In the past, we’ve praised Zappos for their generous shipping & return policies which, in the modern-day, have set the standard for online shoe retailers. However, such policies can be moot if the shoes you’re looking for are not available for sale or offered at a competitive price. Zappos lacks in neither of these aspects.
In fact, they have one of the largest and most varied men’s shoe inventories on the web. When it comes to shopping for tuxedo shoes on Zappos, this is no different. To highlight this, we’ve put together the following selection of both specialized and adaptable styles to wear with a tuxedo:
- Florsheim Tux Cap Toe Oxford
- Bruno Magli Arno Sera Patent Leather Oxford
- Allen Edmonds Park Avenue
- Johnston & Murphy Melton Classic
- Massimo Matteo Italian Velvet Slip-On
Use the links above to skip down to a specific pair or keep scrolling to browse them all!
- Style: Cap Toe
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $119.95 [Buy Now On Zappos]
These Florsheim cap toe oxfords in patent leather may not be the most sartorially correct style of shoe to be worn with a tuxedo. This is namely due to the fact that they possess the cap toe accent. However, the affordable price point and clean design profile make them an ideal choice for those who expect to wear a tuxedo no more than once or twice a year and look to do so without breaking the bank.
The Tux Cap Toe Oxford features the traditional patent leather upper with closed-throat laces, pliable leather lining, and a cushioned footbed with rubber heel for comfortable and fashionable wear. These characteristics make them an appropriate partner to a dapper tuxedo and a premium shoe choice for most two-piece suits.
- Style: Tuxedo Shoes
- Formality: Black Tie
- Pricing: $394.95 [Buy Now On Zappos]
If you already went all-out on your tuxedo and are looking for a high-end pair of tuxedo shoes to match, the Bruno Magli Arno Sera is more than worthy of your consideration.
As traditional tuxedo shoes, the Arno Sera tick all of the boxes. Couple the exacting style with top-of-the-line construction including an Italian calf leather upper (hand-burnished), leather sole, low-block heel, and a cushioned footbed, and your sophisticated tuxedo outfit will not only be completed but also pleasurable to wear.
- Color: Black
- Material: Calfskin Leather
- Pricing: $395 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Not only throughout BespokeUnit’s extensive repertoire of shoe guides but also throughout the web, the Allen Edmonds Park Avenue cap toe oxford is often regarded as the ideal formal shoe for men.
Indeed, the Park Avenue is characterized by the same aspects that landed the above shoes on our list: a black upper and leather sole, closed-throat laces, and subtle-yet-refined design elements. Yet, this Allen Edmonds icon is also marked by Goodyear welt construction, some of the finest calfskin leather in this price category, industry-recognized quality, and a 100-year-old legacy of American craftsmen.
Perhaps most importantly for the purposes of this page, and coupled with a proper polish, a black pair of Park Avenue oxfords will gracefully compliment your tuxedo while also taking over your feet in just about any business professional and business casual setting.
- Style: Oxford Shoe
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $179 [Buy On Zappos]
Johnston & Murphy offers a wide range of men’s shoe styles at a variety of different price points most of which can be purchased on Zappos. Among their varied offerings, we’ve chosen the Melton to pair with a tuxedo as it provides a more price-conscious option for those who can’t justify the full price of the Park Avenues or those who are in a time crunch and don’t have the time to wait for a sale.
In many respects, the Johnston & Murphy Melton Classic is similar to the previous Park Avenues, markedly in its refined design and Goodyear welt construction. Additionally, the J&M Melton is supported by the Optima cushion system that provides a padded footbed and breathable leather lining. Likewise, these can be dressed up for a tux or used in more casual outfits, including formal dinners or even a night out on the town.
- Style: Slipper
- Formality: Black Tie
- Pricing: $149 [Buy Now On Zappos]
No list of tuxedo-appropriate shoe styles would be complete without a velvet slipper offering. While the patent leather shoe is the most traditional tux shoe, the velvet slipper is often seen as a more exotic (though still acceptable) option.
When it comes to velvet slippers, it is advised against going with the cheapest option. This is because, in the case of a tuxedo slipper, the velvet upper is intended to shine through. If the quality of the upper is poor, it can throw off the entire ensemble.
