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Craig Twist-Fashion Correspondent

Have you ever bumped into someone with a killer outfit but when you check on their shoes, you then wonder how did it happen?

Well yes somehow the wardrobe malfunction.

Here is the thing, if you did not know that, it is the shoes that determine the whole outfit consequently as it deserves the most attention.

Most people make shoe contact before eye contact, especially women, they always look at a man from top down so why not give them a show. 

Some people may argue that they don’t dress for other people but for themselves which is very understandable, most of us do, but what people see first before you reveal your great personality or how good of an orator you are is your appearance. 

In psychology it is called the “halo effect” whereby an impression created in one area can influence the opinion on the other, meaning, it is human nature to judge a person based on their appearance so it is very imperative to always pay close attention to how you present yourself to people especially for the first time.

You don’t get the first impressions twice so make the first one count.

You have to always dress the way you want to be addressed.

So how then do we know what shoe to wear with a specific outfit or for a specific event? Like they say, the devil is in the details.

First of all, let’s divide the outfit into two, business formal and casual wear.

According to United Kingdom based Zimbabwean stylist Miss B of StyleInspo,  said that for men, formal wear refers to dressing for formal events like weddings, evening dinners, funerals and award ceremonies all the way to those working in stricter office environments (business formal) where one needs to be in a suit and tie where as business casual is more relaxed comprising of chinos, button down shirts, blazers or sports coat and dress shoes.

With that being said, the easiest way to differentiate which type of shoe goes with what is the more the designs on the shoe the more casual it is than formal, for example, even though brogues look dressier, the detail they have at the top make them more suitable for smart casual attire as compared to whole cut or oxfords which are more plain cap toes suitable for formal wear. Brogues look nicer with jeans and chinos than with suit trousers. 

If the sole is chunkier and thicker then definitely that’s a casual shoe. 

Again, in most cases low cut brogues and boots look like then can get away with a suit but if you look at the sole, its more chunkier and its usually made of rubber which is ideal for outdoor walking and bad weather as compared to dress shoes which, in most cases, have leather instead of rubber underneath the sole.

If it’s shinier or glossier then it’s on the higher end of the formal spectrum with patent shoes being more suitable for black or white tie events and on the other far end there are the suedes which look nicer with dark denims and chinos same with the rusty leather boots.

Another give away is the more elongated the shoe is, the more formal it is.

I can not stress enough how many times I have seen some gents wearing baggy jeans and elongated shoes, I’m not here to call them out but that’s not the best of looks one can pull, instead the more rounder and wider the shoe is the more its suitable for casual wear and vice-versa.