The Oxford Shoe - A timeless addition to your closet

Jul 15

Photography by Frankie Coletto | July 2020

Hello Friend,

A lover of shoes over here! The Oxford Shoe; If you know me personally, then you have seen me walk into meetings, go to speaking events, or even hang around the house wearing a pair. My daughter doesn't understand why I have so many in different styles and colors. One day she will understand. I guess you can say I have a ton of love for them, but why? The oxfords not only speak classics and timeless but they are also very comfortable for a woman on the go and versatile. I work in construction and I am always on the go. I can be in a meeting with a client and an hour later be visiting a jobsite or at a prebid. I used to carry multiple shoes in my car but that quickly got old. I needed a shoe that spoke to me and made me feel powerful and beautiful; that is when I purchased my first pair of oxfords and the rest is history. Scroll down to view some styling tips, my favorite oxfords, and more.

XX,

Heidi Coletto

Styling Tips

Oxfords can be dressed up or dressed down. To dress them up try a couple of the following options:

-For a summer look I used a Gingham Button-Front Shirtdress (linked) from the Lisa Marie Fernandez Target collection and a Straw Boaters hat (Sold out but I linked a similar one) from Gigipip

-Slip dress and a blazer with stacked gold necklaces

-Tuxedo jacket, a cami, and high waisted cigarette pants. Be sure to add a bold lip.

-White button up with a pleated skirt and stacked pearls

To dress it down try some of the following combinations:

-An oversized white button up with a pair of ripped cigarette jeans

-Tuxedo jacket, silk joggers and a white v-neck t-shirt

-White scalloped high waisted shorts and a white button up with a cute fedora

History:

Oxfords - The beginning history of the Oxford shoes are a little hazy but many say that the first “Oxford” shoes were worn in Scotland and Ireland. The Chelsey Boot Store who is well known for their Oxford shoes say that “The cap toe Oxfords are still called Balmorals after Balmoral Castle, however, a more familiar term used by Americans. The Balmoral is an entirely different shoe design to the English who use the term “Oxfords”. It seems the Oxford style of shoe, popularised by the University students came from a half boot called the “Oxonian” around 1825. The Oxonian featured narrow slits on the sides which made it much more comfortable to wear around campus than the fashionable high boots of the time. The slits on the side of the shoes slowly became replaced with laces. The laces eventually made their way around the boot to the instep along with the lowering of the heel and height of the boot, giving us the more recognisable design of the shoes we see today, and the shoes the students preferred in the 1800s as opposed to the knee high and ankle boots of the time.”