Men’s formal trainers sit in the gap between a running shoe and a dress shoe. The ones that work are plain: black, brown, navy or a quiet grey, with a tidy sole and a heel that does not flash. We fit On, Hoka, Ecco, NeroGiardini, Loake, Pikolinos and Jeffery West on this brief.
We do not stock Nike in this collection. A men’s formal trainers sale is the reduced trainers on our men’s trainer sale page. Men’s smart trainers in leather or suede are the ones to try first if the invitation says smart casual.
They suit a relaxed office, a Friday, a long day of standing, and a wedding that has already said smart casual. They do not suit black tie, a morning suit, or a firm that still writes “dark shoes” and means oxfords. Men’s formal trainers in black are the easiest to place with grey or navy. A men’s formal trainer from a designer last, such as Jeffery West or NeroGiardini, is a different fit from On or Hoka, and we measure both.
For a leather last, read the Loake size and fit guide and the Ecco size and fit guide.
For smart casual, yes, if the trainer is plain and dark and the sole is quiet. For formal in the old sense, no. A dinner, a funeral, a traditional interview and plenty of evening weddings still want a closed-lace leather shoe. If the card does not say, ask the host, then ask us. We would rather fit an oxford brogue than talk you into the wrong trainer.
He can, with a casual suit in a soft cloth, and a trainer that is almost a shoe. A chalkstripe or a morning coat will look as if the shoes were forgotten. Men who want the comfort without the argument often do better in a rubber-soled leather shoe than in a mesh runner. Bring the jacket.
There is no league table we trust. The best men’s formal trainers are the plain pair that fits and that the invitation allows. On and Hoka are the cushioned end. Ecco, Loake and NeroGiardini sit closer to a shoe. Your dress code picks the family, and your foot picks the size.
Read the dress code before you fall for a white sole. Smart casual can take a dark trainer. Black tie cannot. Our wedding shoes page is the safer starting point when the invitation is traditional, and we fit both in the same appointment if you want to compare.
Call into the shop on Gabriel’s Hill and we will put the trainer next to an oxford, so you can see which the occasion actually allows. A second opinion from a fitter costs nothing but the visit.
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