What are brogues?
Shoes with punched decoration, and they can be oxfords or derbies. The holes started as drainage on country shoes.
Brogues are defined by punching — holes, pinked edges and serrated seams — not by how they lace. An oxford can be a brogue and a derby can be a brogue. A plain cap-toe with no holes is not one, however dressy it looks.
Full, semi, quarter
A full brogue, or wingtip, has a W-shaped cap with punching along every seam. Semi brogue: a straight cap with punching at the seam and no wings. Quarter brogue: a little punching and no more. As a rough rule, more punching reads more casual, because the decoration came off muddy country shoes and never shook the association.
See brogues, plus the wingtip pairs filed under oxfords. The look started in Scotland and Ireland as farm wear, where the holes let water out. City makers kept the punching and dropped the practical reason.
Common questions
Is a longwing a brogue?
Usually. A longwing is a wingtip whose wings run all the way to the heel.
Suede brogues?
Common, and they take suede care rather than polish.
Are brogues informal?
A quarter or semi brogue is fine in an office. A heavy wingtip is not an evening shoe.