The loafer is the shoe that votes on every outfit. Six pairs that carry a wardrobe: the penny, the horsebit, the suede, the lug, the driver, and the tassel.
Shoes decide what an outfit is before the outfit gets a vote. The loafer is the rare shoe that votes well everywhere: boardroom, dinner, airport, weekend. It is also the shoe men most often buy badly, in shiny leather, with novelty hardware, one trend away from the donation bag.
These are the pairs that carry a wardrobe instead: six silhouettes, each with a job, each built to be worn for years. Buy two of them well and the rest of your shoes become supporting cast.
The Lineup
COS, Leather Penny Loafers in Black (CA$249). The penny loafer is the shoe a wardrobe is built around, and COS makes the cleanest version at this price: premium leather, made in Portugal, no branding, no fuss. It carries a suit on Monday and denim on Saturday without changing its expression. Start here. Our pick at COS.Grant Stone, Horsebit Loafer in Dune Chromexcel ($412). For the man who resoles rather than replaces. Grant Stone builds this horsebit on a Goodyear welt in full grain Chromexcel, the leather that ages better than it arrives. The bit keeps it polished; the construction keeps it for a decade. This is the connoisseur’s pair. Our pick at Nordstrom.COS, Split Suede Loafers in Brown (CA$299). Suede is the loafer’s softer register, and brown split suede is its most forgiving shade: it hides a scuff, warms up navy and gray, and turns a plain outfit into a considered one. COS keeps the silhouette sharp, so the softness reads elegant rather than casual. Our pick at COS.G.H.BASS, Larson Lug Penny Loafers in Wine ($200). Bass invented the penny loafer in 1936. The Larson keeps the icon and adds a lug sole with real presence, so it stands up to tailoring and weather alike. Wine is the color move of the season: deep enough for suits, rich enough for denim. The classic, updated with intent. Our pick at Macy’s.Quince, Essential Suede Driving Loafer in Dune ($110). The weekend loafer: handsewn moccasin construction in oiled suede, made to be driven in, walked in, and lived in without ceremony. At this price it is also the pair you stop worrying about, which is its own kind of luxury. Our pick at Quince.Johnston & Murphy, Hayes Tassel Loafers in Black ($129.90). The tassel is the dress loafer’s signature, a small flourish that signals the wearer thought about it. The Hayes keeps the lines traditional and the leather honest at a fair price. With charcoal or navy tailoring, nothing else is required. Our pick at Zappos.
The One Buy
COS, Leather Penny Loafers in Black (CA$249). If the wardrobe gets one pair, it gets this one. The black penny is the foundation: it grounds a suit, sharpens denim, and never asks the rest of the outfit to work around it. Every other loafer on this list is a variation. This is the theme. Our pick at COS.
We use cookies to keep the site working smoothly, understand how readers use it, and support our affiliate partnerships. You can accept or decline, and your choice is remembered for a year. Read our Privacy Policy for details.
5 Comments