One pair of loafers, three wardrobes

Some pieces belong to one style; the loafer belongs to all of them. It was a men's shoe, became a preppy shoe, and is now simply the most useful flat shoe there is: smart enough for a suit, relaxed enough for jeans, comfortable enough for a day on foot. This season it fits the softer tailoring the runways showed, relaxed suits and loose trousers with cinched waists, as Mystylebox reports.1

We took one pair, Toteme's moccasin loafers in black, and put it into three wardrobes.

Wardrobe one: Minimal

Black loafers, straight dark jeans, a fine ecru knit, a long black coat. Nothing else. In a minimal wardrobe the loafer is the finishing touch that makes plain clothes look finished. Show a little ankle; the gap between the hem and the shoe is what keeps the look light.

Wardrobe two: Classic

Black loafers, grey flannel trousers, a white shirt, a camel coat. This is the loafer's home ground, the outfit it was made for. Add a brooch on the coat lapel if you agree with our verdict in story eight. White socks are the classic twist; black socks keep it formal.

Wardrobe three: Dark Romance

Black loafers with a lace midi dress and sheer black tights. This is the surprising one: a masculine shoe under a romantic dress makes the dress wearable by day and the loafer look new. It is the same principle as lace under a blazer: one soft piece, one strict piece.

One soft piece, one strict piece. The loafer is always the strict one.

What to look for in a loafer

• Leather that softens. Moccasin construction, where the leather wraps under the foot, makes a loafer comfortable from the first day.
• A sole that is not too thin. City pavements are hard; a slightly thicker sole makes the shoe last.
• Black first. Black works in every wardrobe. Brown and burgundy are second pairs.

The alternatives

Rouje's MOC loafers in glazed coffee leather are the softer, browner version, and Rouje's BROOKLIN loafers in black grained leather the sturdier one. For evening, Toteme's velvet loafers do everything this story describes, after dark.

Care

Rotate loafers with another pair; leather needs a day to dry. Use shoe trees and a little cream once a month, and the shoes will outlast every trend in this magazine.