Laced vs. Unlaced Dress Shoes: Personal Preference and Practicality

            When it comes to formal attire, there's a lot of emphasis placed on the sort of shoes you wear, and this is no accident. Although the saying goes that you should never judge a book by its cover, shoes can say a lot about how people carry themselves, in both the literal and abstract sense. Wearing sneakers or gym shoes with a suit of any kind signifies carelessness. Showing up with undone laces gives away hints of being rushed and in a hurry. Shoes that are worn well past their shelf life can unwittingly project a propensity to ignore the finer details about things. As superficial as it all sounds, appearance is everything in formal contexts, and a pair of shoes that looks out of place can throw off the entire look of an outfit, no matter how well your suit is stitched or your shirt is ironed.

            Achieving a balance between comfort and style is of utmost importance with any piece of formal wear. When it comes to shoes, this concept is especially vital, as they can either be the best or worst part of your outfit depending on how they fit and how they look. Since shoes are the only part of your formal wear that should be in contact with the ground, it's important to ensure comfort while maintaining a sharp appearance in line with the rest of your outfit for any given occasion.

            Thankfully, formal wear offers a ton of options when it comes to shoes. With the exception of black-tie affairs that generally require patent-leather shoes to pair with a tuxedo, dress codes that fall short of that don't have too many rigid guidelines for what types of formal shoes you can get away with, so long as they're, of course, formal. Oxfords, Derbies, and Loafers of all types mesh well with different subcategories of formal attire, whether you're opting for a three-piece suit or a more casual ensemble that doesn't require a jacket. Deciding to go with shoes that have laces or ones that merely slip on is more or less a matter of personal preference, with a few nuances to keep in mind depending on how you wish to balance overall comfort with style for any given setting. In this piece, we'll go over the pros and cons of laced and unlaced dress shoes, so you can better decide what works for you and your own sense of style.

--Laced: Pros--

            While comfort is often subjective, many gentlemen swear by the better feel of laced shoes, simply because the tightness of the shoe is adjustable. Having laces takes the guesswork out of ensuring the correct thickness of your socks to achieve that perfect fit. Although it's always best to buy shoes that are comfortable to your liking, having laces on your dress shoes will give you the ability to adjust your comfort level when it's necessary to do so.

            Just like watch bands and collar stays, laces are replaceable and interchangeable. When they lose their luster and rigidity over time, there's no need to go out and buy a brand new pair of shoes. Simply replace the laces to breathe some new life into those old Oxfords or Derbies, so long as the rest of the shoe is in good condition. If you find yourself in a position where you're required to wear dress shoes more often than not, it's always a good idea to keep a few spare sets of laces in your wardrobe so you're prepared when the time comes to change them out and replace them.

            Another benefit to laced dress shoes is that they're incredibly versatile, even outside the realm of traditional formal wear. No one will ever look at you twice for wearing a pair of nicely polished Oxfords with a comfortable pair of jeans for a casual night out, and doing so might give your everyday wear a bit of a boost in terms of how you carry your personal style in less formal settings.

--Laced: Cons--

            With all the benefits laced dress shoes offer, there are some downsides. For one, laces do wear out over time, whether they're made from leather or cloth fabric, as they're all prone to friction from lacing them, tying them, and from the gradual resistance of your trouser cuffs. As leather is more prone to temperature extremes and fluctuations in relative humidity, leather laces tend to become brittle and may need to be replaced frequently. Fabric laces, on the other hand, are vulnerable to fraying over time and also need to be changed out every now and then. While replacement laces aren't hard to come by, it's important to keep a close eye on how quickly they wear down before they lose their functionality altogether.

            Whether you're dealing with belts, ties, suspenders, or shoelaces, repeated movement throughout the day tends to loosen things up, and not in a good way. By virtue of merely having laces to begin with, your dress shoes will be more prone to coming undone at the most inconvenient times. To avoid those mildly embarrassing mishaps, consider using double knots or shortening the length of your shoelaces, as this will reduce the chance that they will snag on something or come undone by friction alone.

            If you're well versed in the realm of formal wear, we'll just assume you don't need a review lesson on how to tie your shoes. However, everyone sort of has their own unique quirks when it comes to tying their shoes, some of which work better than others. Laced dress shoes can look sloppy from time to time, especially if we're in a hurry. Laces that are too long will yield larger loops, which can throw off the look of a professionally tailored custom suit. If something doesn't look quite right before you head out the door, you probably shouldn't doubt your own eyes. Either shorten your laces or tie them in such a way that provides a cleaner, less cluttered look around your formal footwear.

--Unlaced: Pros--

            The obvious benefit of unlaced dress shoes is that they're relatively hassle-free so long as they're sized correctly. All you have to do is slip them on and head out the door without a second thought. When punctuality is a must, that extra minute or two you'll save by not having to tie your shoes can give you a leg up on your morning commute.

            To reiterate, while measures of comfort aren't precisely quantified, it's worth noting that some gentlemen prefer the perceived extra space afforded by dress shoes sans laces. Without any laces that could potentially constrict the movement of your feet, that extra wiggle room can go a long way especially if you're required to stand up for extended periods of time. You may find that unlaced dress shoes such as loafers have fewer pressure points than laced varieties. But as this can be dependent upon your own measurements and the manufacturer, it's always best to try them on for size before making any commitments.

            Without laces, logic would correctly dictate that it's impossible for a shoe to become untied or undone. When you're frequently on the move, whether it's between offices or traveling abroad, opting for footwear without laces gives you one less thing to worry about when time is of the essence.

--Unlaced: Cons--

            For unlaced dress shoes, there are still some considerations you should keep in the back of your mind. For one, since it's easy to slip into a pair of loafers, it's also easy to slip out of them. Precise measurements tend to be more important with unlaced dress shoes than they are with laced ones, since there's a little less room for error. While comfort is especially important for your shoes, it's best to balance it with functional utility. Retying your shoes every now and then can be a bit of a pain, but slipping out of your shoes is an even bigger problem.

            Comfort can also vary considerably depending on the thickness of your socks, as this will also relate to how well your unlaced dress shoes will stay on. Since shoe sizes vary between brands and manufacturers, getting the fit and feel just right can take a little bit more time than it does with a pair of laced dress shoes. The upside is that dress shoes of both varieties will break in over time, so if you're on the fence as far as sizing goes, you might be better off if you go with something that feels snug rather than too loose from the get-go.

--Style Considerations--

            As we've established that both laced and unlaced dress shoes are great for any formal occasion, one type isn't necessarily better than the other. From a style standpoint though, your shoes simply have to work with the rest of your outfit. Just as you wouldn't wear a pair of Derbies with a tuxedo, it wouldn't make sense to wear brown loafers with a black suit. In any case, paying close attention to making sure that your shoes match your belt at the very least is always a good habit to get into; mixing and matching belts and shoes, in the context of formal occasions anyway, is pretty much guaranteed to throw off the look of your entire ensemble. From an aesthetic perspective, it's much better for your shoes to blend in and complement your formal attire rather than stick out like a sore thumb.

            Whether you have a preference for laced or unlaced dress shoes (or no preference at all), it's best to keep at least a couple of each in your wardrobe so you can stay prepared for any type of occasion that arises. After all, keeping your options open is one of the hallmarks of formal wear in terms of perfecting your personal sense of style over time.