Thank you for the input ladies!
I think you're all right;-)
It was definitely the tan stacked heel that stood out to me (that and the beautiful grey colour).
I agree with Angie, I would personally only wear them with wide-legged trousers and maybe bootcuts.
But to Eve's point, it would definitely be a thin line between looking classic and sophisticated or just plain frumpy.
Alecia: if you want to wear them with skinnies, I think you'd have to find just the perfect pair (in fact, the shoes in the picture look more like oxfords than loafers), in a terrific colour, and I would only pair them with a very funky or edgy top.
To me loafers are a 'classic' look, oxfords 'new style' more modern. Does that make sense?
In the end, I don't think they're really me (sometimes I get a bit delusional and imagine myself as a sophisticated Parisienne with a very classic wardrobe;-)