Even in the era of fashion-casualization, the Oxford dress shoe remains a constant.
It’s undeniably something every grown man should know a thing or two about.
For a lot of you, it may be the most formal shoe type you’ll ever wear. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t fit your lifestyle and budget.
Check out these seven best models, each representing a common priority, from comfort to style.
Table of Contents
How Did I Come Up With My List?
This list took two weeks of research, though in some ways, a whole decade. I’ve worn hundreds of Oxfords every single weekday of my adult life.
I’m an art industry professional, and the New York gallery world hasn’t caught up to the casualization of fashion as offices have. I sit at a desk in my full suit and tie, and I oversee exhibition installations and take-downs. I’m talking cranes and hardhats—while still Oxford-clad.
Incidentally, I’ve become a nuanced expert, knowing which models are comfortable but not professional-looking enough, have great leather but aren’t versatile, and so on.
I also consulted internal colleagues, style consultants, and leather gurus. This list is organized by our top overall pick, then six categories per each model’s specific strength.
7 Best Men’s Oxford Shoes
Best Value for Money: Beckett Simonon Dean
The Beckett Simonon Deans check all of the same boxes as shoe models double their price do. From the full-grain leather construction to the wood detailing on the outsole (rubber-capped for traction), they’re on-template, classically slim Oxfords that can be worn with dress trousers or chinos.
Regardless of which of the five colorways you go for, the leather is supple and will patinate beautifully, especially on the browner shades.
The Blake stitching makes the break-in process short, compared to Goodyear-welted shoes. For me, the break-in was virtually non-existent.
Unsurprisingly, Beckett Simonon’s founders were originally in the leather goods business. They use a made-to-order, small-batch system. This allows them to implement impressive qualities like hand-cut full-grain leather, hand-sanded soles, and exquisite waxing, without the extra overhead.
What I Like
- The full-grain leather provides strength, style, and a long life. This also makes scuffs manageable, especially as it patinates.
- There are five expressive but neutral and versatile colorways, suiting a range of personal styles while maintaining the professional look.
- Their Blake-stitched soles, while not the Goodyear Welt gold standard, don’t take as long to break in as Goodyear-Welted soles and are still resoleable.
What I Don’t Like
- I like that the made-to-order business model ensures fair prices as close to the manufacturing costs as possible, but this means your shoes can take a month or longer to arrive at your doorstep.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers rave about the quality of leather and the superb details, especially at its price point. In fact, the ~$200 tag lifts barriers for a lot of reviewers who claim these are their first “high-end shoes.”
The break-in period varies from reviewer to reviewer, the worst of them claiming they got blisters the first week.
One mentions that the combination of Blake-stitched soles and standard D-widths on the shoes made breaking the shoes in more painful than expected for his broad, E-width feet.
He writes that they eventually became as comfortable as advertised, but recommends using a shoe stretcher on them if you have wide feet.
The Verdict
With their full-grain leather, hand-crafted construction and classic, versatile styling, the Beckett Simonon Deans exhibit qualities similar to shoes double their price—sometimes more.
Additionally, they feature clever details, proving they aren’t just a lazy riff on a classic. Some examples include a rubber-capped outsole to reduce slippage and the beautiful, nuanced range of brown colorways on top of the classic black.
The Beckett Simonon Deans are full-grain leather Oxfords that boast a high level of hands-on craftsmanship. At often ~$200, these classic, slim shoes fly miles over their price point. Oh, and they’re also super comfortable, to boot.
Best Quality Overall: Allen Edmonds Park Avenue
A popular go-to investment model, the Allen Edmonds Park Avenues are quite the icon. The reason behind this, topnotch construction aside, is their designs are always distinct yet still classic.
Throughout time, Allen Edmonds used small details to make it stand out from the standard template. The broguing around the cap toe adds a touch of ornateness without compromising its versatility.
The calfskin construction has a high strength to weight ratio, with a tight, even grain, for a refined look and feel. Plus, these shoes are bench welted all around, securing the heel, the cork insoles, and the leather footbed to each other. This is a categorically stable shoe.
If you want to upgrade your upgrade, the shell cordovan variant is even stronger, essentially crack-proof, and elegantly glossy. It’s also more than double the price of the core Park Avenues.
Another great thing about these shoes is that they’re an esteemed model from an esteemed brand. Allen Edmonds is an American heritage shoemaker that’s managed to maintain its hand-crafted quality and high-standards, which isn’t the case for a lot of its contemporaries who’ve switched to cheaper manufacturing to compete with fast fashion.
