Few things have changed as much in men's fashion like wearing brown shoes... with everything.
I picked up a GQ Style Manual a few years ago that had a great quote from designer Domenico Vacca about wearing brown shoes (and nobody does men's fashion better than the Italians).
“Many Americans have this idea that if you put on a dress shoe, it has to be black. But Italians - and I myself, especially - very rarely wear black shoes, except for very formal occasions like weddings and funerals. I’m almost always in brown shoes, because they just work with everything.”
A quick modern update (that any man can do), is to opt for brown shoes.
What shade of brown?
My favorite is anything in a carmel-like color (exactly like the brogues in the picture shown above). A lace-up shoe is dressy and can "up" your casual look, while slip-ons and loafers are best in very casual settings.
Yes, men don't wear as many pinstripe suits or blue shirts with the white collar and cuffs (unless you want to look like Gordon Gekko), but the brown shoe is here to stay. It's versatile, timeless, and it makes getting dressed sooo easy.
Pssst - If you really want to push the fashion envelope, then try wearing brown shoes with black as well. Again, what color? The lighter the better so we can see (and appreciate!) the juxtaposition.
Do you wear brown shoes with navy and gray? What's your go-to pair of shoes? Let me know your favorites in the comment section below!