Tag Archives: Boat Shoes

What to Wear with Sperry Topsiders

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Sperry Topsiders

When you hear the words ‘boat shoes’ you probably imagine a pair of Sperry Topsiders. Though the company now makes other types of shoes, their staple is still the classic Topsiders. The shoes are slip on and made or a durable leather on top and a non-skid bottom that is tough enough to withstand the wind and pounding rain on the deck of a boat and yet look good enough to hit the yacht club in.

You can wear your Sperry Topsiders with more than just clothes for the boat and still look great in the process. Here are a few examples of outfits that go great with Sperry Topsiders:

Preppy look: This is a classic look that involves the Topsiders. Start off with a pair of dress shorts that are beige or tan colored and wear a bright colored Polo style shirt tucked in. A brown belt contrasts the outfit nicely and will also match the color of the typical Topsiders. When wearing the Topsiders you should not have on any socks, but if you insist on doing so wear the kind that are below the ankle so that they stay as hidden as possible. Finish off the entire preppy look with a sweater cross draped over your shoulders.
Casual with jeans: A great casual look that utilizes the Topsider is jeans and a nice button down shirt. The shirt should be tucked in and again you will want to go with a brown belt to match the Topsiders. The jeans should be a comfort fit and not be worn too tightly as doing so will ruin the appearance of casual. No need to wear a tie with this look and a couple of buttons being undone on the shirt is just fine. Again you shouldn’t wear socks but if you have to opt for the ones that won’t be all that noticeable.
Khaki pants:  No matter what color your khaki pants are, you can enhance the look with a pair of Sperry Topsiders. You can wear a Polo style shirt tucked in or you can go with a button down shirt that is long sleeved depending on how formal you wish to look. A nice lightweight jacket completes the look if it is chilly out. You can also wear a plain black scarf that is simply draped over your neck and allowed to hang evenly without tying it at all. The no sock rule still applies.
Get cute with skirts: Ladies can get cute with any type of skirt they wear as Sperry Topsiders now come in a wide variety of colors and not just the classic brown that everyone is accustomed too. Pair your favorite cute skirt with your favorite top and depending on the color find the perfect pair of Topsiders to compliment the outfit. If it is chilly out then a cardigan sweater will do the trick every time. Like the guys, if you wear socks, be sure they are hidden as much as possible.

Whether you are going out on the boat or just out for a night on the town, the Sperry Topsider is the ultimate shoe that can encompass both situations and then some.

Boat shoes

What to Wear with Boat Shoes

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Boat shoes

Boat shoes are a unique shoe in the fact that they are not quite a formal shoe and they are not quite an ultra-casual shoe like the loafer. Because it is sort of in between, the boat shoe can be worn with a wide variety of outfits. They are considered to be a three season shoe and the only season that you should not wear them in is winter.

About the only thing that you can’t wear boat shoes with is a suit and tie or a tuxedo. Other than that, boat shoes go with almost anything. Here are some examples of what to wear with boat shoes:

•    Shorts and collared shirts: Wearing a nice pair of shorts and a ‘Polo style’ collared shirt will give you the casual preppy look. You can choose to tuck your shirt in if you desire or you can look equally as good leaving it untucked. Typically with this look you will not want to wear socks. You can complete the ultimate preppy look if you drape a sweater over your shoulders. Finish the look with a designer pair of sun glasses and you are dressed nice enough for just about any occasion.
•    Jeans and button down shirts: Some will argue that boat shoes don’t look good with jeans and a button down shirt, but some will argue otherwise. If you decide to go with this look be sure to wear a looser fit of jeans as tight jeans will not look right at all. The shirt should be long sleeved and more of a casual button down as opposed to a dressier one. Leaving a few of the top buttons of the shirt undone will give the casual look that will look good with the boat shoes. With this look socks are optional.
•    Slacks and button down shirts: This is the perfect outfit for the boat shoe. A nice pair of khaki pants with a long sleeved button down shirt looks very natural. Like with shorts, you can drape a sweater around your shoulders to get the preppy look. The nice thing with khakis is that you can wear a wide variety of colors in relation to your button down shirt. Your boat shoes and khakis will look equally as well with a white button down or even a darker color button down like maroon or black. As with jeans, socks are optional with this look.
•    Socks: For two of the three styles it is totally up to you on whether or not you want to wear socks but you should stick to a specific style of socks if you decide to wear them. Go with ankle socks that are barely noticeable if you do wear socks as this kind will come off the closest to no socks which is the traditional look for boat shoes.

Quality boat shoes will not come to you cheaply, but if properly taken care of you can enjoy these versatile shoes for several seasons before they need to be replaced.