Black Tie Event - Shoe Advice Needed

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

This opinion has been expressed several times in this thread, or rather, that wingtips (?) aren't good for dancing...

Would you guys mind explaining why?

A good formal shoe is like a classic Jaguar XKE while a wingtip can best be compared to a Land Rover. Like the XKE the formal shoe should be light, and allow you to move with consummate ease through the crowded conditions of a dance floor without bumping into anyone.

The problem with most wingtips is a combination of the weight of the shoe, the thickness of the sole, and the extra width of the sole extending beyond the upper portion of the shoe itself. In short they are designed to be "Land Rover" tough.

The weight of the wingtip makes it more difficult to lift the foot, while at the same time causing one to come down "harder" when placing their foot on the dance floor. The thickness of the sole makes it hard to "feel" the floor, making it necessary to lift the foot higher to glide forward (or backward) when moving around the floor. But the real killer is that extra 1/4 inch of sole sticking out all around the shoe, like the bumpers and fenders on an old car. Not only are you more than likely to scuff your partner's shoe, in all likelihood you will also trip over your shoes, especially if any sort of "footwork" is required.

Now you can find very light, designed for dancing, wingtips if you look around-- I have an old pair of patent leather wingtips with thin soles that were made in Italy and are a dream for dancing. Compared to a pair of ghillie brogues they are about half the weight.

Jaguar used to advertise their cars as the perfect blending of "Grace and Pace". The same applies to formal shoes. They should be graceful, not chunky or clunky, and make it easy for the wearer to keep up the pace when dancing.