How to Choose Elevator Dress Shoes for a Suit: Natural Height at Work

Choosing elevator shoes to wear with a suit is a stricter exercise than choosing sneakers or casual shoes. In business settings, people get plenty of chances to look at your feet, and anything that looks unnatural for a dress shoe is noticed right away. Sitting across from a client in a meeting, the few steps from the interview-room door to your chair, the group photo at a wedding: in every one of these situations the side and heel of your shoes are seen head-on, and if the thickness of the sole or a visible color break stands out, the height you gained works against you.

This article covers the 5 points to check when choosing elevator dress shoes for a suit, how to tell lacing styles, sole colors and toe shapes apart, recommended models by occasion, a comparison table of no20, no21, no29, no03 and no07, and points to watch at weddings and when job hunting.

Elevator Dress Shoes for a Suit: 5 Checkpoints

1. Height: 6–8cm at most

Ordinary dress shoes already have a heel of 2–3cm, so even an 8cm boost from elevator shoes comes across as a visible difference of only about 5–6cm. With a suit, anything up to 8cm looks natural. Beyond that, the slope from toe to heel becomes steep and starts to show in the way you walk. If you prefer to keep it subtle, or you often spend long days on your feet, choosing from the 5–6cm range leaves less room for error.

2. A thin sole in black or dark brown

The biggest reasons a shoe reads as a platform are the thickness and the color of the sole. A black or dark brown sole that matches the upper hides the boundary between the two and makes the heel height hard to judge. White and beige soles are for casual wear, so avoid them with a suit.

3. Closed-lacing cap-toe or plain-toe

The most versatile choice for business is a closed-lacing (Oxford) cap-toe, where the eyelet panels tuck under the vamp, followed by a plain-toe. Both also work for formal occasions and interviews. Loafers are for jacket styles and summer dress-down office wear, and sit one step lower in formality.

4. Cowhide (genuine) leather

For wearing with a suit, choose cowhide leather. Synthetic leather has a shine that is too uniform and can look cheap up close. Cowhide leather creases as you wear it, molds to your feet and looks natural. Among LEVANO's dress-shoe styles, 3 models are cowhide leather: the business shoes no20, the loafers no21 and the Japan-made no29.

5. Trouser hems that rest lightly on the shoe

When elevator shoes raise your height, your trouser hems look correspondingly shorter. A hem that floats above the shoe draws attention to the heel height, so aim for a length that rests lightly on the vamp of the shoe (a half break). For details, see What Trouser Length Works with Elevator Shoes? The Right Hem Length and Silhouette.

Choosing by Lacing Style, Sole Color and Toe Shape

Of the 5 points, the 3 that are hardest to judge from product photos alone are the lacing, the sole and the toe. Here is exactly what to look at for each.

Lacing style: closed lacing for ceremonies, open lacing for everyday wear

The lacing panels are the pieces of leather with the eyelets that the laces pass through. With closed lacing, the panels tuck under the leather of the vamp, and when you tighten the laces they close up for a clean look. At formal ceremonies, closed lacing is considered the most formal option. With open lacing (Derby style), the panels sit on top of the vamp; because the opening adjusts easily to the height of your instep, the impression is slightly more everyday, but a black plain-toe in this style is widely worn for commuting and interviews.

Because elevator shoes are cut deeper from the heel up toward the ankle to hide the height, on lace-up styles whether the lacing panels close properly makes a real difference to the look. If the panels stay wide open when you tighten the laces, that is a sign the instep is too tight. When your shoes arrive, lace them up indoors and check how far the panels open.

Sole color and thickness: match the upper, keep the side overhang small

Choose a black sole for black dress shoes and a dark brown sole for dark brown ones. If the colors differ, the full height of the sole registers as visible platform. Also check how far the side of the sole (the welt edge) sticks out. A wide welt edge makes the whole shoe look heavy and emphasizes the height. For a suit, you want a sole whose sides stay within the outline of the upper.

The business shoes no20 pair a black cowhide leather upper with a black sole, a combination that keeps the sole boundary from standing out whether seen from the front or the side.

