Brogues - I love them, but how do I wear them?

[Petal02]

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20350649

I've liked this sort of style for a while now. But can't work out how I'd wear them with jeans in autumn/winter, and how would I style them with formal work trousers without looking like a traffic warden?

Is there any way of making them look remotely feminine/stylish? Or is it a lost cause? I'm 46, and try to look polished and modern, without being a fashion victim.

Pinterest is good for styling ideas, just search brogues.

I wear mine with 7/8 trousers for work, or sometimes channel librarian with thick tights and a skirt. Can't pull off the bare legs look sadly - really do not have the legs for it.

One piece of advice - never wear with natural / nude tights. I did this for fancy dress (Miss Marple) and it was the most ageing thing ever. Which was kind of the point in my case, but not a good look day-to-day.

I wear mine with a skirt for work. I am thinking of buying ones in exciting colours for the winter. 7/8 trousers work too. If you have an interesting jacket as well

Just checking out Pinterest:

uk.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=womens%20brogues

So I'm thinking that I would need to cuff jeans to wear them with brogues, and that tan looks better than black? And any socks would need to be invisible (obviously).

I don't think I can style brogues with formal work trousers though, maybe that's a bridge too far.

cherribellini.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/how-to-wear-brogues/

This link is quite helpful too. I like the first picture.

I live in brogues from September til April. I wear them a lot with dresses and semi opaque coloured tights. Dresses must be on or above the knee. Colour combos which work really well are tan or burgundy brogues with grey or navy tights. The colour of the tights needs to be picked up somehow in the dress to pull it together. I think you can wear brogues with socks under trousers but the socks need to be interesting and part of the "look" which doesn't work for me so I only wear them with bare ankles and 7/8 trousers. God I love my brogues - can't wait for the autumn so I can start wearing them again

Thick tights, short skirt - very cute! Ive got similar ones and love them to bits. I got some 3/4 length tailored trouser (Muji) and they look darned good (with bright tights).

I love the Navy Patent with ribbon laces but also have no idea how I'd wear them. Wide leg trousers? I can't do slim trousers, having a small waist and jinormous thighs, but wideleg make me look like my slim waist goes all the way down

I wear brogues a lot - exactly as described above, with short-ish dresses and opaques (either black or coloured) and with cuffed skinny jeans. I have some cut-out ones I'm wearing with jeans and bare feet in summer, but in autumn or not too cold winter (!) I wear black fishnet "ankle-highs" from M&S which just stops it being quite so chilly. A lady at my work wears the shoes in the OP with black wide-leg trousers for work and I think this looks a bit frumpy, personally, but that may be to do with her top half clothing choices too.

Judy I've come to the conclusion that I too would look frumpy if I tried to wear brogues with formal work trousers, and I've decided to go for a tan option rather than black, I suspect these will be easier to style.

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20350674

i fancy a blue pair. I also like the ones with a slighter higher heel. Wide leg trousers and brogues makes me think of Katherine Hepburn and I like that look. High waisted wide leg trousers and brogues. Crisp white shirt.

I agree stitchintime. The lady at my work wears what I'd class as standard work trousers from M&S with jersey tops from Boden and White Stuff so it's not a crisp Katherine H look in my opinion.

petal I really like those in the tan.

www.hotter.com/gb/en/womens/-new-this-season/dalton-shoes-daltnsuksl-product--1

I thought these were nice after reading that thread about Hotter shoes last night.

I love brogues and own several pairs. I mostly wear them with skirts/dresses and tights in the autumn and winter. With trousers, only if the trousers are more of an ankle skimming length or cuffed skinny jeans. Bare ankles look best - so those "no show" socks are ideal for those times. Obviously no good for when it's really cold.