What I Like
- The premium construction is obvious right out of the box, showcased through its sophisticated design and beautiful leather.
- Allen Edmonds offers a wide range of sizes and widths.
- You can get the Park Avenues in a premium calfskin leather or an even more premium shell cordovan, both flaunting a stable bench-welted construction.
What I Don’t Like
- As with any full-grain, fully-welted shoe, the Park Avenues require a long break-in period.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Many reviewers agree that while the Park Avenues’ reputation precedes them, they meet every high expectation. The supple feel and attractive smell of the leather and the timeless design are just some commonly spotlit qualities.
Several even mention that they’ve kept pairs for up to a decade.
Men with smaller feet praise Allen Edmonds for offering these shoes in sizes as small as a men’s five.
The Verdict
If you’re looking to go all-in with a forever dress shoe, the Allen Edmonds Park Avenues have every potential to do that for you, as long as you’re willing to take care of them. Whether it’s the calfskin version or the glossy shell cordovan, the strong welts allow you to resole these Oxfords for years to come.
Style-wise, Allen Edmonds employs details around the stitching that add to its character, while maintaining its timeless elegance and versatility.
The highly-respected Allen Edmonds Park Avenues are both classic yet distinct, thanks to their subtly unique details. Their all-around bench-welted construction and incomparably premium leather uppers give these shoes the potential to last a lifetime.
Best on a Budget: Johnston and Murphy Tabor
The Johnston and Murphy Tabors are like a really good illusion that’s well worth the money. The leather is rich-looking, and has the tight granular quality of calfskin, while the soles have stitching around the top, indicating a 360 welt.
Naturally, these are all simulants. The leather isn’t full-grain and the soles are cemented. That being the case, you can wear them right out of the box, even for all-day situations.
I do think that for their sub-100 retail value, the construction is pretty good. Most leather dress shoes at this price point don’t look or feel nearly as authentic. The Tabors even have a lush leather lining.
What I Like
- The simple, no-frills design makes them adaptable to a range of dress codes.
- With its rubber sole and cement construction, these shoes are immediately comfortable.
- Though thin, the leather is rich-looking, especially considering the budget price point.
What I Don’t Like
- The cement connection between the upper and the sole compromises the durability of their connectivity, so these won’t last you as long as welted shoes.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
According to several reviews, these highly-rated shoes have held up well both as casual dress and as everyday office shoes. They look high-end enough, but you don’t have to worry about ruining an expensive pair.
A few reviewers even mention wearing these shoes for years. Even though they’re cemented, I can see how that can be pulled off if you aren’t doing a lot of physical activity at work, and avoiding wearing them during walking commutes.
The Verdict
The Johnston and Murphy Tabors aren’t just perfect for you if you’re on a budget, but they’re an effective choice if you need shoes last-minute since you can wear them right out of the box.
Their price point also makes them low-stress Oxfords, for everyday use in an activity-light office environment.
The Johnston and Murphy Tabors, with their ~$80 market value and textbook design, are a quick and easy purchase. They won’t last forever, but look far better than their actual construction thanks to clever design choices. They’ll do the job perfectly while you have them.
Most Comfortable: Thursday Executive
Once broken in, the Thursday Executives provide easy and comfortable wear thanks to multiple comfort-focused features.
In addition to cork midsoles that form to your feet the more you use them, these shoes are also equipped with shock-absorbing midsoles. These midsoles get extra credit for the fact their antimicrobial quality keeps smells at bay.
Then, the entire interior is lined with a strong but soft, and extra lithe leather.
And again, they do need breaking in because of the Goodyear welt. Still, this combination of sturdy construction with multi-layered comfort technology ensures these Oxfords will last you years.
A fairly new digital native, Thursday Boots started out creating footwear for city folk that needed boots that are comfortable enough for the on-foot urban lifestyle, but still solidly built. The most common choices were delicate fashion boots or overly robust work and outdoor boots, so with the Executives, Thursday aims to fill that gap.
Fortunately, the philosophy of comfortable toughness has carried on beautifully into their foray into dress shoes.
What I Like
- These shoes are made with hand-finished full-grain leather in matte and glossy options, to accommodate personal styles and preferences.
- Despite the Goodyear welted construction, the combination of pliant leather interiors, shock absorbing insoles, and cork midsoles provide long-lasting comfort.