Toe shape: a slightly rounded toe goes best with the height

A long, sharply pointed toe combines with the heel height to make the whole shoe look large, and it also accentuates the slope from toe to heel. Too round, on the other hand, looks childish and clashes with a suit. A slightly rounded toe that is neither too narrow nor too wide is the most natural. A cap-toe, with a single straight seam across the toe, is the most formal, followed by a plain-toe with no decoration. Broguing on the toe is fine for meetings and ceremonies as long as it is black and understated, but two-tone designs or large decorative details draw the eye to the shoes, so it is safer to avoid them for your first pair for suits.

Color: black is the standard, dark brown only up to jacket styles

For formal occasions, job hunting and interviews, black is the only choice. Dark brown goes well with navy and gray suits and is easy to use with jacket-and-trousers combinations and office casual, but avoid it at formal events. If you own just one pair, make it black; adding dark brown as a second pair is the order that gives you the most mileage.

Recommendations by Occasion

Business meetings, interviews and ceremonies: cowhide leather business shoes no20

The 8cm Cowhide Leather Elevator Business Shoes No.20 pair a black cowhide leather upper with a black sole and are the most formal model in the range. At 445g per shoe they are not too heavy, and they cover everything from coming-of-age ceremonies and attending weddings to interviews. Sizes run 24.0–27.5cm and the price is ¥20,980. They have the most reviews of any LEVANO dress-shoe style (16 reviews, 4.69 average) and are often chosen as a first pair for suits.

Jacket styles and summer dress-down: cowhide leather loafers no21

The 8cm Cowhide Leather Elevator Loafers No.21 have no laces, so they slip on and off easily, and they suit summer jacket-and-trousers looks and office casual. The material is the same cowhide leather as no20, the weight is 430g per shoe, sizes run 24.0–27.5cm and the price is ¥20,980. With an 8cm boost, they deliver a clear height difference for a loafer. They also work for a friend's wedding after-party or other parties.

Daily commuting and business trips: Japan-made casual shoes no29

If you walk long distances, the Japan-made cowhide leather +2 inches Cowhide Leather Casual Shoes No.29 are the recommendation. Weighing a light 390g per shoe with a modest 5cm boost, they stay comfortable through a full day of wear. Sizes run 24.0–26.5cm and the price is ¥29,680. Rated ideal for job hunting and coming-of-age ceremonies and good for formal occasions, they cover a wide range of suit-related situations. They are out of stock at the time of writing, so the alternatives while you wait for a restock are explained in the FAQ later in this article.

For a lighter look: suede loafers no07 and no03

If you want a lighter look than the 8cm no21 for jacket-and-trousers outfits or office casual, there are the 5cm Suede Elevator Loafers No.07. These 5cm suede loafers come in sizes 25.0–28.0cm at a price of ¥14,980. Without the shine of a leather dress shoe, they blend naturally into a tie-less jacket style. They are not suited to formal occasions or job hunting, however, so limit them to jacket styles and everyday wear.

One step more affordable are the 6cm synthetic-leather suede loafers, the + 2.5 inches Suede Elevator Loafers No.03. Light at 295g per shoe, they come in sizes 25.0–28.0cm at a price of ¥13,980. They are made for smart casual and dates and are not suited to formal occasions. Think of them as a pair for a jacket and chinos rather than a suit.

Comparison Table: no20, no21, no29, no03 and no07

Here are the 5 LEVANO models that can be worn with a suit or jacket, compared by height, material, weight, sizes, price and suitable occasions. Weights are per shoe; the product page for no07 does not list a weight.

