Gray Suit, Brown Shoes/Belt

So I know this is supposed to work, but I'm not feeling it with my gray suits. Wondering if they are too dark. For my upcoming trip, I'd rather pack brown shoes since they will dress up jeans and work with khaki and navy pants with a blazer. If I bring my black shoes, they are pretty much only good for the suit. I just got my Navy back from the cleaner and they broke a button. Bringing it over tomorrow, but not sure if they can fix it in time.

And if these suits work. What shirt/tie combo goes with the brown/gray combo? All I can think of is white shirt/solid navy tie. Maybe white and gold?

So one is this one:
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Fitzg...?dwvar_492K_Color=GREY&contentpos=9&cgid=0216

The other is this one, in gray:
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Fitzg...?dwvar_212K_Color=BLCK&contentpos=4&cgid=0216

Shoes are the AE Kenilworth in Burnished Brown.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/allen-edmonds-kenilworth-oxford-men/3180151

Belt is an AE in Brown
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF96630_1_40000000001_-1_

For a gray suit, I just have to wear black shoes. Never could feel OK wearing brown shoes with gray, but that's just me.

I've done brown with gray only a few times, and only with light gray. Still just didn't feel right to me and I was self conscious all day. IMO those suits are too dark for brown, even the dark brown.

I could easily wear a dark cordovan with those however, and that could dress down nicely with jeans and still go with the khakis.

Well I agree. I tried it on and didn't think it working. I just also don't have room in my bag for a pair of black Strands that I'll wear to dinner a few times and that is it. The Kenilworths I could probably wear every night.

Option 3 is that I have some brown shoes coming that may pull off double duty, allowing me to bring black dress shoes. Khakis and a jacket for dinner and touring if necessary. I'd like to pack three pairs of shoes. Two that can hit the streets and one for when I wear a suit for "formal" dinner.

Both the shoes and the suits are very dark, so it can be a bit harder to "feel it" ... and burgundy may work better with that suit. If you had the same shoes in the burnished walnut, and a grey more like this one ...

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Regen...ar_MK00407_Color=MDGY&contentpos=20&cgid=0216

... then you'd probably be feeling a lot more comfortable with your pairing.

Granted, different shades of grey and brown are going to look better or worse together, but personally, I ONLY like black shoes with a black suit. To me, the richness of brown leather just looks better, whether the suit is navy, grey, charcoal...

... oh, and yes, I think the OP's colour combo can work ... it's just that it's a combo that would be easier to pull off if he's used to the brown & grey combo.

BSAGuy said:

For a gray suit, I just have to wear black shoes. Never could feel OK wearing brown shoes with gray, but that's just me.

Click to expand...

Same here I always wear Black or Cordovan colored Shoes with Grey suits.

This could be generational. Im 31 and wear brown and gray all the time. My father (60) thinks its ridiculous. I will add, that I do lighter, walnut brown with light gray and darker, more chocolate brown with med or charcoal.

29 year old here, and I think that with a light gray suit, walnut/tan shoes look really sharp. With a medium/charcoal suit, black, or mayyyybe dark brown shoes go best. I've tried wearing my medium brown shoes with my gray suit and it just looks...off. I don't currently own a pair of oxblood shoes, so it's hard to say if that combination works for me at the moment.

There's such a variety of opinions about when / whether brown shoes are appropriate, I find it much easier to just not wear them. Otherwise I end up being self-conscious all day.