Everyone knows that when it comes to fashion the shoes truly make the outfit – whether you’re trying to piece together the perfect ensemble for a big job interview, gearing up for a fancy date with your partner, or just heading to the gym, your choice of footwear can make or break your entire aesthetic. And just like you should have multiple options when it comes to, well, wearing anything ranging from casual weekend wear to black tie formalwear, the same rule applies to your shoe collection.

You should absolutely have a few different pairs of dress shoes in your closet. And that’s where wingtip shoes come in. Because of their versatility and ability to be dressed either up or down, it goes without saying that every man should have a few pairs of these babies in their footwear arsenal for any occasion that arises.

And if your head is spinning just thinking about how to go about adding the right shoes to your wardrobe, then you’re in luck, because we’re breaking down everything you need to know about wingtip shoes, where to wear them, how to wear them, and more below. 

What Are Wingtip Shoes?

A wingtip shoe is a dress shoe that features an extended toe cap with low wings that reach around the side of the shoe. They’re similar to brogues and are sometimes grouped together with them, and are often referred to as a brogue shoe or wingtip brogue.

A classic brogue typically comes in a brown leather design, but in this day and age, wingtips come in a variety of colors, finishes, and materials, like grey or brown suede, black leather, a wide range of shades of tan, and more. It’s similar to an Oxford shoe; however, a wingtip shoe differs from an Oxford because of its distinguishable decorative perforation patterns on the outside of the shoe. 

These shoes originated in Scotland and Ireland and the perforated holes and detailing of the shoes were essentially used to drain water and moisture out when the shoe-wearer was making their way through damp or wet terrain. While wingtip shoes still feature this notable perforated detailing, it’s more for decoration than utility now.