The Best Loafers Will Go With Absolutely Everything

Wear them with anything, from shorts to swims, jeans to chinos, suits to trousers, socks or sockless; dress them up or down, formal or casual, boardroom or beach; to dinner, brunch, and everything in-between — the loafer is quite possibly a man’s most versatile shoe.

There’s a loafer for every occasion, which makes owning just one pair frankly impractical. That’s why we’ve put together the extensive list below for you to flesh out your loafer collection to a more civilized number. Now get loafing.

Ermenegildo Zegna Grey L’Asola Loafers

 

When you think of leather loafers, grey isn’t necessarily a colour that comes to mind immediately. Zegna’s here to change that, though. These Italian-made Buffalo leather L’Asola loafers are sleek, stylish, and supple, and with some slight colour fading throughout the shoe, they’re also very unique. E-Z peasy.

$985, Buy now at SSENSE

Tod’s Suede Penny Loafers

Suede screams summer to me, and coincidentally so do loafers — it’s a match made in heaven (or in this case, Italy). Tod’s have deservedly carved out quite a name for themselves in the smart-casual footwear market with entries like these dark brown suede penny loafers. Enjoy walking all day in Tod’s ultra-comfy signature pebbled “Gommino” rubber soles, whether you’re in Rome or at home.

$745, Buy now at MR PORTER

Giorgio Armani Black Penny Loafers

Italians and well-made loafers — name a better duo. I’ll wait. Giorgio and Armani, you say? Touché. While these black buffed leather loafers err towards the more formal end of the loafer spectrum, these are still pretty much at essential status in a guy’s shoe closet.

$1,195, Buy now at SSENSE

Gucci Black Web Horsebit Loafers

What Nike owe to their waffle sole sneaker, Gucci owe to their horsebit loafer. This instant classic put the luxury Italian brand on the footwear map, and has been a staple of theirs every season since. The term “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix” surely sounds much more elegant in Italian than Italian-American, but the sentiment still remains. You truly can’t go wrong with this iconic pair of shoes.

$790, Buy now at SSENSE

Gucci Beige New Jordaan Loafers

Already the proud owner of a pair or two of the classic black Gucci snaps? Why not have a bit of fun with your next pair and go for these beige and brick-red Original GG logo canvas kicks instead? Slightly more on the nose, yes, but tacky? Far from.

$860, Buy now at SSENSE

Brunello Cucinelli Leather Penny Loafers

If you currently stand at loafer ground zero, I’d strongly recommend something like these, by sartorial maestro Brunello Cucinelli, as your first pair. They will well and truly go with anything in any situation — they’re that versatile. Push the boat out a little and rock these with a pair of cuffed dark denim and some very controversial — yet very trendy — white socks.

$977, Buy now at MR PORTER

Hugo Boss Brighton Suede Penny Loafers

While they might take some time to break in before they feel more like slippers than loafers, these Brighton Suede pennies from Hugo Boss will fit like a glove right out of the box. Wear this light beige pair with some light washed denim for a full-on summer fit or a light grey pair of trousers for your next casual Friday.

$472, Buy now at MR PORTER

Tod’s Suede Tasselled Loafers

If you’re looking for that little piece of extra flair, a tassel loafer is one of my favourite ways to spice up my shoe game. Done here in a very elegant mid-brown suede, again by Tod’s, these have that edge of sophistication and playfulness that is much easier to pull off than you might think.

$765, Buy now at MR PORTER

Sperry Gold Cup Exeter Tassel Loafer

Talkin’ about tassels, this pair of Gold Cup Exeter tassel loafers from tried-and-true footwear brand Sperry are a little bit dressier but still just as playful. Done in a sleek black leather, wear these with anything from a pair of dark denim to a tux — just make sure you keep em’ shining like mirrors. Now go home and get your shine box.

$240, Buy now at Sperry

Prada Burgundy Leather Bristol Loafers

Capping off this listicle is a classic burgundy loafer done here very tastefully by Prada. Burgundy is one of those colours that surprisingly goes with just about anything else — from camel to khaki, all washes of denim, and even suiting when done right. In certain lights, burgundy can also almost look black in colour, meaning you can feel good about wearing these out at night in a more formal setting. Whatever your intentions are, this buffed calfskin pair of slip-ons will be a guaranteed go-to for you over the coming months.

$870, Buy now at SSENSE