subject: The Wonderful World of Brogues [print this page] The Wonderful World of Brogues The Wonderful World of Brogues
Brogues are probably the most popular style of shoe available to men in the modern world. Although this style of footwear has been around for many years, they have that unique quality of remaining in fashion regardless of the current trend much like the stiletto heel for women, these shoes are timeless classics; never aging in their sophistication, and ever popular.
They must be the most well known style of shoes available for men; likely most men own at least one pair. Many people believe that the brogue originated from England, and was the brainchild of the fashionista of the upper middle class at the turn of the century but this is not the case, this type of footwear actually has its origins in Ireland and other Gaelic countries. They were traditionally used as working shoes, renowned for their hard wearing and durable materials. Traditionally made from unrefined leather, in modern times the materials are more flexible and a lot more comfortable making them suitable for everyday use.
They generally sport a low heel, around 1-2 cm in height; this makes them the shoe of choice for men who feel challenged in the height department. They are extremely popular with certain short-statured celebrities a certain Dermot and Simon spring to mind here.
Extremely comfortable, as well as breathable, brogue shoes will generally have perforations between the uppers and the toe caps it is said that for a shoe to truly be considered a brogue, it must have at least 400 perforations, whether this is strictly true or not is unclear but an interesting fact nonetheless. Originally, these shoes sported laces, but modern designs do not necessarily incorporate this feature, they can also come in a slip-on or zip variations.
Originally conceived as the working man's shoe, they are manufactured to the highest quality and provide excellent support and protection for the foot. The perforations were added to the shoe to act as drainage in wet conditions, meaning feet did not become waterlogged, this is a great characteristic and makes the shoes perfect for climates where it rains a lot, namely the UK!
For the majority of people, brogues are considered modern day classics; they are generally sported by stylish men who understand the current fashions. However, you do not have to be male to wear this style of footwear, this season, lines are being created by all the leading designers, which are specifically tailored towards women, and electric pink is a particular favourite.
