Men’s shoes - Brogue shoes

Men’s shoes - Brogue shoes

When one thinks about shoes, men’s shoes in particular, the first name to pop into ones mind are Brogues. Most would argue that Brogues were an old English upper class mans shoe, not so. The word brogue is derived from Gaelic and translates to shoe. Brogue shoes originated in Ireland and Scotland, were made of heavy unrefined leather and were men’s work shoes.

Brogue shoes are defined as low heeled men’s shoes, very comfortable shoes, having decorative perforations (holes) in the shape of an elaborate double-u (W) separating the toe cap from the uppers with decorative perforations around the heel and seams. Brogues are traditionally lace ups with five eyes on each side.

In America Brogues are called wing tips as the decorative holes on the toe cap are in the shape of a ‘W’, resembling a bird unfurling its wings. Brogues are further defined today as full brogues, half brogues and quarter brogues. The fractions refer to the amount of broguing (amount of perforations) on the shoe.

The original brogue shoe was a workman’s shoe. The shoes had no tongue and holes (broguing) were put into the shoes, this was to allow for drainage and quick drying as the men worked in the wet boggy peat fields of Ireland and Scotland.

Traditional, modern day brogues are very sophisticated men’s shoes. Brogues are considered top of the range men’s shoes in shoe circles. There are two main style types of brogues, one is the Oxford and the other is the Derby or Gibson.

The Oxford style brogue has a closed front which means that the eyelet tabs are stitched under the vamp and called a closed shoe whereas the Derby or Gibson have eyelet tabs sewn on top of the vamp and are called open shoes.

Long wings or longwing brogues are men’s shoes with a variation on the traditional W perforation pattern, the wing tips of the W stretch around the shoe, they were designed in the seventies and marketed in the UK as American brogues, and conversely in America they were called English brogues.

Brogues are not limited to men’s shoes anymore or men for that matter, you can buy brogue Boots and there are ladies shoes called brogues complete with the distinctive W pattern of perforations.