Why the loafer’s chic style remains a favourite, with Gucci, Prada and Miu Miu presenting their takes
The loafer’s punk-to-preppy versatility makes the shoe a hit among celebs from Cary Grant to ‘It’ girls like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner
In any case, “penny loafers” – spied on recent runways such as Prada and Miu Miu – have lost none of their appeal in the years since. Indeed, the humble loafer in all its iterations, whether worn by bankers and preppies, cool girls or stylish nerds, is yet again one of the year’s biggest shoe trends.
Sydney-based celebrity stylist Jessica Pecoraro says there’s much to like about their versatility. “What I love most about loafers is their chameleon-like quality: that a single pair can be worn to countless occasions, transforming completely depending on what you choose to style them with,” she says.
Pecoraro likes to wear them with both a relaxed suit, and a tried-and-true jeans and blazer combination. “To push the look in a more fashion-forward direction, experiment with ribbed socks or statement hosiery for something playful,” she says.
As New York-based writer and man about town Derek Blasberg recently wrote on his Substack “And Another Thing”, “Is it ageist of me to say that at a certain point in a man or woman’s life, he or she can no longer do this trend of white socks and penny loafers with a skirt or shorts?” Gabriel Abi-Saab, co-founder and creative director of Australian shoe brand Etymology, believes there’s an art to wearing loafers well.
