A man’s shoes say a lot about him, which is why it’s important to know how to match clothes and shoes for guys. If you pair the wrong shades together, your whole look will be thrown off.
At Perk, it’s our goal to help you achieve your best style. We make it easy, too, with simple tips on coordinating colors and tonal combinations. As long as you’ve got plenty of options to choose from, you’ll have no problem matching your shoes with your outfit.
If you don’t have many shoe colors, starting with black is the smartest choice. Every guy needs a clean and simple black leather lace-up shoe - those are classic, and they’re great for guys of all ages, whether you’re in your 20s, 50s, or 70s.
Matching Clothes and Shoes
When you're picking shoes, matching shoes with your pants doesn’t have to be tricky. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind when matching your shoes with your outfit:- Block colors are smarter than multicolor patterns
- Darker tones tend to be more stylish than lighter tones, and they’re also more versatile
- The style of shoe also plays a big role in how stylish they are, and how well they pair with different types of outfits
- Sneakers and dress shoes play by different sets of rules
- Invest in a good shoe polish, because no shoe looks good when it’s scuffed
- If your shoes are bright, tone the rest of your look down with neutrals
Black Shoes
No matter if you’re headed to the nightclub or the office, black shoes will always be the smartest and most stylish choice. The dressiest shoes are most definitely black oxfords - they can be compared to a black blazer because they look good dressed up, but paired with denim you might start to look a bit like a magician.
If you’re curious about what to wear with black shoes, know that creating a matching outfit for men is simple - just start with black. If you’re not ready to pair black with black, opt for charcoal or gray or even navy blue. Just make sure to keep your shade of blue dark and steer away from anything on the royal side.
It’s not as easy to find a color combination for clothes and shoes when it comes to casual pants, though. If you’re going to wear black shoes with chinos, make sure your shoes are a little less formal. The same can be said if you plan on wearing jeans - go with Chelsea boots or Dr. Martens instead of an oxford.
When it comes to shorts, trust us when we say you should avoid black shoes entirely. You don’t want to look like you’re back in your school uniform, do you?
Brown Shoes
How to pair clothes and shoes for guys is easy when you’re working with brown shoes, as they’re the most forgiving shade of footwear. Since there are so many shades of brown available, you’ve got tons of looks at your disposal, just waiting for you to rock them. Brown shoes can even add personality to your outfit and make you appear less stuffy!
A good tip to remember is that the lighter the shade of brown, the more relaxed your outfit will look. A shoe with detail increases the casual nature of your look, too.
Shoes matching pants doesn't always mean sticking to exact shades. Brown shoes should be your go-to choice for basically any color of chinos - just make sure not to match the two too closely. You want at least two shades of difference between your pants and your shoes; this way, you can avoid the dreaded ‘onesie’ look.
If you plan on wearing jeans, throw on a pair of suede Chelsea boots or chunky brown worker boots. Neither of these will lead you astray, we can promise you that, whether your jeans are dark wash or light.
White Sneakers
White minimalist sneakers can be worn with just about anything in your closet, whether you’re pairing them with a t-shirt and jeans or a blazer and chinos or some nice shorts. Basically, no matter the style of pants you’re working with (save for tuxedo, maybe) there’s a way to make sneakers work with it.
The only tricky thing is keeping your white sneakers as white as the day you brought them home. You might even be able to pull off a pair of crisp, white sneakers straight from the box with a suit! But when it comes to your battered and bruised pair from high school, leave those at home and save them for working in the yard.
Should Shoes Be Lighter or Darker than the Outfit?
In most cases, your shoe color should be darker than your outfit for a balanced and stylish look. Darker shoes tend to ground the outfit and give it a more cohesive appearance. However, there are exceptions, like white sneakers, which can contrast nicely with darker outfits. The trick is to make sure the shoe color complements the overall tone of your clothing.
The Ultimate Shoes and Outfit Combination
There are tons of great color combinations of clothes and shoes out there - and we hope this article helped you find a few that can work for you. For more inspiration, take a look at Perk’s blog!
