Marc Nolan's Guide to Men's Brogues

The world of fashion and footwear encompasses certain buzzwords that aren’t always recognizable. One particular term that may leave one scratching their head is “brogue.” Put simply, broguing refers to the perforations creating intricate patterns and standout detailing on a pair of shoes.

As Mr. Porter says in its “All You Need to Know About Dress Shoes” article, “a brogue is very much a shoe in its own right,” and this rings true since broguing patterns are such a defining detail on shoes. Though brogues extend past dress shoes since these design elements are found not just on Oxford and derby shoes but also on boots, monk straps, and even sneakers.

Brogues were originally designed as workwear, but not in the 9-to-5-office sense. According to “Dropping Knowledge: Brogues” by GQ Magazine, brogues were originally designed for English and Irish countrymen who worked in bogs. The holes found on these first brogues were full perforations designed so the wearer could pick up the shoe, turn it over, and drain the water inside.

The change from utility to fashion came later. GQ writer Jake Gallagher said, “As shoemaking became less of a craft industry and more of a business, leather brogues became a big seller for English cobblers who decided that broguing shouldn’t be complete holes, but abbreviated, decorative dots that would give a shoe a nice bit of personality.”

And brogues certainly do have personality. But how do you differentiate between broguing patterns? And more importantly, what style is right for you and your wardrobe? In this quick and easy guide, we break it down for you.

Medallion

Typically paired with other brogue patterns, “medallion” broguing simply refers to the perforations found on the toecap. For an exceptionally minimal pair of brogues, a style like the Thomas Medallion Derby Shoes features no more detail than that simple design on a slightly rounded toe. Chic simplicity is the name of Thomas’ game with a clean two-eyelet lace-up and unencumbered silhouette. This style’s versatility allows for wardrobe pairings for anything from plaid trousers to cuffed denim to black dress pants.

Semi-brogue
Also known as a half brogue, a semi-brogue features a perforated cap-toe silhouette and medallion detailing at the center of the toecap. Close in style to the Owen Cap-Toe Brogue Oxfords minus a medallion design, Owen’s intricacies more than make up for that shortcoming. His brogue detailing is made more prominent by the burnished leather along the serrated seams and at the rounded toe. Pronounced stitching along the ankle and eyelets adds another dose of detail. Create an autumnal ensemble by pairing semi-brogues with burgundy chinos and a chunky navy cardigan.

Quarter brogue
Without medallion detailing, the style is now a quarter brogue – similar but less encumbered. A perfectly minimal pair is the Vincenzo Quarter Brogue Oxfords, which follows this pattern with barely-there brogues. Without a scalloped seam and with pinpoint perforations, these dress shoes give the illusion of whole-cut Oxfords until you do a double take. Wear with a navy suit for formal affairs and with dark wash denim for more laidback days.

Wingtips
The wingtip is the easiest brogue to identify given the “W” design featured on its toecap. Not exclusive to dress shoes, there are plenty of styles featuring wingtip broguing patterns like the Fin Wingtip Boots, the Palmer Monk Straps, and the Travis High-Top Sneakers. Given the range of shoe styles that feature wingtip detailing, the outfit options are virtually endless: spice up a classic suit with a pair of wingtip derby shoes, pound the pavement at fall festivals with some wingtip lace-up boots, or keep your holiday travels easy and chic with a pair of wingtip slip-on sneakers.

Full brogue
A full brogue is most easily described as a semi-brogue and wingtip combined. As a classic dress shoe option, a shoe like the Benjamin full brogue derby comes in a variety of colors like black, chestnut and oxblood to match anything in your wardrobe. Choose a suede iteration for even more versatility and greater casual wardrobe pairing options; Benjamin comes in suede in both a chic mahogany hue and a cool slate grey shade.

Longwing brogue
A truly statement-making style, the longwing brogue is similar to wingtips with the W design and broguing throughout the upper, but longwings are different in their continuity; the brogue detailing runs the full length of the shoe from the W toecap past the eyelets and meets in the middle at the back seam. Closest in style to Marc Nolan’s Sawyer Wingtips, longwings make great tuxedo shoes but can also elevate your daily work wardrobe.
 
Shop all Marc Nolan shoes here and tag @marcnolanshoes on Instagram to show us how you style your brogues – whichever pattern you choose.
 
Written by Hannah Swank
Photos by Kevin Reodica