Suede Plain Toe Blucher Shoes – Five Plus One

Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.


Plain Toe Bluchers (PTB’s) are an essential part of anyone’s footwear collection: they’re sleek, simple, can be dressed up or down, and can be worn four seasons a year. The shoes are defined by the open throated lacing and an unadorned toe.

With spring and summer right around the corner, what better a way to prepare than with a new pair of suede PTB’s? The suede, while not disallowing fall and winter wear, does make these shoes a bit more spring/summer oriented.

1) Alden: Wallace Plain Toe Blucher in Hunting Green

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First up are Alden‘s Wallace PTB’s, which made of a green hunting suede. The darker colorway of these shoes makes them perfect for year round wear, while the rolled edge and leather sole lets them be dressed up or down. They’re finished with brown edge dressing and brass eyelets, which helps to pull everything together.

Available for $510 from Unionmade Goods.

2) Carmina: Suede Blucher

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Next up is Carmina‘s classic blucher, which is made on their comfortable Detroit last. While a little pricier than many are comfortable with, these Carmina’s come with everything you could hope for: a storm welt, rolled edge, channeled leather outsole, brass-tacked toe, and so much more. If you only have room for one pair of bluchers in your wardrobe, make it these ones.

Available for $450 from Skoaktiebolaget.

3) Common Projects: Suede Slip On

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Common Projects exists in an awkward place for many shoe collectors. They’re made well, sure, but they also have a strong following from those who are more enamored with sneakers and high fashion. It’s too bad – they make some great shoes. These PTB’s are intended to be worn laceless, as slip-ons, but they certainly wouldn’t look bad with some laces thrown on.

Available for $241 from Steven Alan.

4) Red Wing Heritage: Postman Oxford in Olive Mohave

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Red Wing makes some great footwear, but one consistent piece of criticism is that their lasts are rather bulbous. While this can certainly be argued, the heavy nap on their Postman Oxford does help to obscure the shape of the toe. Unlike many of the other PTB’s on this list, this pair features a flat welt and wedge sole; while objectively being a bit more casual than the other shoes on this list, these Red Wing’s would have no trouble finding a place amongst in anyone’s wardrobe.

Available for $260 from Nordstrom.

5) Allen Edmonds: Leeds Blucher in Sand

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No list about Oxfords, Derbies, or Bluchers would be complete without a pair of Allen Edmonds, but we’re particularly happy to have found such a pair for our suede PTB’s list. This iteration of AE’s Leeds blucher was produced exclusively for Club Monaco, who have consistently shown great taste when selecting the shoes they stock. While perhaps a bit pricey for the quality when compared to the likes of Carmina, these AE’s are still a fantastic pick for anyone in the market for a plain toed blucher, particularly considering its unique color.

Available for $395 from Club Monaco.

Plus One – Heschung: Talula Blu Velours Detente

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It’s a bit hard to find Plus One worthy items for a category as simple as suede plain toed bluchers, but Heschung managed to make a pair of shoes that were anything but on the beaten track. Everything about this shoe is slightly different than the competition: the color, the sole, the pull tab, the contrast tongue, and even the eyelet number. While the construction likely owes a lot to be desired, does that really matter? It’s a statement piece, and not one you were likely to wear on a daily basis regardless of construction quality.

Available for €292 ($333 USD) from Heschung.