With the Massimo Matteo Velvet Slip-On, you can rest assured that the premium leather aspect is covered. The Made In Italy slipper boasts premium materials not only in the upper but also in the lining and outsole. And while we’ve highlighted the black color on this page, this slipper is also available in a captivating burgundy tone that should not be overlooked.
Shopping For Tuxedo Shoes On Zappos
We’ll be the first to admit that the more than 21,000 pairs of men’s shoes available on Zappos (as of this writing) can seem like an impossible mountain of options to sift through. Yet, Zappos’ friendly search features and specialized categories will undoubtedly make your search a breeze.
So, if you find that the top choices we feature above aren’t to your liking, follow along as we explain how to narrow down your search and make buying tuxedo shoes on Zappos a breeze.
Browse Tux Shoes On Zappos By Size
One of the quickest filters you may apply to narrow down your candidate pool is size. First, start by going to the Zappos homepage and selecting “Shop All Shoes” within the “Men” button in the top navigation. You can use this direct link to get there right away.
Next, we recommend selecting your usual Brannock shoe size which is often the same as your athletic sneaker size. Additionally, seeing as how formal shoes such as tux shoes tend to be made with irregular lasts, we also recommend selecting half a size down and half a size up. Leave width unfiltered at this time.
Occasion: Wedding
Conveniently enough, Zappos already has a category that can save you a ton of time when shopping for shoes that match your tuxedo. Notably, this is the Occasion filter. In our case, we’d want to set this to “Wedding”. Go there directly by using this link.
Do not be alarmed if you find the filtered results to be insufficient; notably, there are some shoes within this category that are brown and brown shoes are categorically unfit for a tux.
This method is only one of the ways in which you may shop for tux shoes on Zappos. However, it does make it quite easy to reach a smaller selection of shoes that could work with your outfit and, more importantly, if you’re pressed for time and need to get a fitting pair of shoes on the way to you pronto.
Yet, if you have some more time to spare, we highly recommend using some of the following search filters to help you find the perfect pair.
Material: Patent Leather, Oxford
Regardless of the nature of your tux, a patent leather oxford is the exact style of shoe with which you cannot go wrong. Indeed, it is the most natural choice to wear to any sort of black-tie event.
Use this link to go directly to the filtered search.
It is true that other styles, such as opera pumps, slippers, and even venetian loafers may be worn with a tux. However, these alternative styles require more effort and attention to detail if pairing them with a tux, especially if they’re not black in color as may be the case with velvet slippers.
The patent leather oxfords will always work and, if you keep them properly polished, they will always look good.
Material: Calfskin Leather, Oxford
By this point, it’s possible that you’ve found a pair of patent leather oxfords on Zappos that would work with your tux and are within your budget. However, it’s also possible that you’re asking yourself: “Am I ever going to be able to wear these patent leather shoes outside of a black-tie function?”
In most cases, the answer is no; patent leather shoes are such a formal style that their shine may look out of place if worn with anything other than a tuxedo. With this in mind, you can still fall back on a black pair of oxfords (non-patent leather) to wear with your tuxedo as well as other formal gatherings.
To produce relevant results on Zappos, we’ve applied the following filters: Shoes, Oxfords, Black, Men, & Leather. You can reach these filtered results directly using this link.
It’s important to keep this pair of black oxfords in tip-top shape. If you’re wearing them with your tux, give them a good shine prior to the function. If you don’t know how to do this yourself, enlist the help of a professional. You want to ensure that any scuffs are cleaned up and that all aspects of the shoe retain their black tone, particularly the upper and soles.
On the formality of black oxfords with a tuxedo: while black oxfords are largely acceptable with a tuxedo, you should keep in mind that the oxford category is broad and can include many different designs. Therefore, for a tuxedo, you want your black oxfords to:
- Be well-shined
- Have a closed throat
- Ideally no cap-toe and definitely no broguing or other type of decoration
- Black leather sole (ideally)
With these guidelines and Zappos’ seemingly endless shoe inventory, you’re on your way to picking a pair of shoes that not only supports a tuxedo but will also get to see the light of day outside of black and white-tie affairs.
What’s Next?
Now that you have browsed our picks of tuxedo shoes on Zappos, as well as learned how to filter down their large inventory to shop for your own, we recommend visiting some of our other popular shoe guides below:
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