How to Wear it: The Allen Edmonds Merlot McAllister Wingtip Oxford

Allen Edmonds Merlot McAllister w/ Tap Sole – $237 ($395)

NOTE: Not sure how long the sale on these Merlot Mcallisters is supposed to last. Lots of sizes available at post time, but they could be a closeout. So if your size is gone, and you still want em’, consider the exact same pair, only minus the tap-sole. Those are going for even less(!)… and are currently listed at just $197.

Okay Mr. Well Dressed Man who is reading this. If you had to pick one pair of stylish shoes. Just one. To wear for the rest of your life with very few exceptions (exercising, black tie, etc.)… what would it be?

Look, there are no wrong answers. But here comes the case for Merlot McAllisters, especially with the grippy yet low profile combination tap sole.

Grip without the thick = AE’s combination tap sole.

They’re a true oxford, so sleek enough for suits. Yet they’re a wingtip, so you can dress them down with dark wash jeans. And that merlot shade is dark enough to be relatively conservative, yet the reddish hues are incredibly eye catching. They’re dressy, yet can be dressed down. They’re quiet, yet hard to ignore. And incredibly enough, they’re on clearance (with tons of sizes) for more than $150 off the regular price. Here’s a few examples of what to wear with them…

 

With a Navy Suit

• Suit: Spier & Mackay Contemporary Fit – $350ish USD
• Shirt: Nordstrom Smartcare Herringbone Trim Fit  ‘ $45.90 ($69.50)
• Tie: TheTieBar Sky Blue Classic Chambray – $19.00
• Watch: Hamilton Chronograph (Sold out w/ silver indices? but more options here)

A classic combination. Merlot or Burgundy dress shoes with a navy suit don’t stand out quite as much as a pair of lighter brown shoes (due to less contrast)… but they’re still more interesting to the eye than dark brown shoes. Wingtips are more casual than a standard cap toe or even half-brogue, but since these are true oxfords, they’re sleek and more than suit-worthy.

 

With Jeans and a Sweater

• Sweater: J. Crew Factory Slim Merino V-Neck (not in stock yet for fall)
• Shirt: J. Crew Factory Light Blue OCBD – $35.50
• Belt: Gap Basic Leather Belt – $39.95 (and often on sale)
• Jeans: Banana Republic Traveler Jean – $82.60 w/ BREAK ($118)
• Watch: Deep Blue Master 1k (300m) Diver – $199 on Grey Nato Strap – $17.49

And now to the casual end of the spectrum. Yes you can wear them with jeans. Maybe not with a t-shirt and jeans. But jeans none the less. Just put a little effort into the upper half. Not a bad smart casual, not too stuffy look for a date or laid back workplace. A good look for fall, winter, and early spring. And with that combination tap sole, you won’t be sliding all over the place if it happens to precipitate.