Derby Shoes Are Back in Style. Here Are the Best Ones to Buy Now

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You may have noticed that derby shoes for men—or bluchers, as they are often called in America—are back in style. Guys are starting to wear the hard-soled dress shoes with more casual fits like shorts and oxford shirts or jeans and crewneck sweatshirts. But a century ago, derby shoes were an everyday footwear choice for men. It wasn't until the '50s that guys started wearing rubber-soled sneakers for casual occasions. So consider the derby shoe's resurgence a return to form. But between us, derby shoes have always been a great choice for formal and semi-formal attire.

A defining feature of derby shoes: the shoelace eyelets are punched into two flaps that overlay the tongue and can be pulled open, as opposed to a single slit opening on oxford shoes. The exact origins of this design are debated—some stories credit Britain's Earl of Derby, while others credit Prussian general Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, which is where 'bluchers' comes from—but the style's purpose remains the same either way. The flaps open up to provide a wider space for slipping your foot in and out of the shoes. This simple innovation changed men's footwear forever. In fact, the original basic sneaker design that lives on in models like the Converse All Star and Adidas Stan Smith, is derived from derby shoes.

And just like the rest of our favorite dress shoe styles, a bunch of our favorite menswear brands are reinventing the derby shoes with softer, breathable materials that increase comfort, without sacrificing on looks. Styling brogues for men is easy because they look good with practically everything. Ahead, our style team rounded up our favorite derbies worth wearing now.

Dunham Derbies

Beckett Simonon makes a great pair of boiler plate derby shoes, and we mean that in the best possible way. The plain toe is rounded and roomy, which makes your toes comfy and complements jeans and chinos as well as slacks and dress pants. Medium-sized outsoles feature a modest leather stack heel that adds a little hight and supports wider cut pants.

Above all, our editors love this shoe for the bargain price. Beckett Simonon shoes are handmade in Bogotá, Colombia by expert cobblers. The low-key exterior of the Dunham Derbies hides top quality dress shoe components like a steel shank, a soft leather lined insole, a Blake stitch welt, and a full leather stack heel with a thick rubber cap. Whats more, every pair of shoes is made to order, which takes longer to produce, but provides the satisfaction that your shoes were specifically made for you.

Plain Toe Derby

Common Projects played a significant role in bringing derby shoes back in style. The Italian shoe makers developed a reputation for simple designs, built to the highest standards, out of the highest quality materials. Whether it's leather sneakers, Chelsea boots, or derby shoes, Common Projects tend to look good with everything. That's why the brand retains somewhat of a cult status within the fashion industry.

When it comes to chunky sole derby shoes, Common Projects does an excellent job of finding the just-chunky-enough sweet spot. The Plain Toe Derby is equipped with a rugged boot sole that adds an edge to the classic design without wandering into platform shoe territory. Chunky sole shoes can be a tricky look to pull off, especially for the first time, but we couldn't recommend a better place to start than these derbies.

Renegade

Consider this suede kicks a halfway point between derby shoes and sneakers. Suede is softer and more flexible than leather, and a rubber sole is lighter, absorbs the weight of your steps, and requires less time breaking in. Thursday Boot Co. makes a wonderful suede derby shoe called the Renegade. The sandy snuff suede looks gorgeous with denim. So much so, that we bet you won't want to wear any other shoes with your favorite jeans after your try these. We found that they also play nice with navy blue suits.

There are plenty of comfortable dress shoes for men out there that wear like sneakers because of their athletic soles. This is the closest we have come across to a sneaker-feel in a derby shoe with a traditional sole. The secret is the recycled rubber and cork blended material. It provides ample flex, shock absorption, and grip while being exceptionally lightweight.

Gordon Leather Dress Shoe

Just because derby shoes are made of leather, doesn't mean that they have to be expensive. Dockers makes a great pair for a super affordable price. The Gordon Leather Dress Shoes have an old fashioned cap toe appearance, but there are a few modern tweaks that make these shoes exceptionally comfortable. The collar is padded to avoid chaffing around the ankle. An orthopedic foam insert with a gel heel pad provides all day comfort. The sipped rubber outsole is flexible and slip resistant.

Dockers went as far as getting the Gordon Leather Dress Shoes certified by the American Podiatric Medical Association, which makes these genuine orthopedic shoes. We recommend these derby shoes for anyone who has to be on their feet all day at work. The price means that you don't have to commit financially to dedicated work shoes. Plus, they just look great with any business casual attire.

Read more: Best Shoes for Standing All Day in

Plain Toe Blucher Color 8 Shell Cordovan

Few brands, let alone shoe companies, can boast a reputation as prestigious as Alden's. Every shoe is still handmade in Massachusetts, using the same materials, techniques, and much of the same equipment as a century ago. Fans of the brand tend toward various favorites, but if you had to pick a signature shoe for the company, the Plain Toe Blucher wouldn't be a bad choice. A simple, timeless design crafted as close as possible to perfection.

We concede that the price is steep for a pair of shoes. However, the argument could be made that it is actually a bargain, given the fact that these derbies can be worn for the rest of your life if properly maintained. Very few shoes can boast that kind of longevity, but we've heard tales of Alden bluchers lasting for decades of consistent use. The shell cordovan leather is just about the toughest material that you can make into a pair of shoes.

Osborn Plain Toe Derby

Everything about these derbies is built for comfort, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them, and that is the point. Cole Haan has consistently innovated the wearability of dress shoes for men without sacrificing the classic looks that draw us to them. The Osborn Plain Toe Derby is a prime example of adapting athletic sneaker technology to a plain toe leather shoe while maintaining a timeless aesthetic. This low profile plain toe design, available in both black and light brown, works with just about anything.

