suitable dress for men

The epitome of Victorian-era dandyism, dress slippers are a controversial style currently making waves within the industry. Also known as a Prince Albert slipper (the royal was said to be a fan), they were initially designed as a house shoe for Victorian men hosting formal dinner parties in their homes.
However, over the past couple of seasons the industry has been pushing the silhouette as a modern everyday footwear style, not limited to the privacy of gentleman’s clubs or the most formal of events. Featuring in a wealth of current lookbooks and campaigns, from a variety of brands, they are now paired with everything from smart-casual staples to red carpet tailoring (Ryan Gosling is a fan).
A silhouette that is bound to divide opinion with our readership, the FashionBeans team are of the opinion that this rakish footwear option is bold, brave and brilliant – guaranteed to elevate both your formal and casual ensembles up a notch or two.

The Dress Slipper

Defined by their obvious slip-on style and slight heel, dress slippers are often textured in appearance, due to their traditionally velvet or suede outer. Luxury, heritage-inspired styles can also feature detailing such as tassels or embroidered monograms.
A louche option, in comparison to other popular styles such as the brogue, penny loafer or monk strap, the dress slipper is steeped in heritage and a real moniker of elegant metropolitan style.
As sharp as they are comfortable, dress slippers are a surprisingly versatile, everyday footwear alternative. Often considered a lavish lounge option, reserved for the Hugh Heffners of the world, they’re no longer restricted to the mansion or the townhouse.
As good for black tie as they are for a weekend shopping session, they’ve stepped out of their ‘toff’ typecast and become an all-purpose shoe. Intimidating as they may seem, the trick is to wear them like you would a pair of driving shoes, loafers or monk straps – doing so with confidence and without any second-guessing. The dress slipper doesn’t need to be a conscious effort to pull them off; sub them straight into your current looks and don’t think twice.
With this in mind, let’s breakdown how you can wear dress slippers in a variety of modern ways.

Lookbook Inspiration

Give the most basic of casual looks a healthy injection of dandy via a pair of dress slippers. Keep the jeans slim-fitting and consider a turn-up or two in order to compensate for any elongated trouser break.
If your slippers are drowned by excess fabric then you will instantly ruin the look, taking it from stylish to sloppy in mere seconds. Not only that, you want to show off your velvet slippers in all their glory – separating your look from the crowd and marking yourself out as a confident male.
Choose navy slippers for a low-key take on this often lavish silhouette. Navy is a versatile hue that will work well with the jeans in a casual setting, whereas black would make much more of a statement alongside your denim, potentially detracting from the casual aesthetic.
Finally, keep the t-shirt plain and simple; pushed up long sleeves is a louche spring option whilst short sleeves would work well on warm summer days.