The Best Business Casual Shoes For Men: Guide To Footwear For A Relaxed Office Environment

How Do We Define Business Casual Shoes?

As mentioned in the introduction business casual is a dress code that’s hard to define in precise terms. In fact, it’s easy to get it wrong and find yourself either too casual or too formal. Fortunately, we have an extensive guide covering the business casual dress code.

In terms of footwear, there’s actually a look that you can choose from. You’ll have noticed that the list above features derbies, which are a casual alternative to Oxfords and Balmoral shoes. There are also Norwegians, which are moccasins with a very similar design.

Similarly, there are brogues, which can feature decorative medallions, pinking, and perforations. Like the visually-similar Longwings, this makes them perfect business casual shoes.

Their structure gives them enough dressiness for the workplace, but their ornate decorations make them a bit more casual than a plain shoe (though they are indeed a touch fancier).

Alternatively, you can choose from a variety of slip-on shoes such as classic penny loafers or even the dressier bit and tassel loafers. The former features a metal link on the throat whilst the latter are an Ivy League style like those by GH Bass above.

Otherwise, you could choose among the many boot options. For instance, we’ve covered a Chelsea in the list above but Chukkas and Jodhpur boots are both great choices too.

Best Materials For Business Casual Shoes

Most shoes are made of some kind of leather, but not every shoe is going to function well in the average office environment. Here are our do’s and don’ts as it relates to business casual shoe materials:

Ideal Business Casual Materials

Pebbled leather: Pebbled leather looks like it has, well, pebbles on it. While smooth leather is of course appropriate, pebbled leather has a certain casual vibe to it that fits perfectly in a business casual office.

Suede: Also known as “reverse calf,” suede is the nappy underside of a cow’s skin. It often makes for a more comfortable shoe due to its softness and pliability, but it also has a more casual air about it that makes it well suited to the office when you’re not wearing a suit.

Materials To Avoid

Patent Leather: Patent leather is great for tuxedo shoes and women’s wallets. It has no place on your feet at the office as it’s far too formal. This applies even if you were to wear a suit every day.

Exotic Skins: While you might be able to get away with it in some contexts, shoes made of alligator, ostrich, stingray, crocodile, or any other exotic leather are generally a bit much for the office and can be more distracting than anything else.

Leather Colors For Business Casual

There are a multitude of colors in which shoes are made (and you can check out our shoe & trouser coordination guide for a comprehensive list of what they are and how to best pair them), but not all of them will fly at work. Below, we’ve organized them by Ideal, Acceptable, and Avoid:

Ideal Colors

Brown: Medium to dark brown in autumn and winter, light-to-medium brown in spring and summer, brown shoes should be a staple of the business casual shoe wardrobe. Note that a chocolate suede blucher is one of the most stylish shoes a man can own, so make it a point to seek out such a pair.

Brown shoes go with anything but black.

Burgundy: This reddish-brown tone, also known as cordovan, is an excellent option for business casual offices. Pair them with grey or navy trousers for maximum effect.

Tan: In spring and summer, tan shoes are unbeatable, especially in natty shoe styles like double monkstraps. They are a smash with blue trousers in particular.

Acceptable Colors

Black: No one will be offended if you wear black shoes with the average business casual ensemble. It’s likely that no one will be excited about it, either. Black shoes will get you in and out of the office in a very incognito way, so it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of pairs of basic black shoes in your rotation.

Darker Non-Standard Colors: Deep tones like plum and forest green can work for business casual environments. You will want to be sure that your office skews casual as opposed to business, so give it a few weeks at least before you throw on your purple suede loafers.

Colors To Avoid

Bright Non-Standard Colors: Unless you work for a style magazine that would be into such things (ahem), it’s best to avoid wearing brightly-colored shoes like fire engine red, electric blue, yellow, and the like. They run the risk of distracting your co-workers and looking unprofessional.

If you’re going to get called into HR for something, it should be for an interview for a promotion, not to get you sent home for your crazy shoes.

What Next?

Business casual can be a confusing dress code, but even if you get only two or three shoes that we mention above, you’ll be properly dressed from the ankles down for any situation.

Now that you know how to dress your feet for the office, are you sure what to put on in other situations? If not, take a look at our other shoe guides:

• Best Men’s Summer Shoes
• Best Dress Shoes For Men
• Men’s Casual Shoes