Cole Haan is a favorite among our editors because the brand fuses style and comfort in equal measures. For example, we love the Osborn derby as a business casual shoe because it possesses all the modern adaptations that make dress shoes comfortable with the looks of a standard issue plain toe derby. It is a perfect office shoe and comes highly recommended for wedding dance floors.

Park Avenue Cap-toe Derby Dress Shoe

Cap toe derby shoes are great because you get all the same styling versatility of a plain toe with an extra little detail on the toe. You would think that stitch line wouldn't make a difference, but it provides a little boots of elegance. Cap toes have been a favorite of well-dressed men for over a century because they were signifiers of expensive shoes. That prestige has held up over the years, making cap toe derby shoes just a bit dressier than plain toes.

We recommend the Park Avenue Cap-toe Derby as a go-to suiting and wedding shoe, whether that be for work or formal occasions. That isn't to say that this shoe doesn't work with chinos and jeans, because it certainly does. We just like the idea of keeping these ones polished up and reserved for the best occasions.

Jameson Longwing

Brogue detailing on men's dress shoes is one of those old fashioned styles that has managed to stick around long past its original use simply because people like the way it looks. The punched holes were originally actual holes to allow moisture out of leather shoes. Now, the holes are punched into or embossed on leather panels that are added to the outside of the shoes. Even the paisley-like design has stuck around, which is probably the root of the appeal.

We like the Jameson Longwing from Johnston & Murphy as a perfect example of ornate brogue detailing that doesn't go over the top. Of course, the hand-finished Italian leather and 360 Goodyear welt don't hurt. A light and flexible EVA sole provides exceptional comfort for a dress shoe. We recommend these with dress pants and suiting to complement the artisanal craftsmanship.

Andrew Split-Toe Regenerated Suede by evolo® Derby Shoes

The split toe is the least common variation of derby shoes, but it has a rugged appeal that should get more attention. Essentially, a split toe shoe has three panels sewn together to create the vamp, the front part of the shoe. This creates a moc toe that is more often seen on boots, loafers, and deck shoes. When applied to a derby shoe, it creates a boot-like look. Mr. P offers a prime example with the Andrew Split Toe Derby Shoes.

While these derby shoes play perfectly well with formalwear, we prefer them with jeans and chinos. Moc toe shoes have a sportier appearance in general. So when combined with this tough-looking suede and black rubber sole, you get something that resembles a boot that has been chopped off at the ankle. We recommend these as the derby shoes for guys who don't dress up often. Throw them on with a pair of jeans and you're good to go.

Xandy Brogue Wingtip Boot

If you're going to wear bots with formalwear, these are the boots to go with. Derby style boots go back just as far as derby style shoes, possibly even further. So a brogue derby boot is a true throw back, in the best possible way. Steve Madden nails the vintage look that is essentially a long wing derby brogue with a really high ankle. Since speed loops don't go well with dress pants, zippers were added to the inner ankle so that you don't have to fully loosen the laces every time you put them on and take them off.

These boots look great with a suit, as we mentioned. However, we also love them with denim, a flannel shirt, and a waxed cotton jacket. The brogue detailing throws a little variation into what is otherwise an essential fall look.

The Different Types of Derby Shoes

Plain Toe and Cap Toe: The original and simplest design for derby shoes features a split opening where two panels hold the shoelace eyelets and cover up the tongue. These panels typically make up the back half of the shoe and are sewn to the panel that makes the toe box and tongue. As the distinguishing feature of derby shoes, the overlapping panels split open and allow for wearers to slip their feet in and out of the shoe with ease. Cap toe derby shoes are the original design with an extra panel added to the toe of the shoe for upgraded durability. In higher end models, this toe panel can even be replaced by a cobbler in the same way that a shoe sole can be replaced.

Brogue and Wingtip: Legend has it that the term brogue comes from bog, or swamp. The decorative patterns we see today were originally holes cut into the shoe leather so that water could escape. Originally developed in the UK, where there is plenty of boggy terrain and wet weather, standard leather shoes would fill up with water without a way for moisture to escape. By the early twentieth century, these holes were replaced with decorative panels placed overtop of solid leather shoes. The most common shape for these panels were the wingtip or longwing, which remains so to this day. Brogues also exist in cap toe, as well as short wing, and full wing versions, which wrap around just the toe box and the entire shoe, respectively.

Derby Boot: Technically speaking, most boots are derby boots. The split panel design is by far the most commonly used for boots. However, the term derby boots is generally used to describe fancier boots that are essentially derby dress shoes with high ankles. Any of the above derby styles can come in boot form, with the most popular being the brogue.

How to Style Derby Shoes for Men

You can wear derbies for any activity short of exercising. It helps to think of the fact that derby shoes were the everyday default footwear for men before sneakers took over that role shortly after WWII. While menswear has changed significantly since then, the function of a good pair of derby shoes has not. Along with dress pants and suiting, you can wear them with chinos, jeans, and various 5-pocket pants like canvas and corduroy. You can even wear derby shoes with shorts, believe it or not, as long as you stick to chino shorts. You may come across the pairing of derby shoes with sweatpants or athleisure pants, but this is a risky look that is best to avoid.

As the average pant fit for men gets wider each year, a fuller bodied shoe like a derby actually looks better than a sneaker. Wider pant openings can swallow up sneakers and low profile shoes. A derby, with a thick heeled sole and hefty leather toe box, will balance out fuller pants and longer breaks.

Shop More of the Best Dress Shoes for Men

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How We Selected

Brad Lanphear is a style pro with over a decade of experience testing dress shoes, including derby shoes. He tested all of the shoes on this list, and he consulted with style editors Christian Gollayan and Maverick Li on their favorite picks. He's been wearing Beckett Simonon's Dunham Derbies since 2019, and has been his go-to dress shoe ever since.

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