Loafers in many styles and colours are a mainstream trend. Lug-soled, platformed, flatformed, wedged, block-heeled, pointy-toed, square-toed, round-toed, tasseled, fringed, dressy, casual, adorned, simple, metallic, sporty, embroidered, chunky, and refined, so take your pick. Iconic classics like Gucci horse-bit loafers, penny loafers, and slipper flats are also having their fashion moment.
The collection below shows a large assortment.
Loafers are easy to wear, slip-on shoes, which makes them appealing. Their slip-on nature can make them harder to fit because they fall off your feet when the fit isn’t perfect. This is especially true when you have wider front feet and narrow heels. Some find loafers overly flat and dainty, but these days chunky styles and heeled versions are also in good supply. If the hardware across the vamp bothers you, choose a style without hardware.
Loafers are a transitional, high-vamped shoe. They are warmer than sandals, slides, clogs, and mules, but not as warm as boots. They offer similar insulation to low-top sneakers, Mary Janes, pumps, ballet flats, and oxfords. They can be worn with hosiery, knee-highs, socks, and leg warmers to prevent cold ankles.
They are gaining momentum with my clientele and friends because of the large assortment of styles and vibes. There’s a loafer style for everyone. The chunky styles are popular because they don’t look as classic, preppy, or flat. Flatformed, platformed, block-heeled, and wedged versions offer a bit of height, and support high arches.
Loafers are dressier than sneakers, and more substantial than ballet flats. The idea is to wear them with anything — much the same as a classic pair of low-top fashion sneakers. Combine them with casual and dressier pants, jeans, joggers, shorts, skirts and dresses. Some prefer to wear them with pants and jeans because of their high vamp.
I LOVE loafers. I’ve worn them my whole life and will continue wearing them whether they are on-trend or not. They are my shoe and, in light neutrals, a wardrobe essential for my personal style. I also wear them in brights. I find them very comfortable, versatile, supportive, and easy to wear. They are relatively easy to fit as long as they are narrow with high vamps. I prefer my loafers refined, classic, dressier, and with heels of up to an inch. My love for horses makes the horse-bit versions a must, so I have several pairs of those with gold hardware. I also have light blue slipper flats that I wish I had duplicated, old red pennies that are about to bite the dust and need to be replaced, and a very old heeled gold pair for dressy occasions. Here is my current loafer collection.
Where I might differ to most loafer lovers, is that they are warm and hot-weather shoes for me. My Summer style would not function without a pair of white loafers. Aside from the dressy gold version, I don’t typically wear them in transitional or cold weather. I like to wear them with bare feet, and very occasionally knee-highs and hosiery. I don’t wear them with socks.
Over to you. What do you think of the loafer trend, and do you wear loafers? If so, which types of loafers are your favourites?
