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What is Brogue?

Brogue refers to the decorative perforation and edge decoration of a shoe, not a single basic construction.

Glossary illustration for Brogue

Definition

Brogueing can occur on oxford, derby, monk or boot styles. Depending on the size, one speaks of quarter, semi or full brogue; the full brogue often has a wing-shaped toe cap.

In simple words

Historically, perforations had a practical function in robust footwear, but today they are predominantly decorative. The stronger the perforations, contrast and sole profile, the more informal the shoe usually appears. A fine perforation on dark leather can still be very well looked after.

What to pay attention to

  • Distinguish the shoe’s basic shape from its brogue decoration.
  • Make sure there are clean, even rows of holes and edges.
  • Choose the level of decoration to match the dress code and the rest of the texture in the outfit.

Common misconceptions

Brogue is not automatically a derby and is not necessarily a rough country shoe.

ESKYNA note

Brogue describes the pattern on the shoe - Oxford or Derby describes how it is constructed and laced.