What are Loafers? How to distinguish and style them beautifully

Loafer shoes are one of the most popular office shoe styles due to their fashionability and convenience. Many people have not heard of Loafer shoes or may have seen them but not recognized them. So what are Loafer shoes? What are the shapes and characteristics of Loafer shoes, and how do you coordinate them for a standard office style? This article will share with you the necessary information about this trendy shoe model on the market today.

What are Loafer Shoes?

Loafer shoes are a type of slip-on shoe with a low heel and a moccasin-like construction. They are typically made of leather or suede and have a penny loafer or horsebit loafer design. Loafer shoes are a versatile and comfortable option for both men and women and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

How to Distinguish Loafer Shoes

There are a few key features that distinguish Loafer shoes from other types of shoes. These include:

• A low heel: Loafer shoes typically have a low heel, which makes them comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
• A moccasin-like construction: Loafer shoes are made with a moccasin-like construction, which means that they have a single piece of leather that is sewn around the foot.
• A penny loafer or horsebit loafer design: Loafer shoes can be either penny loafers or horsebit loafers. Penny loafers have a small strap across the vamp with a metal penny inserted into it. Horsebit loafers have a metal horsebit across the vamp.

How to Coordinate Beautiful Outfits with Loafer Shoes

Loafer shoes can be coordinated with a variety of outfits to create a stylish and sophisticated look. Here are a few tips for coordinating Loafer shoes with your outfits:

• For a casual look, pair Loafer shoes with jeans, chinos, or a skirt.
• For a more formal look, pair Loafer shoes with a dress or a suit.
• Add a pop of color to your outfit by choosing Loafer shoes in a bright color.
• Experiment with different textures and patterns to create a unique look.

With a little creativity, you can easily coordinate Loafer shoes with your outfits to create a stylish and sophisticated look.

What are Loafer Shoes and How to Identify the Types of Loafer Shoes

Loafer shoes, also known as slip-on shoes, are made of high-quality leather and are often worn with suits or blazers. They are designed without laces, making them very convenient and suitable for many people. The classic yet modern style can be搭配with many different fashion styles.

The Origin of Loafer Shoes and the Meaning of the Name Loafer

According to historical records, the early 19th century was the starting point for loafer shoes. In 1947, a shoemaker in London at that time created a loafer design called Wildsmith Shoes for King George VI to wear in the palace. Wildsmith Shoes was designed by Raymond Lewis Wildsmith. Shortly after that, Wildsmith Shoes was mass-produced and supplied to the royal family in London at that time.

In 1930, loafer shoes began to be produced in Norway and exported to Europe and America. They were especially promoted by a famous magazine Esquire. Since then, loafers have become popular and a favorite item.

In 1936, the shoe company G. H. Bass launched the first loafer called Weejuns, named after the Norwegian peasant's slip-on shoes with an open strap and a stylized lip design on the strap. This unique design has not changed and is still used today. The "lips" created a wave in the 1940s and 1950s when shoe wearers often used a penny to pay for a public phone call. This wave of pennies was the beginning of the name Penny Loafer.

In 1966, a famous Italian shoe designer Gucci boldly changed the classic loafer design. Instead of keeping the classic lips, he replaced them with a metal crossbar in the shape of a horse's bridle. It wasn't until 1970 that Gucci loafers became widely known and chosen. Today, this design is called Horsebit loafer.

Today, loafers have become a close friend and an indispensable accessory for both men and women.

Types of Loafer Shoes

There are many different types of loafer shoes, but the most common ones are:

• Penny loafers have a horizontal strap across the vamp, or front, of the shoe. This strap was originally designed to hold a penny, but it is now mostly decorative.
• Tassel loafers have two tassels on the vamp of the shoe. These tassels are also mostly decorative, but they add a bit of flair to the shoe.
• Horsebit loafers have a metal horsebit across the vamp of the shoe. This design was originally created by Gucci in 1966, and it has since become a classic.
• Belgian loafers have a small, ornamental bow on the vamp of the shoe. These loafers are typically made of suede or velvet, and they are often worn with formal attire.

How to Choose the Right Loafer Shoes

When choosing loafer shoes, it is important to consider the following factors:

• The occasion. Loafer shoes can be dressed up or down, so it is important to choose a style that is appropriate for the occasion.
• Your personal style. Loafer shoes come in a variety of styles, so it is important to choose a style that fits your personal taste.
• The fit. Loafer shoes should fit snugly but not too tightly. You should be able to walk comfortably in them without them slipping off.

