I bought patent leather opera pumps (as pictured in the video, not the version with a full bow) to go with my tux for my wedding because I didn’t want to worry about my shoes being tied. They looked great and have even incorporated them into some other evening outfits. The obvious advantage is they’re instantly ready to be used whereas you might not have the time to mirror shine your black oxfords. As for the complaint that they look cheap, this is when worn in daytime. Just like a dinner suit, they’re designed to be evening wear, and that’s when they’ll really shine (pun intended).
As a nipper in the early 1960’s I was tasked to keep my dad’s shoe collection ‘spick and span’ each week for the princely reward of half a crown. He had a pair of patent leather shoes and he advised me to apply my mums clear nail vanish to any scuffs or scratches. It seemed to do the repair job well if I remember correctly.
I've documented my love of opera pumps on this very channel's comments section. Like Frank Sinatra, I wear them with a regular suit and tie. I'm a big fan of the look. It's not a look everyone would like, but to each their own. With velvet slippers, also known as Albert slippers (after Prince Albert), they are fundamentally a kind of very posh loungewear to be worn with smoking jackets or dressing gowns - the silk, traditional type, not the bathrobe. I have two pairs, and they get quite a bit of use while I lounge around the house. They are also acceptable for hosting guests or calling on others' homes, and hence, the only reason I'd wear Albert slippers with black tie is for at-home black tie events. Albert slippers are actually quite useful for avoiding that awkward etiquette of wanting to wear shoes in someone's home but not wanting to be rude and track in dirt.
I've seen the same thing done wrong many times, however if you make it work then good on you. I think the key to making it work is to have your other non-tux outfit to be very well fitting your body time and looking very high end.
@@adrianwalker2833 I suppose that I just worry less about what is and isn't considered masculine this century and instead on appeasing my own tastes. Regardless, I have plenty of lace-up shoes as is.
@@adrianwalker2833 That's what I meant when I wrote "weirding people out" - it's kind of annoying, like being considered effeminate for wearing accessories in pink to a grey suit but that's just how our low level latent machismo bearing societies work... I mostly ignore it or give flirty winks to ill dressed macho type pers... subjects to freak them out (😘), but I'm also kind of evil in this and really are beyond caring or respecting these notions if articulated sufficiently blunt. But it stays true that you might have to defend, in the best case at least explain, the Opera Pumps and can be annoying with time. The slippers though, that's something that I might replace my "not getting Opera Pumps" recurring notions with actually *getting* something.😉 Best regards Raoul G.Kunz
I recently purchased a comfortably priced pair of patent leather capless oxfords from Loake shoemakers. Very happy with them as they’re beautiful with a nice leather sole! I have replaced the factory laces with wide grosgrain silk laces that match the lapels of my tuxedo.
While in the Navy, in the early 80s, I bought a pair of patent leather shoes for inspection etc. The kind I bought held up very well and looked nice. I ended up wearing them on a regular basis and got good use out of them. As I am now retired I don't think I will ever buy another pair but the pair I had held up well, no cracking or bad scuffs. My only complaint was they do not breath and my feet were alway hot and sweaty.
Thanks Ash! That answers all my questions. I've got a pair of those wreched things and lothe the notion of wearing them. To me they look down right cheap and phony. Time to bring my black whole cuts up to a mirror shine everywhere but the vamp and feel proud. Cheers.
My understanding is patent leather used to be a lot better & more durable in the 1930s-60s, rather like bookbinder or corrected grain leather, being made with oils. If you're determined to have a shoe set aside for black tie events I recommend a capless or "naval" oxford (due to them being worn by the royal navy). You can buy them from many brands from Meermin to Alfred Sergeant
I’m a sucker for slip on shoes so the opera pumps became my preferred black tie shoes soon after discovering the option. There’s a world of different styles to be had, full or half velvet/patent, bow/no bow( tigers/no tigers🤣) and on and on and on. I think that the jacket one wears really can make them….shine….A double breasted, velvet, or smoking jacket really makes this style of shoe pop. I’ve never seen a stylish combo when paired with a single breasted or white diner jacket. I suppose if paired with a tail coat (not a morning jacket heaven forbid ), it would look great but that’s the highest form of black tie and one this guy has never had the opportunity to wear.
