Pointed Derbies - a casual special variant of Derby shoes
Pointed Derbies are, first and foremost, two-eyelet Derbies—meaning Derbies with two eyelets on each side of the shoe. Furthermore, the side leather parts of the upper, the quarters, run at an acute angle at their foremost point before curving backwards in the typical Derby arch. This is where the name Pointed Derby comes from.
Example Variant
Elegant Black Pointed Derbies
Here are simple Pointed Derbies made of black smooth leather—featuring a thin sole, though an additional half-rubber sole has been attached to the front, which you can see from both the side and the bottom. The thin sole already indicates that these are very comfortable shoes for walking.
The shape is slightly wider at the front, making it somewhat comparable to a so-called Budapester, though it doesn’t quite reach that level. The typical pointed tips of the quarters also show that this is overall a somewhat casual interpretation of what is actually a fairly formal shoe. If a plain black Oxford shoe doesn’t stylistically match a pair of gray jeans, a plain black Derby shoe with its fine, relaxing nuances is much more likely to fit. In my eyes, perfect for a smart casual dress code in the office.
Special Features
Characteristics of Pointed Derbies
Pointed Derbies have the following two characteristics by which you can recognize them:
- they are specifically two-eyelet Derbies, meaning they have two eyelets on each side of the shoe
- the side parts of the upper, the so-called quarters, run at an acute angle at the front
By the way, there are also completely different two-eyelet Derbies whose side quarters do not form a point at all, but instead slope down directly from the eyelet area. These are somewhat more harmonious than Pointed Derbies, as acute angles always introduce a bit of visual tension.
Difference to Other Derbies
Here you can see Derbies in a non-pointed variant and how they look at the side points before the curve of the seam runs backwards and downwards in the Derby arch. You can see here that the angle at this transition is slightly over 90 degrees. This is explained by the fact that this Derby is a five-eyelet Derby and the quarters at the front, viewed from above, only start to curve outwards later—specifically after the fifth eyelet.
Otherwise, you can see that the shoe’s upper leather is not conspicuous at all: no acute angles, everything including the seams kept monotonous in black—a calm overall impression. If you would like to look at other Derby variants with a calmer appearance, you can do so here:
When a Derby is No Longer a Pointed Derby
In my opinion, this pair of shoes represents the limit for Pointed Derbies: from the outside, they look almost exactly like Pointed Derbies without actually being them. This is because instead of two eyelets per side, they have three eyelets. Accordingly, the angle of the front side parts is not quite as acute. Nevertheless, these Derbies are much closer to Pointed Derbies than to steep-angled Derbies.
Different Variants
Brown Pointed Derbies with 180-Degree Norwegian Welt
This is a beautifully casual shoe in a so-called 180° Norwegian construction. In addition to the very decorative, thick Norwegian seam, there is the rather unusual combination of embossed leather and an artificial patina. This, along with the Pointed Derby model itself and the rubber soles, contributes to the overall casual character of the shoe. In a way, every detail of this shoe proves its strong leisure character. In my eyes, a very practical shoe for everyday use, especially in autumn and winter.
Dark Red Ostrich Leather Pointed Derbies
A very nice shoe to combine with jeans: the dark red fits perfectly with the blue of denim. You can even use gray and darker jeans for this. Here too, the Pointed Derby model supports the relaxed character as a leisure shoe. The dark red ostrich leather can be quite striking, but is toned down in this regard by the darker color. Overall, a very successful leisure shoe in my opinion.
Dark Blue Pointed Derbies with Thin Outsole
Here you see beautiful Derbies for mixed jacket-and-trouser combinations. The thin sole and the simple upper leather already suggest that these shoes are suitable for somewhat finer occasions. Incidentally, the dark blue color of the upper leather is more practical for combining than black if you have trousers and a jacket in different designs. And the “Spitzderby” character with its pointed angles further lightens up the shoe. In this regard, these are very successful Derbies—perhaps not quite as versatile, but very purposefully directed towards the jacket-and-trouser look.
Ankle Boot Variant: Chukka Boots as Pointed Derby Boots
If the style with the points angled forward on both sides of the Pointed Derbies appeals to you and you would like an ankle boot variant of it, then you can take a look at so-called Chukka boots. Similar to Pointed Derbies, these have two to three eyelets on each side, making them a bit more generous than Pointed Derbies. And in some variants, they also have those striking points angled forward that we have come to know here with the Pointed Derbies—even without a Derby arch.
In my opinion, these points in the cut are not quite as sharp, sometimes even intentionally made blunter at the tip for the sake of better harmony. And they are by no means present in all Chukka boot variants. But because of the two to three eyelets, it happens relatively often with certain variants that they bear a great resemblance to a Pointed Derby.
Perfect for maximizing this similarity are Chukka boots with two eyelets, a striking point, and a Derby arch on each side. Since I do not own such a variant, you can at least see further approximations here.