- The antimicrobial midsoles help fight odors and bacteria.
What I Don’t Like
- Once you’ve roughed the bottoms up a bit, they’re a bit grippier, but they’re generally kind of slippery on smooth surfaces.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers love how comfortable these shoes are, with many recommending them to professionals who have to dress up but also be on their feet all day.
The main complaint is around sizing inconsistencies. Thursday recommends sizing down, but a good number of reviewers say they end up with overly tight shoes as a result. Fortunately, Thursday has a fair return and exchange policy, covering shipping and full refunds in the US and most other countries, in case this happens to you.
The Verdict
By building fully-welted Oxfords with a glut of comfort technology, the Thursday Executives are easily a better option than immediately comfortable cement-soled shoes.
You get easy wear with tough construction, as well as handsome full-grain leather uppers.
The Thursday Executives feature a team of comfort-focused features, including the cork midsole and shock absorbing insoles. Uniquely, they’re also Goodyear-welted, perfectly balancing that comfort with a robust, strong build.
Best Brogue Oxfords: Beckett Simonon Durant
The problem with broguing is that it’s easy to overdo, resulting in outdated and costumey designs. The Beckett Simonon Durants, however, are adorned with smaller perforations at the points of stitching, creating more natural and less superfluous detailing.
Even more, each colorway is richly monotone, which turns down the volume of the broguing. This effectively makes them more versatile than louder brogues are.
They also have a refined and slim silhouette and an impeccably waxed upper. Since this is Beckett Simonon, you know you can count on high-end leather and a resoleable Blake-stitched construction too.
What I Like
- The fully monotone colorways and refined perforations make these shoes sophisticated, slightly understated, with the lively characteristics of traditional brogues.
- These shoes are lined with Vachetta leather which is breathable and naturally temperature regulating.
- As Beckett Simonon does, the full-grain leather construction is also hand-cut, providing an artisanal quality.
What I Don’t Like
- Though these are definitely the most adaptable and modern-looking brogues I’ve seen, I can see how they might still be a bit ornate for some people’s tastes.
- Just as with the Deans, the made-to-order model means slow shipping times.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers love the high-quality leather and the refined take on the traditional brogues.
The main complaints are, of course, how long it takes to get the shoes once you’ve ordered them.
A lot of reviewers praise the customer service, so that’s definitely a good consolation. If you’re feeling antsy, you can always reach out for detailed updates.
The Verdict
The Beckett Simonon Durants are slim, simpler brogues, taking a style often associated with Scottish kilts, and bringing it into more versatile territory. If you’ve always wanted to try this design but are intimidated by how busy it is, these are an unintimidating, high-quality option.
The Beckett Simonon Durants are a refined and modern take on traditional brogues, with smaller perforations and a slim profile. They’re still decorative, but are more versatile, and are also built with beautifully waxed full-grain leather
Best for Big and Tall Guys: Florsheim Salerno
Unlike so many dress shoe models, Florsheim’s Salernos not only offer sizes almost double that of the average American man’s (size 18s, to be exact), but you can choose between regular D widths or extra wides.
This makes these classic cap-toes available to bigger folks, whether you’re taller or broader.
Also, the footbed is cushioned with Ortholite foam, which are responsive and high-rebound insoles, allowing you to move around all day without your feet getting sore.
What I Like
- The available sizes go all the way up to a men’s 18 with extra wide options, making these shoes perfect for bigger and taller guys.
- The Ortholite foams provide comfort, while also managing moisture and sweat.
- The leather is infused with Flexsole Technology which makes it flexible yet strong.
What I Don’t Like
- These shoes aren’t meant to last forever, which is fine for the price. However, once they start to wear out, the non-full-grain upper can start to crack, even if you condition it often.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Reviewers praise Florsheim for creating shoes with wider feet in mind, while also providing excellent arch support.
Many mention that they run a size large, which means that you should size down. This also means that those with size 19s may be able to get on these shoes too.
The Verdict
If you’re taller or broader and have a hard time finding dress shoes your size, Florsheim’s Salernos offer a wider range of large sizes than most. They sport a classic cap-toe style and are fortified with a cushioned footbed and strong uppers.
The Florsheim Salernos are bang-for-buck cap-toe Oxfords that go all the way up to size 18s, with extra wide options too. They’re also equipped with comfort and support features that big and tall men often need.
