Black Peshawari Chappals: How to Choose the Right Pair

Black is the colour we suggest most often for a first good pair of Peshawari chappals, and it is easy to see why. It goes with white, with navy, with grey, with that cream shalwar kameez you keep for Fridays. It hides dust, and it looks just as right at a wedding as it does at the office. But "black chappal" covers a lot of ground. The leather, the sole and the cut all change how a pair looks and feels. Here is how we would choose, as the people who make them.

Start with the finish: glossy, plain or suede

Black leather comes in different finishes, and the finish sets the mood of the whole pair.

Glossy high chrome leather has a polished shine that catches the light. It is the dressiest look, the one you see at a nikkah or on Eid morning. It also wipes clean in seconds, which helps if you wear your chappals every day.

Plain smooth leather is quieter. Less shine, more everyday. It is the pair you slip on without thinking and wear for years.

Black suede is soft and velvety, and comfortable from the first day with very little breaking in. It looks a little more modern and relaxed, though it wants a bit more care in the rain. If you are torn between leather and suede in general, our guide Leather or Suede? How to Choose Your Peshawari Chappal goes into it properly, and you can browse every colour of suede Peshawari chappals too.

Then think about the sole

The sole decides how the chappal feels at six in the evening, not just how it looks at nine in the morning.

A medium rubber sole is firm, grippy and long lasting. A thin sole gives the traditional low profile look, simple and close to the ground. An EVA foam sole is the light, springy material used in comfort trainers. Our EVA pairs are our lightest, around 300 to 350 grams per chappal, and they are the ones we suggest if you stand or walk a lot.

Whatever the sole, every Baaz pair comes with a dotted memory foam insole that slowly moulds to the shape of your foot.

Our black pairs, and who each one suits

Old Money Black is glossy black high chrome leather with a gold buckle, on a medium rubber sole. This is the classic buckle and strap chappal most people picture when they think of a Peshawari chappal. If you want one black pair for weddings, Eid and Fridays, start here.

Midnight Legacy is black high chrome leather too, but on a light EVA foam sole. The same smart look with far less weight. Good for long days, travel, and anyone who has found traditional chappals heavy.

Baaz Signature Black is black cowhide suede on an EVA foam sole. Soft, light, and a little different from the glossy black most people already own. A lovely pair for evenings and dinners.

Charred Cedar is glossy black cow leather with a pin buckle on a thin sole, hand-stitched. It has a slimmer, sharper shape and a younger feel. Its brown twin, Burnt Cedar, sits with it in The Cedar Pair.

Raw Black is plain smooth black leather on a thin sole. It is the simplest pair we make and the most affordable, part of Baaz Essentials. A good daily pair, or a first pair if you are just trying a handmade chappal.

You can see them side by side in our black Peshawari chappals collection.

Which one for which day

• Weddings, nikkah and Eid: Old Money Black, or Baaz Signature Black if you prefer suede.
• Office and Friday prayers: Old Money Black or Midnight Legacy.
• All day on your feet, or travelling: Midnight Legacy or Baaz Signature Black, both on EVA foam. More light pairs are in lightweight Peshawari chappals.
• An everyday pair to wear hard: Raw Black or Charred Cedar.

Keeping black leather looking black

Black hides a lot, but dust still dulls it over time. Wipe your pair with a soft, slightly damp cloth after a dusty day. If it gets properly wet, stuff it loosely with cloth and let it dry at room temperature, never in front of a heater. Condition the leather every four to six weeks if you wear it often. Suede only needs a gentle brush now and then. Our full care routine is in Why Most Leather Chappal Don't Actually Wear Out.

Bigger feet?

Midnight Legacy, Baaz Signature Black, Charred Cedar and Raw Black also come in sizes 47 to 50, made to order. You will find them in Big and Tall.

Still not sure which black pair is right for you? Message us on WhatsApp at 0371-8082229 and we will help you pick. Every order comes with free delivery across Pakistan and cash on delivery.