeon to "boardroom" these work great for me. Pick plus over the Sketchers in my opinion is the HJ's are comfortable.
posted by fluffycreature at 5:15 PM on June 3, 2009
Clarks loafers (I don't do laces) are fantastic, feel really comfy and last a long time. They're fine work shoes. I've found the best prices at dept. stores and shoe warehouses.
posted by ijoyner at 6:01 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by ijoyner at 6:01 PM on June 3, 2009
Dockers shoes and Hush Puppies were basically invented for this purpose.
posted by selfmedicating at 6:04 PM on June 3, 2009
posted by selfmedicating at 6:04 PM on June 3, 2009
Sketchers are the KMart of shoes. I just saw a lot of people recommending them in here it's a bit baffling. Come on people, Sketchers? Anything but Sketchers is my recommendation.
posted by mike_bling at 6:42 PM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by mike_bling at 6:42 PM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by puritycontrol at 11:36 AM on June 3, 2009 [1 favorite]