I’ve got a nice pair of Loake patent plain oxfords that are my “beater” black tie shoes for events where I know people will really be celebrating, like a NYE black tie party or a wedding. A step above that, I have some Carmina calf opera pumps polished to a mirror shine for elegant black tie affairs where I know my shoes won’t be stepped on or spilled upon!
Hi Ash, having never wished to own a pair of Patent leather shoes (for any reason) in my life, I was somewhat bemused a few years ago when my young feller brought home a pair of Patent leather parade shoes as part of his service dress uniform for the Australian Airforce Cadets. I put it down to the hierarchy assuming (probably correctly) that they wouldn't be able to get their younger members (12-18yrs olds) to be able to produce a presentable shine on their shoes for parade days. My young feller has subsequently gone on to Officer training in the Royal Australian Air Force at ADFA. Their standard issue parade shoe is much more sensible - a RM Williams Comfort Craftsman black chelsea boot which, aside from being highly maintainable, is something not particularly suited to a mirror shine. I like the fact that we are using locally crafted parade footwear in our military here, and to select one of our 'heritage' brands is also very pleasing. Thus, it would appear that there is 'No Bull' for our young Officers... lol
Ash I wear patent leather to Black tie events. I usually attend the St Andrew's ball every year and it is in late November and it is usually wet rain or snow and they tend to fare better in inclement weather. But I do think standard leather cap toe Oxfords with a mirror shine look much better. I have never seen anyone with Opera pumps but I have seen one gentleman with the velvet slipper before. Thanks for sharing your insight on formal shoes. Best regards Ron
One of my goals is to get to a state in my finances I can afford to go to my local Charity Galas. Not only will I get to dress black tie but I’d get to patronage local charities. I think that’s be be pretty cool.
Take your black oxfords, mirror shine the toe cap, sides of the vamp and rear quarters - almost the entire shoe. For the remaining area of the uppers, shine the dickens out of it with a few layers of shoe cream and two layers of wax. It'll look good for a single evening. It should only take 5 hours, which includes conditioning and dry time.
I just had this same conundrum about a month ago. I personally hate patent leather for the reason’s the writer does; I also hate bookbinder leather for the same reasons (I’m looking at you, Church’s!). I ended up purchasing calf opera pumps, which I’ll mirror polish.
Nice video on patent leather shoes. Opera pumps, well, I will never wear them, I find them feminine, and I am sure my brutal mates will just tease me a lot :). I've never been a fan of patent leather shoes too, I'll always take my full-grain classic oxfords over them. As you've alluded to, times are different nowadays, men just wear what they have kept. I remember a Sopranos tv show episode where the Mafia boss was going to be released from jail and his man brought him a tuxedo and patent leather, the boss was really upset with the patent leather shoes.
Hi Ash - a very timely video. Just wondering if you have any experience with Church's polished binder? How well they hold up? Do they use the same quality of leather as the non-coated version? Thanks.
Yes I do. I picked up a pair from ebay about 5 years ago. I was generally disappointed with the finish and I personally think calf leather is far superior in all aspects. I sold mine on within a few months.
I have a pair of Church's bookbinder leather Oxfords which are particularly shiny, because of the coating applied to them and they polish up well. They are a good substitute for patent leather shoes and I have worn them at weddings as well as black tie events to good effect.
@@TheChapsGuide Thanks for the info! I discovered that someone on the Styleforum used Saphir Renomat to remove the coating and polished it up, with decent results...
Not something I'd ever intentionally buy. Part of the joy of a real shoe for me is the lovely calf leather usually used and the leather sole... I am eying Dianite up though as the weather turns. I picked up a nice pair of Barker black full brogues in a perfect 9G (for me) and they are THE most comfortable real shoes I own. The only fly in the ointment is that they are made of Barker's "high shine" leather..which is a corrected leather. It doesn't look odd or over shiny, but I wouldn't have picked it out as it as the uppers can't be refurbished. As you do, I buy my real shoes at incredibly modest prices, used. I do have a reasonable black tie suit that I've altered to fit better, I'd probably just buff my cap toe Crockett's.
Heres how to remove the scuff marks out of a patent leather gloss shoe Gentlemen. . Many people feel that it’s just not possible to remove scuff marks easily. So… here’s the knowledge. Rub the scuff mark with the inside of a banana skin and “presto” the scuff mark will have gone. I’ve used this technique many times myself. Works a treat. I was skeptical about this myself. But there you go gentlemen.
