Shoes That Go With Everything: Ultimate Footwear Versatility

It’s tough to do, but men can find shoes that match with everything in their closet. You might be asking, how is this possible? Well, here are the answers.

When putting together a minimal wardrobe of essentials, there’s one ultimate goal. You want to be able to stroll into your closet in the complete dark, pick out your shirt, pants, and shoes, and come out looking great. 

And perhaps you do manage to get your tops and pants curated enough to do that. However, when it comes to men’s style, are there even shoes that go with everything? There are shoes that go with most things, like a low-profile white sneaker in leather or even a suede penny loafer.

Still, what dress shoe goes with shorts? And what sneaker model can be worn to a board meeting? I don’t care how fancy Common Projects Achilles are. I’d be fired so fast if I tried to attend a client meeting in them.

The key to getting your shoe collection as minimal as possible is figuring out your lifestyle. But who knows, at the end of this all, we might just find a pair of shoes that go with everything, truly and universally.

Shoes That Match With Everything: How To Get There

The first question I’ll ask you is what do you wear on most days and how dressy do you get once a year?

Do you wear workwear every day, have relaxed weekends, and only have an occasional wedding to attend every other year or so? Then, footwear that goes with everything in your case will probably be a pair of casual shoes.

Are you in a suit every day and attend several black-tie galas throughout the year? Well, that’s a different story. A nice pair of dressy leather shoes might be the answer.

For most of us, it’s likely that our world centers around a business casual lifestyle. You might wear a suit to work on some days. But likely, you just dress in a clean and professional way with trousers and a collared shirt. You have relaxed weekends and maybe a fancy event to go to once to a few times a year.

A pair of loafers would then go with everything in your closet.

No matter how casual or how formal your lifestyle is though, most guys out there would do well to choose shoes with leather uppers. Not only are they the most versatile, but they’re durable, longer-lasting, and trend-resistant.

Shoe Colors That Go With Everything

You may have heard that black goes with everything, but that’s simply not true. Sure, it sits naturally next to any color, but it gives a very chic, sometimes urban vibe sartorially. 

As such, it’s not as neutral when it comes to personal style. We go a bit into this in our brown boots vs black boots exploration.

When it comes to shoe colors that go with everything, the choice of tone depends on the shoe style itself.

When it comes to sneakers, white or beige go with any outfit combination, color-wise. They also suit a wide range of dress codes, and they’re the most classic.

I’ve always recommended a pair of low-profile white leather sneakers as a menswear essential. It may not go with 100% of every guy’s outfit, but it’s the most versatile sneaker style.

When it comes to dress shoes and leather boots, the best color to go for is dark, cool brown.

Shoes That Go With Everything for Most Guys

The shoe style that goes with basically any outfit, in my opinion, is a sleek, minimal leather loafer in either dark oxblood or burgundy.

A whole-cut Oxford is also a good option since it’s so minimal. This is especially so if it has dark patinations all around.

For loafer styles, you’ll want something equally as minimal, like a Venetian. Otherwise, a classic penny loafer will do, as long as it’s an extra dark shade and doesn’t have extraneous details like beef rolls and tapers in the front.

This slick, simple style can literally be worn with shorts and a T-shirt. And, these days, you can even get away with wearing it with a black tie tuxedo.

The Grand Fleurus Penny Loafers from Baudoin & Lange are good examples. The shade of oxblood is so dark it goes well with black. However, the red undertones ensure it can be worn with brown, too — a tough balance to strike.

They aren’t the very best option to wear with a tuxedo, but they aren’t wildly inappropriate, especially in today’s sartorial climate. Plus, it’s a high-quality shoe made with supple calf leather.

Another option is the Benson Wholecut Oxford from Thomas Bird. It can be worn casually or with a professional business suit. 

For the Casual White Collar Professional

If you work in an industry along the lines of the tech industry in Silicon Valley, your life is markedly more casual than that of most white-collar workers.

In this situation, you can go as casual as the previously mentioned low-profile, white leather sneakers. You’re likely wearing a T-shirt and jeans to work as well as on the weekends.

Plus, networking events in this lifestyle usually allow for a stylish, high-low combination. Suits with leather sneakers are no longer shocking, especially in Silicon-Valley-esque contexts.

These might even give you more traction than loafers since loafers don’t go well with athletic-inspired styles.

You can definitely spend $400 on a pair of Achilles. They’re an excellent sneaker. But we’re partial to Koio Capris at TMM.

They’re higher value due to being half the price. Read our hands-on review here.

We also have a round-up of Common Projects alternatives here. There’s one for every price point!

Casual Workwear Industry

And finally, if your day-to-day requires you to wear a lot of denim, cargo pants, and utility shirts, your most versatile pair of shoes will likely be a pair of boots.

I recommend a leather service boot, ideally one with a plain toe and Goodyear welt construction. The former allows you to wear it more formally, and the latter provides durability.

The Thursday Boot Captain, especially in its darkest colors, balances ruggedness with sleekness. 

Ranchers in Texas don’t bat an eye at cowboy boots and bolo ties paired with suits. Similarly, a lot of workwear-culture industries and communities don’t mind a nice dress boot worn with a suit.

Of course, this is 100% coming at it from a style perspective. Make sure to take into consideration whether or not you’ll need heavy lugs or a steel toe.

Conclusion: The Convenience and Ease of Versatility

So, let’s be real. There isn’t one pair of shoes that go with everything, at least not universally. 

For example, you’ll definitely need a separate pair of athletic shoes for the gym. And you can’t wear leather loafers to the beach. 

Still, the color and design of a sleek dress shoe in a cool, dark brown is probably as close as you can get to that universality. 

Finding that highly versatile pair may make life easy. However, you have several considerations before deciding what your “everything” shoe is. 

Do you have a shoe that you can wear everything in your closet with? What color and style is it? Let’s start a conversation — we love hearing from you! And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get curated content and style, and more from our experts!