Model	Height	Material	Weight (per shoe)	Sizes	Price	Suitable occasions
no20 Cowhide Leather Business Shoes	8.0cm	Cowhide leather (made in Korea)	445g	24.0–27.5cm	¥20,980	Business meetings, interviews, ceremonies. Good for formal occasions, ideal for coming-of-age ceremonies
no21 Cowhide Leather Loafers	8.0cm	Cowhide leather (made in Korea)	430g	24.0–27.5cm	¥20,980	Jacket and trousers, summer dress-down, after-parties. Good for formal occasions, ideal for coming-of-age ceremonies
no29 Cowhide Leather Casual Shoes	5.0cm	Cowhide leather (made in Japan)	390g	24.0–26.5cm	¥29,680	Commuting, business trips, job hunting. Ideal for job hunting and coming-of-age ceremonies, good for formal occasions (currently out of stock)
no03 Suede Loafers	6.0cm	Synthetic leather (made in Korea)	295g	25.0–28.0cm	¥13,980	Smart casual, dates. Not suited to formal occasions, borderline for coming-of-age ceremonies
no07 Suede Loafers	5.0cm	Suede (made in Korea)	Not listed	25.0–28.0cm	¥14,980	Jacket styles, everyday wear. Good for coming-of-age ceremonies, not suited to formal occasions or job hunting

The basic split is the 3 cowhide leather models (no20, no21 and no29) if you will be wearing them with suits, and no07 or no03 if you mostly wear jacket styles. Size ranges differ, too: the cowhide leather models start at 24.0cm while the suede loafers start at 25.0cm, so if you wear 24.0–24.5cm your choice is among no20, no21 and no29.

Points to Watch at Weddings, When Job Hunting and at Interviews

Weddings: no20 for the groom, a modest height or loafers for guests

There is nothing wrong with wearing elevator shoes to a wedding. The groom appears in many photos, so he should choose formal dress shoes that go easily with a suit or tuxedo, such as the black cowhide leather business shoes no20. Guests do not need to stand out more than the groom, so a modest 5–6cm height is the way to go, and for the after-party the loafers no21 are also an option. no03 and no07 are not suited to formal occasions, so do not wear them to the reception. Wearing them for the first time on the day itself tends to make your walk look awkward, so wear them a few times beforehand to get used to them. Models suitable for weddings are collected under Wedding Elevator Shoes. For how grooms and guests should each choose, see Can You Wear Elevator Shoes to a Wedding? A Guide for Grooms and Guests.

Job hunting: black lace-ups, avoid loafers

Job hunting is the situation that calls for the most conservative footwear. Choose black cowhide leather lace-ups and avoid loafers. Among LEVANO's loafers, no07 is classed as not suited to job hunting, and no03 is positioned as not suited to formal occasions and borderline for coming-of-age ceremonies. The Japan-made no29 is rated ideal for job hunting, but it is out of stock at the time of writing, so no20 is the realistic option while you wait for a restock. If 8cm worries you, 2 things will go a long way toward removing any unnaturalness: walk around indoors before the interview to get used to the slope, and set your trouser hems to a length that rests on the vamp of the shoe. You can see the full list of business models under Business Elevator Shoes.

Interviews and business meetings: check your feet while seated

In interviews and business meetings you spend more time sitting than standing and walking, and once you sit down the side and heel of your shoes are at the other person's eye level. Before you leave, sit down in front of a mirror and check that the sides of the sole and the heel are the same color as the upper, and that your hems are not riding up and exposing the heel height. Socks should be plain black or navy and long enough that no skin shows when you sit.

Where loafers fit in

Loafers suit the office during the summer dress-down season, jacket-and-trousers outfits and wedding after-parties. In order of formality they run: the cowhide leather no21, the suede no07, then the synthetic leather no03. You can compare the 3 models under Men's Elevator Loafers. If you would like to see business shoes, loafers, boots and genuine leather sandals together, choose from the Leather Elevator Shoes listing.

Caring for the Dress-Shoe Styles

Cowhide leather elevator shoes last a long time with the same care as ordinary dress shoes. Insert shoe trees after taking them off to keep their shape, and condition the leather with an emulsified shoe cream 1–2 times a month. If you wear them in the rain, stuff them with newspaper and dry them in the shade. The insole cannot be removed, so there is no need to apply cream directly inside the shoe.