I have to admit to despising patent leather... it always looks crappy and I feel like the lazy option. But maybe it's me knowing how abysmally hard it is to actually build anything from the bloody stuff - I think we all know how easily and irretrievably it can be damaged... now imagine working with the stuff around all the sharp tools and grinding wheels and hammers... - bleh! I personally have replaced my old pair of patent leather Oxfords (they where crappy comparably cheap ones from my student days anyhow) with Oxfords made from an Italian leather that is already substantially shiny to begin with and easily polished to a lovely shone just using normal shoe cream (and of course the toe cap with Saphir for mirror shine) and it looks easily sufficiently formal. Now I've been flirting with getting Opera Pumps for a long time but always backed out again. In the modern age they are truly "early 20th century cosplay" in all but very rare cases - now it's not that I'd have a problem with that, as someone who wears Inverness coats and recently Norfolk shooting jackets (need to get that one to the alterations tailor... ready made...-_- but was hard enough to find...) I can hardly claim and aversion to the notion, it's just that on a "formal" occasion in 99% of cases people will all too often not even realize that "black tie" doesn't mean "black suit" (German problem I feel...) and that derby shoes are not even remotely formal... ("But I only wear them with suits!"😩) and so the Opera Pump will only cause people being weirded out and asking stupid questions to the point of me getting grumpy 😓. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
Real leather shoes that are highly polished look so much better than parent! My regiments bandsmen always worn patent George boots because of their travel commitments and packing constraints. They would travel by day and perform the same night, meaning they had no time to polish boots. But their boots looked terrible, cheap, nasty and amateurish! Yuk!! Good comments Ash!
Question: how much do you reckon a pair of bespoke opera pumps could cost? And if bespoke is just too much, from which brands could I buy and get them shipped? I just need one pair in my life, and I'll rest in peace.
Great advice, as usual, Ash. In very general terms, a highly polished pair of black leather cap-toe shoes is going to look perfectly acceptable with black tie for most gentlemen here in the 21st century. That said, if you can afford it, and black tie events are a regular fixture in your social calendar - then IMHO a pair of patent leather opera pumps is probably worth the investment. In terms of durability and function I'd note that such shoes are not intended for "high mileage" use. Worn at the dinner table, the reception line, and a few circuits of the dance floor - and they'll hold up to several seasons of wear. Also: The "pump" style slipper, fitting lower on the foot and not secured with laces, is going to be far less subject to the flexing and cracking of an Oxford or Derby-style shoe. If you can afford a few hundred pounds/dollars for a specialty pair of shoes that will perform, extremely well, their intended purpose - go with patent leather opera pumps. If you can't, or don't want to, spend the money - then you've got a cheaper option, albeit one that you've got to work on to create that mirror shine. Last note: Whatever you choose, pair them with black silk over-the-calf socks.
Patent leather shoes should only be worn to formal Black Tie events. I sometimes see senior men wearing them with less formal suits and or odd jacket/dress pant outfits trying to get around the shoe shine. It looks very out of place. Even higher up the scale is patent leather slip ones. To make them last longer, drive to the event with regular shoes and put on your patent leather just before walking into the event.
@@TheChapsGuide As I've have a pair of Patent leather Oxford shoes I have brought on-line _(made in China)_ and placed a magnet under the sole, and discovered there's a metal shank, I paid $20 for them.
Patent leather, pumps, & slippers are unnecessary and quite frankly, ridiculous. For black tie, as long as you’re wearing shined, whole cut (NOT captoe) black oxfords, you’re fine.
I'm sorry, but opera pumps just look effeminate to me, so they're out of the question. And Albert (i.e. velvet) slippers? Slippers (if worn at all) belong in a gentleman's home, and should not be worn at some black/white tie event.
Patent leather shoes are mostly plastic coated these days. Nothing traditional or admirable about that. If you can find a traditional coating then go for it.
At 52 years of age I have managed to avoid any horrendous event that has required me to wear such a monstrosity of footwear. I'd rather put on a pair of...(holds back the rush up his throat)...t..tr...trainers. I must state for the record I do not own a pair of trainers.
