I was looking for a great menswear inspired shoe like an oxford or brogue. Originally, I bought some lovely cork oxfords by Dieppa Restrepo at Chasse Gardee. Unfortunately, they didn’t fit very well and I had to return them. I was distraught as the shoes were made of cork and looked amazing.

Shoes need to fit no matter how special the shoe is and how much it breaks your heart to return them. My alternative choice was the white derby by ROKIN Footwear also carried at Chasse Gardee. They aren’t the cork Dieppa Restrepo but they are pretty exciting in their own right and super comfortable. During my shoe search I finally discovered the difference between an oxford, brogue and derby.

Oxford: a style of laced shoe characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are stitched underneath the vamp

Brogue: a style of low-heeled shoe or boot traditionally characterized by multiple-piece, sturdy leather uppers with decorative perforations (or “brogueing”) and serration along the pieces’ visible edges.

Derby: a style of shoe characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are sewn on top of the vamp.(source: wikipedia.com)

Now you know the difference.