Brogues/Ghillies

[thescot]

MoR gives some excellent advice. The one thing I would add is that since ghillies are a one-purpose shoe and regular oxfords, cap toe shoes, wing tips, or just about any other good black tie shoe will serve non-kilted purposes as well, don't pay the extra money unless you really like them.

I alternate between a black cap toe shoe with a kiltie attached for moderately dressy wear, a cap toe blucher oxford in cordovan for day wear, and a plain toe, spit-shined black oxford for black tie. All of them can be worn with any type clothing.

[piperdbh]

For what it's worth, "broguing" refers to the decorative holes punched into or through the leather. "Brogues" can mean any type of shoe, but usually refers to those made with the aforementioned punching. Technically, a wingtip could be called a brogue. "Ghillies" or "ghillie brogues" are the tongue-less type of shoe with the extra-long laces, which happen to have all the holes punched in. The story goes that years ago someone had the idea, after trekking through the soggy places in Scotland, of punching holes in their shoes to let the water out, and over time the holes came to be purely decorative.

[slohairt]

Keep in mind too that, like other shoes, ghillie brogues come with different soles: 'Marching' type rubber soles (good for day wear), leather soles, and soles with metal cleats.