Brogues were traditionally country wear, to be worn with a tweed jacket and odd trousers. Though it’s long been acceptable to wear brogues to the office, not all of them look the part: black or dark brown brogues are fine with a suitably coloured suit, but tan brogues are usually a step too far.
![Loake 1880 Chester - front view](https://makethman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1.jpg)
The tan brogues above (Loake 1880 Chesters) are your stereotypical English-made variety, built for toughness and durability. The soles, while made of leather, are much thicker than those of most dress shoes. The uppers are constructed over a fairly wide last (to accommodate heavy-duty woollen socks) and give the impression that they were designed to withstand a battering not usually associated with a life of emails, PowerPoint presentations and lunch-time meetings with clients. Put simply, they look clownish and clumpy when paired with most city suits.
![Loake 1880 Chester - sole close-up](https://makethman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/3.jpg)
However, that doesn’t mean that wearing tan brogues to work is an absolute no-no. If you don’t have to wear a suit to the office every day you can pair them with corduroy or tweed trousers. If you have a rugged-looking flannel or heavyweight wool suit then tan brogues might fit the part. They also look great with blue jeans; in fact they have the effect of making most straight-legged jeans look remarkably smart.
![Loake 1880 Chester - heel](https://makethman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/4.jpg)
![Loake 1880 Chester - side view](https://makethman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2.jpg)