The origins of the Oxford shoe and why it will never go out of style

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When Harry Hart (Colin Firth) advised young Eggsy (Taron Egerton) to wear ‘Oxfords, not brogues’, in Kingsman: The Secret Service , it sent sartorially-challenged gents into a bit of a tizz. ‘But Oxfords are brogues!’ they cried, looking helplessly down at their feet, questioning everything they had been led to believe. And they weren’t wrong — Oxfords can be brogues and brogues can be Oxfords. The words refer to two different things: ‘Oxford’ relates to the shoe’s construction, while ‘brogue’ refers to its decorative detailing. Put it this way: ‘Oxfords, not brogues’ is like asking for ‘whisky, no ice’. Harry’s directive simply highlights the distinction between a formal and