Most men own formal shoes for weddings and trainers for everything else, and nothing for the enormous middle ground where the rest of life happens. The loafer is that middle ground. It is the only shoe that is smart enough for an office and relaxed enough for a Saturday without looking like a compromise in either direction.
It also comes with one question attached, which we will answer properly further down.
Why a loafer works where other shoes do not
A loafer has no laces, which removes the visual formality of a Derby or an Oxford. But it keeps a leather upper, a defined toe and a refined sole edge, which is what separates it from a trainer.
Suede pushes it further towards casual than polished leather does, and that is usually the version worth owning first. A dark brown or sand suede loafer goes with tailored trousers, linen, chinos and shorts. A black polished loafer goes with about half of that.
Seven ways to wear them
1. With tailored trousers
The default, and the one that makes the trousers look deliberate. Slim tailored trousers with a single break over the shoe, sand or dark brown suede, no socks in summer and thin dark socks in winter.
2. With linen trousers
Summer's best combination. Italian linen trousers in natural or olive with sand suede loafers, a linen shirt above. Nothing else in a wardrobe reads as effortlessly as this and it takes no thought at all.
3. With tailored shorts
Loafers rescue shorts from looking like holiday wear. Cotton twill chino shorts or linen-blend tailored shorts that end above the knee, with loafers and no socks. Never with a trainer sock showing at the ankle — that is the one version that fails.
4. With a polo
A piqué polo or a knitted cotton polo with tailored trousers and loafers is the complete summer smart casual outfit. Three pieces, nothing to decide.
5. Under knitwear, in autumn
Suede holds up perfectly well until the pavement is genuinely wet. A half-zip jumper over a shirt, tailored trousers and dark brown suede loafers is a September to November outfit that needs nothing else.
6. At a wedding
With a linen shirt and tailored trousers, at any wedding whose invitation says smart casual. Suede handles a lawn better than a smooth-soled Oxford does, provided you have worn the shoes in first. More on this in what to wear to a wedding without a suit.
7. Travelling
No laces means no bending down at security, and a soft suede upper packs and wears better than a stiff formal shoe. With crease-resistant trousers and a plain T-shirt, this is the outfit that arrives looking like you dressed for the destination.
So: socks or no socks?
The short answer is no socks above roughly 20°C, and thin dark socks below it. The longer answer has three parts.
Bare ankle is correct in warm weather, with tailored trousers, linen or shorts. It is not a fashion risk; it has been standard in southern Europe for decades and it looks intentional rather than casual.
The lining decides whether it is comfortable. This is the part that gets skipped. A bare foot in an unlined or synthetic-lined shoe is unpleasant within an hour and destroys the shoe within a season. Our loafers are lined in premium sheepskin precisely so they can be worn without socks — it is soft against the skin and it breathes.
If you would rather not go bare, use invisible socks, not trainer socks. A no-show sock that sits below the shoe line is invisible and solves the hygiene question entirely. A white sports sock showing above the vamp does not.
In winter, wear thin socks in a dark colour that matches the trouser rather than the shoe. Thick socks change the fit of a loafer, which is cut close by design.
Looking after suede
- Brush after wearing, with a suede brush, in one direction. This alone is most of the maintenance.
- Spray them before the first wear with a suede protector, and again every few months.
- Let them dry naturally if they get wet — away from a radiator — then brush the nap back up once dry.
- Use shoe trees or stuff them with paper overnight after a bare-foot day. Moisture is what breaks a loafer down.
- Rotate. Two days in a row is what wears a pair out; a day's rest between wears roughly doubles the life.
Common questions
Are loafers business appropriate?
Suede loafers, yes, in any office short of a law firm or a bank. For a formal meeting or an interview, a leather Derby is the safer shoe.
How should a loafer fit?
Snug when new, without the heel slipping. There are no laces to compensate, so the shoe has to hold on the instep. Suede gives slightly with wear, so a loafer that feels perfect in the shop will feel loose in a month.
What size should I order?
Ours are sold in UK shoe sizes 6 to 12 (EU 40 to 46). Measure from heel to longest toe standing on a sheet of paper and compare with the footwear table in our size guide. Between sizes, take the larger one.
Can I wear loafers in the rain?
Light rain with a protector spray, yes. A wet British winter, no — that is the season for leather Derbies or leather trainers. See our winter wardrobe guide.
The full range
Loafers, trainers and Derby shoes all sit in Footwear. For the outfits above, see tailored trousers, linen and polo shirts.