7 Summer Shoe Mistakes to Avoid

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Summer changes our wardrobes and it’s fun to go along with the seasons but when it comes to shoes, summer shoes are really just for summer and so they’re inherently different to the shoes that you can wear during spring, fall, and winter.

Of course, people can wear absolutely anything today and trust me, they do. But as a gentleman, there are certain classic style rules that help make you look well put together even during the peak heat of summer.

Sandals and Suits obviously don't go well together
Sandals and Suits obviously don’t go well together [Image Credit: Pinterest]

1. Wearing Sandals Or Flip-Flops For Other Than Very Specific Outdoor Occasions.

Sorry, gentlemen, but if you’re serious about your outward appearance, wearing sandals or flip-flops on a regular basis is simply not in the cards. Unless you’re rafting or walking on a rocky riverbed, you should never wear sandals. The same is true for flip-flops, they’re really best at the pool or by the beach but otherwise, don’t show up with them at a restaurant.

Ultimately, no one wants to see your hairy toes and calluses and that aside, I’ve never come across a really super high-quality pair of flip-flops or sandals that just had oodles of craftsmanship in them.

Not a great look for classic gentlemen
Not a great look for classic gentlemen [Image Credit: Lookastic]

2. Wearing Sporty Trainers With Your Trousers & Elegant Summer Outfits.

It simply doesn’t go together. Trainers are fine if you ride your bike, or go to and from the gym, or workout in them, but outside of that, there’s really no place for them in your general wardrobe. Nothing makes you look like an old grandpa than white trainers with white tennis socks so just skip them and put on proper summer shoes.

3. Not Understanding The Difference Between Driving Mocs, Loafers, & Boat Shoes.

All three of these are great summer shoes because they are slip-ons where you don’t have to tie anything. So it’s not just convenient but usually, they also have deeper cutouts which expose your ankle more to the air which gives a nice flow that is cooler than wearing other regular lace-up shoes. Now, what’s the difference between those three shoe types?

Relaxed penny loafer in grey suede with washed out denim
Relaxed penny loafer in grey suede with washed out denim

Loafers are considered to be the most formal one out of the three; you can wear them with slacks, with seersuckers, even a seersucker suit, or even a regular suit except if it’s double-breasted, loafers are typically not appropriate but double-breasted is not advisable through hot summers anyways so you’re good here. Sometimes people even wear it barefoot, however, I don’t suggest that. If you want to go for the barefoot look, always go with no-show socks, it’s much better for your feet, for the hygiene, and it makes you more comfortable in your shoes all day.

U-shaped uppers on a soft sole moccasin
U-shaped uppers on a soft sole moccasin

Next step down in formality is driving mocs. If you want something a little more formal, go with a penny loafer; a little less casual, go with tassel. I like suede for summer shoes because they’re casual and you can even go in more exotic colors, maybe gray, navy blue, or dark green. Driving mocs are a step down in terms of formality, they’re usually worn inside the house or while driving, but during the summer, a lot of people wear them just on the street. Very soft, they’re comfortable, but with the typical sole that is not solid rubber, you probably wear them out prematurely if you wear them outside of the house or your car.

Hand sewn boat shoes by Eastland
Hand sewn boat shoes by Eastland

Finally, boat shoes are the least formal. A classic staple would be a medium chestnut brown. If you want to be a little brighter you can go with blues, or salmon reds, maybe green and blue combinations. It’s a fun shoe if you adhere to the kind of waspy northeastern American style.

Black "dress shoes" with blue soles
Black “dress shoes” with blue soles

4. Buying Somewhat Formal Shoes From The Uppers That Are Then Combined With Colorful Trainer Soles.

We get it, summer is more casual and it also reflects in your shoe wardrobe. That being said, it’s wiser to play with the colors and leather materials but keeping the leather sole than switching to a kind of rubber sole that is green, yellow, or red.

Yes, it makes you stand out in a way but it’s more clownish than tasteful. That being said, rubber soles wear much more quickly, you cannot just replace them very easily and so it’s not a really good long-term investment. Instead, buy a classic leather sole or a classic rubber sole and make a change of the uppers, it’s a much better investment.

While this is "leather" it is still not appropriate for formal wear
While this is “leather” it is still not appropriate for formal wear

5. Buying Sneakers & Using Them To Masquerade Other Shoes.

By that, I mean people try to buy leather sneakers that are more expensive and nicer and so all of a sudden, they think they can wear it for business casual or with a suit and it just looks odd and
it’s not meant to be worn that way.

Light Brown & Blue Socks with Suede Shoes in Brown
Light Brown & Blue Socks with Suede Shoes in Brown

6. Packing Away All Your Shoes And Simply Using Specific Summer Shoes.

Now yes, you want specific summer shoes, at the same time, you can still get out your old brown loafers for example, that you can wear in spring and maybe in the fall or you’re suede desert boots. Those are all good shoes that you can utilize also during the summer so it pays to go through your shoe closet and yes you can set aside your black oxfords or the triple soled boots because that’s not something you wear during the summer but brown tones, maybe reddish tones, and suede leathers are great for summer combinations.

