Brogues - fashion trends

Brogues are shoes or low shoes with a cut-off toe and perforation on the surface, with lacing, wide flat and low heels.

Initially, brogues were purely men's shoes.... They appeared in Ireland, then in Scotland and England as work shoes for farmers. Perforation (brogue) on brogues arose due to the fact that it allowed the boots to dry quickly, provided good ventilation.

The next peak in popularity of brogues came during the reign of Prince Edward of Wales in the 20th century. It was he who began to use brogues for playing golf and thanks to him there was a cut-off nose with perforation in the shape of a W. After that, city dwellers began to wear brogues in everyday life and women adopted these shoes for themselves.

Oxfords - the most classic shoes with closed lacing, the peculiarity of which is that the front part of the shoe is sewn onto the side parts. Oxfords are not perforated, otherwise they are already brogues. Oxfords got their name due to the fact that they began to be worn everywhere and spread to the masses by students of the prestigious Oxford.

Derby - another kind of classic shoes, they are shoes with open lacing, in which the side parts are sewn onto the front. Because of this feature, derbies open freely when unlaced. Derbies can be either without perforation or with perforation.

Brogues have a similar appearance to Oxfords and differ in the presence of perforations and different types of lacing. Although derby shoes also have open laces like brogues, and may have perforations, they differ from brogues and oxfords in sewing technology.

All these types of classic shoes were originally attributes of a business suit, image. On this basis, they also differ in formality:

• The most democratic and free styles are brogues and derbies. Brogues due to perforation and open lacing, as perforation is not considered appropriate in a business suit. Derbies are the opposite of Oxfords - they can be worn with jeans, with a sporty style, a business suit.
• Oxfords are the strictest type of business footwear and are appropriate both in a business suit and in an evening dressy style.

Modern fashion has made significant adjustments to the lineup and varieties of brogues. Now they differ not only in color variety and materials, but also in seasonality, sewing technology, styles.

There are several types of brogues:

• Full brogues - perforation on the toe in the form of an English letter W, also curly perforation is located at the seams along the perimeter of the shoe.
• Semi-brogues - perforation along the cut-off toe in the form of a straight line, along the perimeter of the shoe, on the toe, the perforation forms a characteristic pattern in the form of a medallion.
• Quarter brogues - perforation is located only along the seams, there is no medallion.

There are also options for brogues in the form of high boots with lacing. Such models are worn in the off-season or in damp climates. Winter models can also be of high performance with insulation.

Brogues with thick soles, slightly higher than in classic brogues, are found more and more often in modern fashion. Such brogues are versatile and allow you not to be afraid of moisture, slush.

Initially, brogues were made of genuine leather - mostly calfskin. And they had a smooth and matte finish, then there were glossy leather options. Gradually brogues began to be made of patent leather, suede, textiles and various types of genuine leather - nubuck, crack, crocodile, snake, etc.

Also, with the advent of artificial substitutes for natural leather, brogues began to be produced from various modern materials. - on the basis of rubber, polyurethane, tarpaulin, as well as stretch leather, dermantine, etc. From textiles for sewing brogues, dense materials with a soft structure are used - velor, mixed fabrics, jeans.

Brogues in black, white, cream, beige, brown, dark blue, burgundy, gray have already become classic. Black and brown became the undoubted leader.

Modern fashion has brought bright colors: crimson, red, orange, yellow, turquoise, green, all shades of pastel colors, purple.

Two-tone brogues have received great acclaim - black-and-white, beige-brown, gray-blue, gray-white, etc.

Another direction of the color scheme - gradient coloring, when in the same range the color seems to shimmer in different shades. Also, the difference in the color of the sole and the surface of the shoe is in demand - black sole, brown, beige, etc. The contrast of colors is also found in all kinds of variations of inserts, individual component parts of brogues, colored laces and color highlighting perforations.

Since the style of brogues is rather laconic, additional decor is rarely found in them. In addition, perforation is both an exclusive feature of this type of footwear and as a decoration.Women's brogues in patent leather look great. Gloss and luster add luster and elegance.

Go well with cropped and tapered trousers, jeans - skinny, any trousers ankle-length or higher. And also with skirts, dresses, jackets, short coats... Skirts and dresses are also suitable for short, midi, knee-length. Classic things are combined with brogues. With the help of these shoes you can create an image that is a mixture of classic and casual style.

Long trousers should be avoided since in combination with brogues, visually you will be shorter. If the trousers are straight cut or tapered, but long, then it is better to tuck the trousers, showing brogues. Flared trousers do not quite go to brogues.

If you have brogues in a bright color, then they will become an accent in your look. and it should not be overloaded with other bright details. As in the case with the bright color of brogues, patent brogues also draw attention to themselves, therefore clothes and accessories should not compete with shoes in this case in brilliance and brightness.

Straight cut dresses, or a-line, free cut - almost any can be combined with brogues, except for the maxi length... A short dress would be ideal. Femininity and elegance will give the image of brogues in combination with a skirt or midi-length dress.

Brogues go well with outerwear - cocoon coats, oversized, elongated jackets, short leather jackets.

Classic three-piece trouser suit also looks good with brogues, although brogues are not worn for a business meeting. It is believed that due to the perforation, brogues do not quite fit into the business dress code.

• Dark brown brogues with contrasting beige stitching between the sole and the upper part of the shoe, combined with an elongated blazer coat, give the look of a stylish urban girl in a cool off-season. Double-breasted coat in peach color, matching shade with brogues. Long sleeves, turn-down collar, cut-in pockets emphasize the practicality of the coat model. Beige tapered ankle-length trousers with trim on the bottom and sides of the leg with contrasting dark buttons look great under the coat. These trousers are combined with a light and laconic blouse, T-shirt or long sleeve in the same color scheme. Black socks or stockings, visible between the trousers and brogues, complete the look perfectly. In this form, you can make walks around the city, go to school, to meet with friends, and go shopping.

• This look is the epitome of an urban socialite, sophisticated and stylish. Loose pink trousers are matched to brown-red brogues, slightly tapered from top to bottom with rolled-up trousers. A short white T-shirt or top emphasizes the waistline and is harmoniously combined with a brown strap on the trousers. A stylish cropped jacket-jacket in juicy plum color with long sleeves and a cuff on the belt is worn over the T-shirt. The turn-down shirt collar echoes the severity of the brogues. Short socks in the same color scheme emphasize the color scheme of the image, accentuate the brogues. The look is completed by a headpiece in the form of a stylish men's hat in a dark color, sunglasses and a tote bag darker than brogues. The makeup is done with an emphasis on bright lips with red lipstick, hair is down to the side. In this image, it is appropriate to go to exhibitions, walks, meetings.

• Beige brogues with a dark shade in combination with dark blue skinny and a jacket of the same color harmoniously fit into a casual casual style. The jacket is classic, cropped, with rolled-up sleeves.A neutral blouse with a free cut of a light shade - white, without decor and waist-length was matched to the jacket. A dark brown bag in the same shade range as the brogues with a shoulder strap successfully completes the look. The makeup is accented with bright red lips. A practical tail and dark glasses add austerity and spontaneity to the image. A thin metal bracelet on the wrist was selected from the jewelry.