“Can I wear brown Chelsea boots with a three-piece navy suit?” was a question I received.
It’s an excellent question since, on the surface, it appears to be straightforward. However, when you analyze it further, you’ll notice that it is dependent on three factors.
Dress Code
The first concern is the dress code. There isn’t a formal dress code in most situations. If you’re heading to a black tie event, though, your three-piece suit should ideally be a tuxedo, and you should wear the appropriate shoes. That will be a pair of black Balmoral oxfords with a nice shine.
He stated that he is dressed in a navy three-piece suit in the question. As a result, I figured he wouldn’t be attending a black tie event. There may or may not be a dress code, yet there is always an unspoken dress code. Otherwise, you can end up naked.
The point is, it sounds like he wants to look professional, and he’s just wondering if this looks good together.
How Formal is Your Outfit
This brings us to the second part of the question: what is the formality of your attire?
He said a three-piece suit in this scenario. I’m going to go with the assumption that it’s a good suit. I imagine you’d wear a necktie and a white shirt with this outfit. This is going to be a formal affair. This is significant since the type of shoes you wish to wear with it is determined by this.
Chelseas will be a little more casual in general. They aren’t the most fashionable boots, but they can be dressed up. We’ll want to make sure we get the appropriate Chelsea boots, the ones with the most formal appearance.
You wouldn’t even wear a necktie if you were wearing a casual suit with a window pane pattern; instead, you’d just wear a casual shirt. When it comes to Chelseas in the boots, you have more possibilities in this scenario.
Choose The Right Chelsea Boots
The third element, on which we’ll spend the majority of this article, is discussing the many styles of Chelsea boots and formality, as well as what you can pair and wear them with.
In oxblood, you can have a really formal pair of Chelsea boots. However, wearing black or a very dark brown would be more formal.
Dark brown, on the other hand, will not be as formal as black. Even if it’s a three-piece, I believe it will look good with a navy suit.
I also believe that this combo will work particularly well in the fall, winter, and spring.
Why?
In bad weather, the rules change for boots. Boots are practical, and they rise higher to protect the ankles. If there’s slush or snow on the ground, you don’t want to wear low-cut shoes.
Chelsea boots, in my opinion, are the most dressy boots available.
So, I believe that dark brown would be appropriate for the attire you’re describing.
Suede in a lighter brown color. Chelsea boots would go a step too far in the direction of being too casual. Why? They’re made of a suede fabric and are a lighter brown color. The cloth has a subtle texture that will make it stand out.
Overall, the design is elegant and appealing. If you don’t want to wear the necktie, if you don’t want to wear the vest, and you want to wear it more casually, I believe you can make these boots work.
They’d be a striking contrast to the rest of the ensemble. That is, your gaze will be pulled to them, and they will make the ensemble stand out. However, in a casual setting, this would be fine.
However, not all Chelsea boots are created equal.
Some of them will be more laid-back. Some are made to be heavier and larger, and are most likely designed to be worn with jeans. You could wear them with a pair of gray flannels and a sports jacket, but they’re not designed to be worn with a suit. They’re just too hefty and clumsy.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if they have a Goodyear welt on their shoes. They’ll be more weather-resistant than those with a Blake stitch, which will be a little more exquisite appearing but not as weather-resistant.
You must realize that this is a minor distinction, but it makes a significant impact while hunting for Chelsea boots that will go with your outfit.
When it comes to wearing black Chelsea boots with a suit, they’re on the fence.
They’re just a tad too heavy, and the design is a tad clumsy overall. You might still be able to pull them off. Again, if you’re wearing it in bad weather, it’ll be ideal.
Remember to condition and wax your boots before wearing them in rainy or wet conditions. That wax polish will aid to preserve them from dampness.
Could you pair a three-piece navy suit with a brown Chelsea with straps?
Yes, you could pull this off, in my opinion. It’s a little more fashionable, and it will undoubtedly draw attention to the boots. There will be a lot of contrast there. This is going to get a lot of attention.
But, presuming that you’re comfortable with that, that you have the confidence to pull it off, and that you’re not going to a funeral where you don’t want to bring attention to yourself, I believe you could pull it off and look fantastic.
With the combo we discussed, I would say no to gray suede Chelsea boots. I just think it’s a little too casual. They’re also a little hefty in appearance.
