From Boardroom to Bar: Footwear That Transitions with Your Suit
Once upon a time, the footwear options to wear with a suit were extremely limited. A lace-up was de jour and you’d be lucky to have the choice between an Oxford and a Derby. Fast forward to 2025 though, and the rules have well and truly been reinvented. From sneakers, to espadrilles, to loafers - the shoes that are deemed appropriate to pair with suiting run the gamut from the much more typically casual right through to the classics.
And with so much choice available, there’s also more flexibility for the wearer in how versatile they can make their outfit. With this being the case, we’re giving you the Oscar Hunt run down on the best shoes for suits in Australia that can seamlessly take you from the boardroom to the bar and back again.
Let’s get into it!
How to choose shoes that match your suit
Whether you’re looking for shoes to pair with a tailored suit or something altogether more casual, our recommendation is to start by thinking about the style of the garment itself. For example, if your suit is a formal business suit crafted from a finer blend of wool, a pair of sneakers isn’t going to feel in keeping with the overall tone of your outfit. Instead, we’d look to find shoes which have a similar level of finesse and polish.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you are wearing a light, unstructured linen suit, a pair of traditional brogues or Derbys would look odd and offset the balance of the outfit. In this case you might indeed end up going for sneakers or a shoe with an even lighter construction such as an espadrille.
Smart casual dress shoes
When it comes to finding smart casual options, men’s footwear trends in 2025 are leaning decidedly more towards the casual end of the spectrum. And while there are the expected options (low-rise sneakers), there’s also more exploration of fresher styles like a chukka boot. This can create a great sense of contrast with more tailored garments while also giving your outfit a slightly more rugged edge.
Best men’s shoes for day to night outfits
If you’re looking for men’s transitional footwear ideas, you needn’t look further than the humble loafer. A true chameleon, this is a style of shoe which is just as at home with a navy suit and a white shirt as it is with jeans and an Oxford button-down.
To maximise versatility, we always recommend opting for classic colours that will stand the test of time - brown and black in particular make for great all rounder shades that can be dressed up and down as required.
To discover the full range of Oscar Hunt footwear, we invite you to swing by your local showroom or to give us a bell today.