It also helps to know the differences between materials. For the cowhide leather no20, no21 and no29, conditioning with the cream described above is the basis. The synthetic leather no03 needs only a wipe with a dry cloth; no cream is required. For the suede no07, skip the cream, brush the nap into shape with a suede brush and lift dirt with an eraser-type suede cleaner. Whatever the material, not wearing the same pair 2 days in a row and letting the shoes dry overnight by the door before they go back in the shoe cabinet will keep sweat and odor in check. For more, see Sweat and Odour in Elevator Shoes: Fixes and How to Choose a Cooler Model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 8cm unnatural with a suit?

Ordinary dress shoes already have a heel of 2–3cm, so even with an 8cm boost the height difference others see is only about 5–6cm, which is within the natural range for a suit. What looks unnatural is rarely the height itself; the causes are a sole in a different color, hems that are too short and an unpracticed walk. Choose no20 or no21, whose soles match the upper, set your hems to a length that rests on the vamp, and walk around indoors beforehand to get used to them, and there will be no problem. If you would still rather keep it subtle, start with a lower height such as the 5cm no29 or the 6cm no03. How each height looks is explained in How Much Height Should Elevator Shoes Add? Comparing 5, 6, 7, and 8 cm.

How should I care for the dress-shoe styles?

The basics are as described under "Caring for the Dress-Shoe Styles" above: shoe trees and emulsified shoe cream 1–2 times a month for cowhide leather, a wipe with a dry cloth for the synthetic leather no03, and brushing for the suede no07. On top of that, keeping 2 things in mind is enough: when the shoes get wet in the rain, do not rush to dry them in direct sunlight or with a hair dryer, and since the insole is built in and cannot be removed, use deodorizers or drying agents of the type you place inside the shoe.

Can I order the same size as my usual dress shoes?

For LEVANO shoes, the guide is the same size as the sneakers you normally wear. Among the dress-shoe and loafer styles, no20 and no21 run 24.0–27.5cm, no29 runs 24.0–26.5cm and no03 and no07 run 25.0–28.0cm, all in 0.5cm increments. Dress shoes do not stretch much in width, so if you have wide feet or a high instep, consider going up one size, and if you are torn between 2 sizes, choose the one that leaves about 1cm of room at the toe. When your shoes arrive, walk around indoors for a few minutes before wearing them outside and check that your heel does not lift and that nothing pinches across the instep. If the size does not fit, a size exchange is available once, within 7 days of delivery, provided the shoes are unused and have been tried on indoors only (the customer pays the return shipping, LEVANO pays the shipping of the replacement, and the packing slip must be included). If you would like to check the fit before buying, you can also use TryBee, which lets you try the shoes for 7 days at ¥0 and pay after you decide to purchase.

What should I do about the out-of-stock no29?

no29 is the model that combines Japanese manufacture, cowhide leather and a 5cm boost, and it is out of stock at the time of writing. The restock date is undecided, so if you are not in a hurry, check the product page periodically or let us know through the contact form that you would like to be notified when it is back in stock. If you need dress shoes for a suit urgently, no20, in the same cowhide leather with a black sole, is the alternative candidate. The height goes up from 5cm to 8cm, the size range is 24.0–27.5cm, and the price changes from ¥29,680 to ¥20,980. To give yourself time to get used to the 8cm slope, order so that the shoes arrive at least 1 week before the day you need them, and wear them indoors a few times before the real thing. If you are only wearing jacket styles and want to stay at 5cm, the suede loafers no07 are also a candidate, but they cannot be used for job hunting or formal occasions.

Summary

With elevator dress shoes for a suit, cover the 5 points of "height up to 8cm", "a thin sole in the same color", "closed-lacing cap-toe or plain-toe", "cowhide leather" and "hems that rest on the shoe", and you can add height naturally even in business settings. If you know how you will use them, start with no20 for formal-leaning wear, no21 for jacket styles and no29 if you commute a lot. If you want a loafer with a lighter look, no07 is the candidate; if affordability comes first, no03. For weddings, job hunting and interviews, make black lace-ups your default, and once your shoes arrive, check indoors how the lacing panels close and whether your heel lifts before wearing them for the real thing.