How to get through the working week in style

A gentleman should always rotate his shoes throughout the week. Allowing the leather to recover and dry out completely between wears is not only more hygienic but greatly increases the life span of your shoes. With the help of Sons of London, we’re helping you, the style and quality conscious gentleman, get through the working week and into the weekend in style.

What they are: The business staple and all time classic, the Oxford is the perfect shoe to start the week with. First seen in Scotland in the 1600s when they were called ‘Balmorals’, they then went on to be adapted by members of Oxford University in the 1800s to how we know them as today; stylish, smart and timeless.

Wear it with: A black shoe will go with just about everything, but a light grey or a black suit will perfectly accentuate the look. Try and avoid navy, unless it’s dark, and stick to more basic neutrals.

Wear it with: Start the week off with black shoes and a grey suit, and move onto Tuesday with a navy suit and brown shoes. No gentleman should wear the same suit two days in a row, so changing your shoes is the perfect way to ensure you’re keeping things as they should be.

What they are: The semi-brogue is the brogue’s more modern, slightly more sophisticated older brother. Perfect for the great British weather, with their rubber-injected soles and delicate perforations, the semi-brogue is the perfect shoe for the modern gentleman, stylish, slick and always ready to go – a far cry from their origins as a drainage mechanism for farmers working on marshy areas.

Wear it with: You’re going back to black, so make sure you stick with the aforementioned black or grey, avoiding blues as much as you can. If you want to mix things from Monday, try chucking a pink shirt in there for good measure. If you’re bored of black, try Oxblood. It’s unique and it’s versatile; you can wear it with almost any colour and so it’s guaranteed to match whatever you’re wearing that day. Try something new, gentlemen.

What they are: It’s pretty likely that you’ll have plans after work on a Thursday, which is why the double monk is the perfect shoe to wear. It will ensure you look stylish both inside and outside of the office, and are considered one of the most fashion forward dress shoes out there. Originally, they were designed as a durable alternative to sandals for travelling European Monks

What to wear it with:The colour you wear with depend on the colour off shoe you pick, but make sure that your tailoring stays sharp, that the hem of your trousers sits perfectly below your ankle and that you’re never clashing colours.

What they are: It’s protocol in most offices that Friday is a day for you to wind down and wear (within reason) what you like. Most likely, you’ll need a shoe that will take you from the boardroom and into the weekend. Enter the Chelsea boot or Strap boot, but with immense history and very much a place in today’s wardrobe.

Wear them with: Depending on how lenient your boss is with ‘dress down Friday’, pair with tailoring at work and fitted jeans through the weekend (or at your desk). Suited and booted meets rock and roll.

This article was written in association with Sons of London.

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