White buckskin oxford shoes with Fort Belvedere Colored Shoelaces
White buckskin oxford shoes with Fort Belvedere Colored Shoelaces

7. Not Owning A Fun Pair Of Distinct Summer Shoes.

There are really lots of ways to have fun even with a classic man’s shoe wardrobe and that can include a white pair of buckskin shoes with colorful shoelaces for example, and in general, if you want to spice things up and you can’t quite afford to invest a lot in summer shoes, just going with colorful shoelaces really change the whole feel and the look of the shoes and you will immediately look summery with a very small investment.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for shoes, look for a woven leather shoe or maybe something with a perforated leather because that will allow more air to get to your foot so you sweat less and you’re more comfortable. If you like softer shoes, maybe a pair of colorful boat shoes or driving mocs are something to invest in. Apart from lighter desert boots that are unlined and actually very low, I suggest you invest in a pair of green shoes because green is really underrated especially for summer.

Lately, I’ve seen it much more come up in suits and sport coats and even shirts but for shoes, it’s still not really popular and it’s particularly good in a darker shade such as forest green or maybe olive green and with a suede texture. Apart from that, classic spectators can work as well although the black and white spectators work, I think brown and white are better suited for summer because it’s a less stark contrast and it just goes well with the warmth outside.

Outfit Rundown

An off-white jacket, light blue shirt and seersucker pants combined with an oxford shoes and Fort Belvedere accessories
An off-white jacket, light blue shirt, and seersucker pants combined with oxford shoes and Fort Belvedere accessories
Madder Silk Tie in Bottle Green Macclesfield Neats Blue Orange Pattern - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Madder Silk Tie in Bottle Green Macclesfield Neats Blue Orange Pattern

Purple Shoelaces Round Luxury Waxed Cotton Dress Shoe Laces

Fort Belvedere

Purple Shoelaces Round Luxury Waxed Cotton Dress Shoe Laces

Dark Grey Socks with Burgundy and White Clocks in Cotton

Fort Belvedere

Dark Grey Socks with Burgundy and White Clocks in CottonDark Grey Socks with Burgundy and White Clocks in Cotton

I’m wearing a combination of an off-white jacket that has center box pleats which makes it easy to move around. It’s made out of a thicker coarser Panama weave fabric. It’s from Ralph Lauren purple label and I’m combining it with a light blue open weave summery shirt and a madder silk tie in dark bottle green with blue or yellow accents It matches the green belt as well as my green shoes which are made out of suede
leather and are a wingtip Oxford from Scarosso.

To make it a little more summery without being too bright, I added dark purple shoelaces that contrast my shoes, works with a summery theme but they’re not super loud. My shirt has barrel cuffs because the cufflinks would be simply too hot and so I’m wearing a little pinky ring with malachite which picks up the green color just like the pocket square which ties together the green tones of a tie and a shoe as well as the light blue of the shirt and the seersucker trousers. Because the shoes are colorful and seersucker is bright, I opted for a dark pair of over-the-calf socks in navy with clocks because contrast a shoe as well as the pants and create a nice combination.

What are your favorite summer shoes? Let us know in the comments below!

Reader Comments

  1. Spectators! Two tone or not two tone, that is the question. The answer should be Hell yes! This correspondent, loves Co-respondents.

  2. Greetings,

    Huaraches are a nice alternative to loafers when paired with trousers and blazer.

    Andrew Gregg,
    Palm Springs, CA

  3. Just one small observation: From my experience, I have found that leather soles wear MUCH more quickly than modern rubber and composite materials. Of course, perhaps much depends on the quality of the materials used, but in general I have found this to be true. Of course, YMMV, but I have boots and shoes with leather soles that have required resoling multiple times while similar shoes with vibram or other similar soles hardly show any wear!

  4. Favourite summer shoes: has to be ESPADRILLES, rope-soled slip-ons with (traditionally) blue canvas uppers – the French answer to looking chic with that effortless Mediterranean je-ne-sais-quoi that suggests you’ve just stepped off the gangplank of your yacht in St Tropez and have a lunch appointment with Catherine Deneuve. If you’re Jean-Paul Belmondo you could probably even get away with wearing them in a restaurant….

  5. Sven,
    Enjoyable article to read :) Where can we find the relaxed penny loafer in grey suede?
    T

  6. i have owned a pair of Timberland Classic Boat Shoes for a number of years (at least 8) and still find them exceedingly comfortable to wear during the summer.

  7. Reading through the differences between loafers, moccasins and boats was insightful. I usually just wrap them all together in the same category. I usually wear my loafers without socks because I can’t stand my socks constantly sliding off inside the shoe. Do you have a certain sock you wear with your loafers to help with this issue? I can’t seem to find any that work.

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