Loafers: The sensible shoe that became (sort of) sexy

SOMEThInG to celebrate about fashion these days: useful things tend to stick around. This is partly because we like to hold on to what works and save our pennies and it’s partly because we don’t always recognise something’s potential right away. not even if that thing is a slip- on loafer, otherwise known as the new sensible shoe.

Loafers of all shapes and sizes, particularly the chunkier sort, have been in the fashion charts for a couple of years — and this autumn they are everywhere. In my local M&S last week, in the section marked Leather Smart Shoes, there were nothing but loafers on display. You can pick up a Tu loafer in your local Sainsbury’s, and in & Other Stories there are 18 styles of loafers — 19 if you count the backless, fur-lined ones.

There’s no doubt that if you want a really safe bet for the dreary, puddly months to come, it is a loafer. Even so, I bet you don’t necessarily own a pair. Yet.

That is probably because chunky- soled loafers remind Us of school shoes we might have worn a hundred years ago. You look at them and think of Britney Spears in the Baby One More Time video (loafers, overknee socks, micro school skirt), which is not at all the look we’re aiming for.

The other stumbling block is the question of when would we actually wear a loafer? Your daughter is pulling on hers with three-quarter grey, wool socks and a short skirt (hoping to look like something off the Miu Miu catwalk). She likes the preppiness of them and the way they smarten up sporty track pants.

But what about Us?

THE answer is loafers plus tailored trousers. Any kind of trouser shape from slim and cropped to wide and straight will instantly look smarter and work-friendly. (In theory, you can wear loafers with dresses and skirts, but for me that always ends up looking too old- school librarian, especially where tights are involved and a pair of boots will always look better.)

Penny loafers are also a new way of tidying up denim and if you were considering wearing pleather trousers — there are almost as many of them around as there are loafers — a cropped black pair looks best finished off with a plain or horsebitbuckle loafer.

Something about this masculine neat shoe makes leather look chic and everyday, rather than rock ’n’ roll. In the Gucci show, tweedy trousers were teamed with black loafers and white socks, so no need to worry about the barefoot rule, by the way. Don’t wear them with pop socks though; there is something ageing about flat shoes and tights.

As for the style of loafer, the solution to the chunky issue is to err on the side of solid rather than stacked. What makes loafers look modern is a little bit more substance — but that doesn’t mean you need to opt for track soles, and I wouldn’t.

Kin does a solid-soled loafer that gives you a bit of lift and chunkiness (£65, johnlewis. com) or & Other Stories does a penny loafer with a chunky heel and a rubber sole (£100, stories.com). This is the sweet spot of loafers — not too Miss Moneypenny but not too stompy.

There’s room for the classic penny loafer in your wardrobe of course and M&S Collection does an excellent version (£ 49.50, marksandspencer. com) as does Clarks (£ 67, clarks.co.uk), but outside the office I think plainer loafers look better in a colour or with a chunky heel or both. I like Vagabond’s in pale beige patent with a silver chain (£125, vagabond.com).

Off- white loafers look surprisingly good, particularly with dark denim or cream or tweeds or plaids.

Loafers with metal details across the vamp — Gucci style horsebits or solid bar buckles — are going strong and they add a bit of dash to plain tailoring. Brown loafers are more casual, and if you like a tassel loafer then brown (£75, dune london.com) is the way to go.

You can get most of these styles in leopard, mock croc or snake but then the sensible point of them begins to get lost. If in doubt, stick with black.

And if you just can’t get your head around loafers — perhaps because you want more height from your shoes —you can always get some platform loafers like the ones Julia Roberts is holding in the promotional picture for her new romcom (£149, lkbennett.com).

Silk headscarf, sunglasses, heeled loafers, it’s the new glamour kit. Still pretty sensible though.