The tasseled loafer
Truthfully, I would revere any of these shoes if they were in my wardrobe. There's some beautiful craftsmanship on show here. That's one thing I love about living in Madrid, as I do at the moment: they love loafers here, and appreciate a quality shoe in general.
linus wrote:
Damn right, Tony! And kudos to Fussbudget, loafers are great unisex apparel on women, like a nice fitted button down oxford shirt. Some of the high heel loafers with the long square heels are fabulous.
Loafers are the greatest men's shoes, and oxfords/brogues/captoes are right up there (not the ridiculously trendy pointy or stretch versions though). Italian shoes are overrated, classic American styling is where it is, quality timeless design that can dress up or stay as casual as an afternoon walk across the quad.
Classic tassled loafers like those above look fantastic with a classic-cut tan or olive gabardine or poplin suit (pants with wide enough legs, and a 1 and 3/4 inch cuff, not those hipster short slimfits). They are pretty hard to pull off with jeans though, unless they're suede, like these:
or less formal takes like this grograin and rubber//crepe sole number:
Yes the first wave of tasseled loafers unfurled from across the channel, indispensable apparel on two-tone soles. One of the best musical genres to ever emerge from England was clad with one of the best American fashion crafts, 2nd wave ska was a rare confluence of style and substance in the popular music realm.
Bass Weejuns was it:
It's a shame they don't do them any more.
Incidentally, I'm wearing my Alden shell cordovan loafers right now, under cuffed jeans, white oxford shirt and tan corduroy sports coat. I bought these loafers about 20 yrs ago and had them resoled once (they're due for a second one soon). My first pair lasted about 15 years but that included many active long nights on the dance floor and riding/kickstarting dual purpose motorcycles. The leather is extremely durable, as are the soles, which are butressed with a steel plate from the heel to the middle of the sole, sandwiched with leather soles.
Alden shell cordovans really are the kings of loafers, unique in quality and American craftsmanship. Shell cordovan is not leather. There is one last remaining tannery in Chicago where they painstakingly hammer out and soften horse tendon into a leather-like material that is more supple and comfortable than leather yet very tough, with a deep sheen and patina that changes color with age, almost like a Bordeaux (burgundy or more precisely ox blood being the best color on loafers). They make shell cordovan wingtips too:
They are expensive shoes, nowadays around $700, but they are several times more durable than the average shoe, and they are put together by union workers in New England (hence the cost). You mail them back to Alden and they will refurbish the uppers on new soles for a fraction of the original cost.
http://unionmadegoods.com/product/alden-cordovan-leisure-handsewn-moccasin-986-2/
Originally posted by Tony C
Loafers are the greatest men's shoes, and oxfords/brogues/captoes are right up there (not the ridiculously trendy pointy or stretch versions though). Italian shoes are overrated, classic American styling is where it is, quality timeless design that can dress up or stay as casual as an afternoon walk across the quad.
Classic tassled loafers like those above look fantastic with a classic-cut tan or olive gabardine or poplin suit (pants with wide enough legs, and a 1 and 3/4 inch cuff, not those hipster short slimfits). They are pretty hard to pull off with jeans though, unless they're suede, like these:
or less formal takes like this grograin and rubber//crepe sole number:
Yes the first wave of tasseled loafers unfurled from across the channel, indispensable apparel on two-tone soles. One of the best musical genres to ever emerge from England was clad with one of the best American fashion crafts, 2nd wave ska was a rare confluence of style and substance in the popular music realm.
Bass Weejuns was it:
It's a shame they don't do them any more.
Incidentally, I'm wearing my Alden shell cordovan loafers right now, under cuffed jeans, white oxford shirt and tan corduroy sports coat. I bought these loafers about 20 yrs ago and had them resoled once (they're due for a second one soon). My first pair lasted about 15 years but that included many active long nights on the dance floor and riding/kickstarting dual purpose motorcycles. The leather is extremely durable, as are the soles, which are butressed with a steel plate from the heel to the middle of the sole, sandwiched with leather soles.
Alden shell cordovans really are the kings of loafers, unique in quality and American craftsmanship. Shell cordovan is not leather. There is one last remaining tannery in Chicago where they painstakingly hammer out and soften horse tendon into a leather-like material that is more supple and comfortable than leather yet very tough, with a deep sheen and patina that changes color with age, almost like a Bordeaux (burgundy or more precisely ox blood being the best color on loafers). They make shell cordovan wingtips too:
They are expensive shoes, nowadays around $700, but they are several times more durable than the average shoe, and they are put together by union workers in New England (hence the cost). You mail them back to Alden and they will refurbish the uppers on new soles for a fraction of the original cost.
http://unionmadegoods.com/product/alden-cordovan-leisure-handsewn-moccasin-986-2/
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