How to Care for Loafer Shoes

Loafer shoescan last for many years if they are properly cared for. Here are a few tips on how to care for your loafer shoes:

• Clean them regularly. Loafer shoes should be cleaned regularly with a soft brush and a mild leather cleaner.
• Polish them regularly. Loafer shoes should be polished regularly with a good quality leather polish.
• Store them properly. Loafer shoes should be stored in a cool, dry place when they are not being worn.

General characteristics and classification of Loafer shoes

The identifying feature of men's Loafer shoes is that they are slip-on shoes without laces and often have a strap across the vamp (the strap is designed with many different styles according to each type of Loafer shoes).

Loafers are divided into 3 types: Penny Loafer, Tasselled Loafer, and Horsebit loafer, which are designed for both men and women. As they are all Loafer shoes, they have many similarities in design, but each has its own unique features that allow users to distinguish them.

• Penny Loafer: The best-selling style in recent years and is the most popular choice for many gentlemen. Penny Loafers are designed with a 5cm high heel made of wood and covered with natural rubber on the outside for a comfortable feel when wearing. The insole is made of genuine leather and the outstanding feature of Penny Loafers is the leather strap on the front of the shoe and the soft toe opening. Penny Loafers can be worn with both suits or jeans.
• Tasseled Loafer: Still a convenient slip-on shoe, but the Tasseled Loafer is more "dandy" than its other Loafer siblings. The design is basically the same as the Penny, but the characteristic of the Tasseled is the pair of tassels hanging on the front of the shoe, which makes the Tasseled more selective for the wearer.
• Horsebit loafer: Elegant and youthful are the words that best describe this shoe. The identifying feature is the copper bar across the toe of the shoe that creates a highlight for the Horsebit.

Advantages of men's loafer shoes

• Showcasing luxury: Loafer shoes made from high-quality leather help gentlemen become luxurious and elegant in all situations. Especially for office workers, people working in an office environment, who often meet customers... Wearing Loafer shoes with men when going to work, meeting partners creates the image of a sophisticated and elegant man that helps men be more confident.
• Variety of designs: Nowadays, Loafer shoes are designed in different styles, from classic to modern, so gentlemen will have many choices to suit their own style. At the same time, it is easy to mix with the clothes in your wardrobe.
• Easy to combine with clothes: It is not difficult to mix clothes with men's Loafer shoes because the slip-on style is very easy to mix with clothes. If you work in an office environment, need to be neat in the way you dress, you can wear shoes with suit pants and a shirt... Besides, Loafer shoes can also be combined with jeans, khaki pants, shorts depending on different occasions.
• Easy to wear: The characteristic of Loafer shoes is that they do not have laces, so they are very suitable for gentlemen who are "lazy" to tie and untie laces. This is also one of the outstanding advantages of Loafer shoes, helping the wearer save time when busy.

How to mix clothes with Loafer shoes

Usually, Loafers will be worn with elegant suits, sometimes with youthful blazers depending on the leather material, shiny or matte, to mix and match clothes appropriately. The way to mix clothes also depends on the style of Loafer shoes: Penny, Tasseled or Horsebit.

Specifically as follows:

• With Penny, it is easy to mix with a shirt, dress pants or khaki pants. Penny can also be paired with jeans when worn with a thin blazer.
• Tassel is suitable for many different styles and can be mixed with many different items such as shirt and chinos, khaki pants or shorts when going out or vest and blazer when going to work or in important customer meetings.
• Horsebit is more youthful and is often chosen to mix with jeans - long sleeve shirt rolled up, khaki pants - shirt, jean shorts - polo shirt.

Depending on the nature of the work, men can mix clothes with men's Loafer shoes in different styles to create their own mark. Here are some suggestions to help men mix clothes beautifully and luxuriously.

• Loafer shoes and jeans, shirt

The combination of jeans, shirt and Loafer shoes is quite familiar to young boys who love youthfulness and dynamism. Not only creating charm but also showing freedom when wearing work clothes. What men should keep in mind is to choose the shirt color and pants that best match the shoes they are wearing.

• Loafer shoes and vest

Mixing clothes with men's Loafer shoes and a vest is the way that men love on important occasions. Not only showing seriousness, politeness but also creating the class of gentlemen. A small note is that men have to choose the color of the shoes to be harmonious with the vest they are wearing to be suitable for the event, occasion and at the same time bring youthfulness and dynamism