Best for Casual Wear: G.H. Bass Pasadena Suede Buc
The rounded toe and suede body of the G.H. Bass Pasadena Bucs almost make them look like a chukka boot and Oxford shoe infusion. Whether you go for the golden-hued tan variation or the resort-chic gray or navy, these shoes have an effortless look that would pair well with linen (shirt or suit—take your pick).
The entire look is cinched by a rubber sole, which is a bit athletic, but doesn’t go too far in that direction due to the slight heel.
Looks aside, this, along with the microfiber insole, means it wears as relaxed as its styling is.
What I Like
- The napped suede offers a fun, casual look that you can wear all season long.
- The rubber outsoles also add to the effortless aesthetic, while providing flexible comfort.
- There’s more space in the front thanks to the rounded toe.
What I Don’t Like
- Suede isn’t as water-resistant and as strong as regular leather.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Many reviewers report that these shoes get points for being affordable while boasting soft and buttery suede uppers.
Some mention that the factory insoles are a bit thin and recommend replacing them. In my opinion, I’ve seen worse, but if it bothers you, it’s a simple fix.
The Verdict
The G.H Bass Pasadena Suede Bucs take the Oxford model and make them casual without compromising any of its timeless class. They’re also comfortable, making them a handsome choice for a weekend or vacation shoes.
The G.H. Bass Pasadena Bucs have a relaxed but classy look. The architecture and silhouette are as refined as any Oxford or derby, but the suede construction and comfortable rubber sole are undeniably casual.
What Defines an Oxford Shoe?
Simply put, an Oxford shoe is defined by its closed lacing system. This means the eyelet tabs are secured under the vamp, compared to Derbys which have laces above the vamp.
Here are the five main types of Oxfords.
5 Types of Oxford Shoes
Plain-Toe Oxfords
A more formal type of Oxford, a plain-toe lacks any detailing on the front of the upper. Its simplicity makes it simultaneously more dressy and more versatile. If you’re looking for a pair of Oxfords that you can get a lot of mileage in, the plain-toe style is a great choice.
Cap-Toe Oxfords
A cap-toe Oxford is just like a plain-toe, except it features a piece of leather decoratively stitched over the toe box. This style is best paired with professional outfits or smart casual combinations. They’re not simple enough for the most formal situations, say, with a tuxedo.
Brogues and Wingtips
A brogue Oxford is named so after the broguing, or decorative perforations, throughout the upper of the shoe.
If the broguing extends into the toe cap in the shape of an M or W, this is called a wingtip brogue.
A brogue is a fun, borderline flashy shoe. Think networking event or a non-formal date night.
Saddle Shoes
A saddle shoe features a plain toe and a strip of contrasting leather across the middle of the upper. The most common way this style is implemented these days, for grown men at least, is on golf shoes.
Whole-Cut Oxfords
A whole-cut Oxford is made from one piece of leather, giving it a minimal look similar to an opera pump. They’re more versatile than an opera pump though and can be worn in smart casual and formal situations.
A True Classic
Again, the Beckett Simonon Deans are high-value Oxfords due to their premium materials, construction, and made-to-order status. You’ll pay a little more in time since it takes over a month to ship, but a lot less in money.
The Beckett Simonon Deans are full-grain leather Oxfords that boast a high level of hands-on craftsmanship. At often ~$200, these classic, slim shoes fly miles over their price point. Oh, and they’re also super comfortable, to boot.
Meanwhile, the Allen Edmonds Park Avenues are a combination of the shoe industry’s best practices. If you’re looking for an investment piece and possibly the last pair of Oxfords you’ll ever buy, these could be it.
The highly-respected Allen Edmonds Park Avenues are both classic yet distinct, thanks to their subtly unique details. Their all-around bench-welted construction and incomparably premium leather uppers give these shoes the potential to last a lifetime.
When choosing your pair, you have to factor in your lifestyle, as well as personal style preferences and budget.
Regardless, Oxfords are a closet staple, and you’d definitely do well to have at least one pair in your rotation.
FAQs
Are Oxford shoes out of style?
No, Oxfords are timeless. Certain, more ornate variants look a bit outdated, but Oxfords inherently will likely never go out of style.
What makes a shoe an Oxford?
Oxfords are defined by their closed lacing system, the eyelets attached beneath the vamp.
Are Oxfords good for walking?
Broken-in Oxfords with strong but flexible outsoles, cork midsoles that accommodate your foot shape, and comfortable insoles are excellent dress shoes for walking.
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