What’s the diff between an Oxford and a Derby? The dress shoe definitions you need to know.
Based on the Oxonian, a late 18th century boot style that became popular at Oxford University, Oxfords have evolved into the world
What’s the diff between an Oxford and a Derby? The dress shoe definitions you need to know.
Based on the Oxonian, a late 18th century boot style that became popular at Oxford University, Oxfords have evolved into the world’s most common dress shoe style and are available in a variety of materials, from canvas and suede to patent and calf leather. The primary characteristic is “closed lacing”, meaning the shoelace eyelet tabs are sewn beneath the vamp. (The vamp is the part of the shoe that starts behind the toe and encompasses the tongue and eyelets). The Oxford is more formal than the Derby.
The word has its origins in the Old Irish “bróg”, which simply means “shoe”. But while they’re quite dressy today, brogues were originally pretty basic leather shoes designed with holes that would allow water to drain after Irish folk had gone a-walking across a muddy bog. Today, brogue means a low-heeled shoe characterised by decorative perforations and serrated details along the visible edges of its multiple pieces. Early in the 20th century, they were considered casual. These days they’re acceptable in most business or formal settings.
3. Monk Shoe
This dress shoe has no laces and is instead fastened with a “monk strap” featuring one or two buckles. Available in calf leather and suede, it’s slightly less formal than the Oxford but still very dressy. In fact, in 2014, The Wall Street Journal included monk shoes on its list of five essential menswear items, proclaiming them “the most advanced dress shoe”.
Also known as Gibson Shoes, these were originally hunting boots in the mid-1800s, though they became acceptable for city wear in the early 20th century. They contrast with Oxfords because they are constructed with a method known as “open lacing”, which means the shoelace eyelets are sewn on top