When it comes to fashion for the 2018 Spring season, Forbes lists brogues, wingtips and loafers as three of the hottest styles on the market. But if you’re new to the shoe game, these terms may be a little confusing.
Here at FootFitter, we studied the most popular styles and explained what they are and why they are great. In addition, we added in some proper care tips to preserve the notable characteristics of each style.
Brogues
What are brogues?
Brogues are low-heel shoes or boots, easily recognized by their decorative serrations. The style comes from Ireland and Scotland. Typically, brogue shoes come in the Oxford, Derby, Ghillie and Monk styles.
Why are brogues hot this season?
Once considered outdoor shoes, brogues today actually have the opposite effect by adding a unique style and class to your outfits. They instantly take a stuffy business outfit and make it more personalized and trendy. Reversely, when it comes to dressing up casual wear, brogues compliment jeans and also look great in their sportier styles. They’re the perfect style to take you from the office to your sunny afternoon event.
How do I care for brogues?
Cleaning brogues can be difficult because of the perforations that easily collect dirt and grease. The build-up often distracts from the sleek design and, if not cleaned properly, disrupts the intended style statement.
However, with the right tools, digging deep enough to dislodge debris becomes easier. For instance, the FootFitter Signature Shoe Shine Dauber uses horsehair bristles that better penetrate perforations and seams. In addition, the bristle and handle designs allows for better functionality.
Wingtips
What are wingtips?
Wingtips are most commonly found on brogues and refer to the toe cap. Unlike semi, quarter and long wing, full or wingtips are distinct for their W-shaped pattern. Moreover, they get their name from this pattern because it resembles a bird with outstretched wings. This style is the most common and popular in the United States.
Why are wingtips hot this season?
Wingtips help leather shoes avoid looking boring. For instance, the semi style, characterized by just a straight line at the front of the shoe, is too basic for the playfulness of spring. Likewise, the long wing style looks outdated and the laced-up ghillies come across far too childish. The full wingtips are cut at an angle that best highlights the natural contour of your foot. In addition, utilizing wingtips to differentiate between colors like the shoes pictured above proves to be a stylish and effective color blocking method.
How do I care for wingtips?
With wingtips, polish is pertinent. After all, styles like the color blocked wingtip technique above will only be effective if your shoes look clean and shiny. For leather shoes, polishes like the FootFitter Premium Shoe Cream Polish works well at increasing shine, rejuvenating pigment and offering a waterproof layer.
For more tips on how to polish leather and suede shoes: “Shoe Shining Tips to Increase the Longevity and Luxury of Your Leather” and “How to Clean Suede Shoes: Subduing Stubborn Scuffs and Stains“
Loafers
What are loafers?
Loafers are characterized by their moccasin construction. In America, most slip-on shoes are commonly referred to as loafers. Throughout history, various types of loafers emerged including: the Wildsmith, Aurland, Penny, Kilted, Gucci, Belgian and Tasseled styles.
Why are loafers hot this season?
Loafers are great for the spring season because they are lightweight, helping you stay more comfortable as the weather heats up. Also easy to slip on, loafers are great for the man or woman on the go. While loafers are definitely more of a casual dress shoe, Gucci stepped up the game in 1953, making the style equally suited for the professional office setting. This lets you stay comfortable all day long.
How do I care for loafers?
Just because loafers are known as the slip on shoes, does not mean that you should slip them on carelessly. In doing so, you may be inadvertently wearing out the heels of your shoes. While shoe horns are typically used for more rigid shoes, they also prove effective at fixing your loafer heel problem.
For more shoe horn tips: “How to Use a Shoe Horn to Make Sliding on Snug Shoes Simple“
For more from FootFitter: “Shoe Tree Tips: Maintain Footwear Form and Eliminate Foul Fragrances” and “How to Use a High Heel Stretcher“
