It is said that shoes make the man. While the right pair of shoes is critical to being well attired, lacing them wrong can completely undermine your effort. To get that little extra, a gentleman needs to know the proper way of tying his shoelaces – and also the right shoelaces to use. Here are some guidelines to help you get it all just right.
Colour:
For the bugattiMan, the colour of his shoes always marks his personality.
If you’re in formal attire and wish for a classic look, choose a colour of shoelace that matches the colour of the upper, or perhaps is a shade darker. If the upper of the shoe is in a combination of colours, then the lace should match the darkest shade. The most common colours shoe laces have are black or brown since they are neutral and go with anything. On the other hand, if you're dressed more casually, there are fewer limitations. Wearing a contrast colour looks suave and can be a great fashion statement. You’ll certainly find that some of our shoes come with an extra pair of shoelaces in a contrast colour.
Length:
Though there is no hard and fast rule, the right length of shoelaces can help you tie them correctly from the eyelet to a bow. The numbers of eyelets on your shoe indicate how long your shoelaces must be. A standard size shoe with 4 eyelets will require a lace length of 60cm, whereas for those with 5 to 6 eyelets, the lace length needs to be at least 75cm. While these apply to a traditional or standard lacing method, more complex shoe lacing techniques will need longer shoe laces.
Style:
For formal shoes like those of oxfords, the standard procedure to tie your shoelace would be a horizontal or straight lacing with a bow, while the more casual crossover lacing is characteristic for derbies. Straight European Lacing is particularly suited to dress shoes, as it allows the uppers of the shoe to come completely together in the middle without bunching or corrugation. On these shoes, the laces run straight across on the outside and diagonally on the inside. The picture below illustrates the technique.
A Bugattiman with an exceptional shoe deserves an exceptional knot. If you've ever had a shoelace coming undone, it's probable that you're tying it the wrong way. Say hello to the reef knot, also known as the standard shoelace knot, which is much more stable. We hope you enjoyed this demonstration of tying a shoe lace.