Smart-Casual Shoes

Smart-casual shoes are leather shoes that look polished enough for tailoring but relaxed enough for jeans and chinos. Derbies, loafers, moccasins and boat shoes all fall into this category. They suit soft suiting, office wear without a tie, and weekends alike.

A Norwegian welt is a robust shoemaking construction where the upper is turned outwards and stitched to the sole, creating a visible welt that helps keep water out. It is used on Paraboot's Michael and Avoriaz and makes the shoes durable and resoleable.

For many customers, yes. Paraboot shoes are Norwegian welted in France with Paraboot's own natural rubber soles and can be resoled, so a pair can last for many years. Our Journal guide, Are Paraboot Shoes Worth the Money?, covers construction, fit and how they compare.

They should feel snug across the instep with a little room at the toe; leather will soften and mould to your foot over the first few wears. Most fit true to UK size, though Paraboot and Kleman can feel generous, so check the notes on each product page before ordering.

You can shop smart-casual shoes from Paraboot, Kleman, Sebago, Clarks Originals and Red Wing at urbanindustry.co.uk. Urban Industry is an independent UK menswear retailer trading since 2002 and rated Excellent by thousands of verified customers. Orders placed before 3pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day, UK delivery is free over a qualifying threshold, next-day delivery is available, and EU orders ship with duties paid so there are no surprise fees on arrival. Returns are accepted within 18 days.