Today we’re focusing on a somewhat controversial rule. A thoroughly English rule.
“No brown in town.”
Brown, in this instance, referring to the color of your shoes. It began back during Victorian(ish) England with the likes of Beau Brummel and other highly influential fashion setters at the time who would only wear polished black boots around in London. Brown shoes weren’t sufficient for going about your business in the city, which called for formality, seriousness, and pragmatism. Black, grey, and navy suits were required to match this seriousness and nothing less than black shoes to complement them would do.
On the weekend and during summer holiday, the English gentleman would leave the city to pursue more leisurely activities in the country which is of course a relaxed environment. It was a place for him to ease both his mind and his stricter formal standards. This was where it was deemed appropriate to wear brown footwear. The country was also where you would find men wearing brogue shoes and boots- defined by their punched holes which allowed them drain more efficiently after walking on boggy ground.
Does this rule apply today? The answer is a bit muddy. In England, it is certainly alive and well. A 2016 report by the Social Mobility Commission found that candidates attempting to join the ranks of investment banking are regularly turned down for wearing brown shoes to interviews, even if the candidates interviewed well and previously earned top grades at elite universities. However, this study seemed mostly to focus on London in particular, as well as hyper-competitive career paths, so perhaps it only applies to the highest echelons of the London business world.
Meanwhile, “no brown in town” never quite took hold in other areas around the world. Brown shoes are not only a common sight in larger American cities, but the color preference in Italy. Also, it may be true (and I have a feeling it is) that black shoes are required in the more prestigious corporate careers in American cities like New York or Chicago, similarly to London. But I couldn’t find confirmation of that on the first page of Google results when I searched for it myself so you’re on your own for that one.
Conclusion
So, should you “wear brown in town?” It depends on your purpose. If you are at your leisure than I say wear it without a care in the world. There are no formal standards to uphold in that instance. However, there is a related shoe rule that still works wonderfully as a guideline: “no brown after 6.” Its still good practice to wear colors that match the time of day, meaning its back to black in the evening. While its not mandatory to wear black shoes at night time, I recommend still shooting for a darker brown or oxblood color and staying away from tan.
How about on business? Well, use your best judgment by taking the circumstances into account. I recommend sticking with black if you’re looking to score a good first impression for an interview or an important client, or work in a field with a more rigid dress code. You never know when the person you’re trying to impress may be more conservatively minded and pay attention to something like shoe color. Otherwise, there are many white collar professions out there nowadays that won’t think twice about your brown shoes. Unless you’re in London, of course.
What are your thoughts on wearing brown in town?
*Pictures above of the author (and his shoes) were shot by Kaptured by Kassie*
*Pictures below are courtesy of the creativity of three friends: David, Matt, and Michael after I posted the original to Facebook.*
