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WIW - keep the loafers?

April 20, 2015

Today was chillier than it has been -- hooray! Another chance to wear a sweater. I put together a FFBO: Allsaints Drina cardigan, a black tee, and my slouchy Zara jeans. Plus bonus photo of my cat, who follows me wherever I got.

My actual outfit had flat boots. But in the photos, I'm wearing a pair of gorgeous Rag & Bone classic penny loafers I found at Nordstrom Rack yesterday. They would be an expensive impulse buy, so I am not at all sure I'm keeping them.

Pros:
-They fit! I have never before found a loafer that fit the big bony bump on top of my feet (where the tongue is). 
-They are masculine in a way that I like. More feminine loafers don't fit my style (or my feet).
-They stay on my feet and are comfortable.
-They have brown leather soles. I've wanted shoes with a bit of brown to look more vintage-hipster-Madewell and less urban than my all-black shoes.

Cons:
-They're preppier than my usual look. I grew up in Connecticut and boy do I know preppy. It's not my usual style, but I don't dislike it.
-They are somewhat similar to the men's oxfords I've been wearing a lot.
-Despite what I said about masculine being good, they do look rather clunky on me.
-I have a lot of shoes. (https://www.pinterest.com/monochro/on-my-feet/)

I have three pairs of flats, but I never wear them because they just don't stay on my feet comfortably. This might be better for my work shoe needs. They'd look fine with relaxed skinny or straight jeans. What about wool slacks?

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Posted in the What I Wore category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

27 Comments

  • Deborah replied 9 years ago

    Full disclosure.. I generally do not like loafers!  But these actually work incredibly well for you.  If anything, you de-preppied them and brought them into more edgy territory.  They look great.  If you are sure you are going to wear them, then I would keep.

  • replied 9 years ago

    LOVE--great find + comfortable? I say keep!! I don't think they look clunky at all. I would wear them with high waisted wool trousers with a wider leg that are slightly cropped.

  • retailgirl replied 9 years ago

    I love those shoes and they are classic, not nec. preppy. ( and I know preppy, too! Rhode Island, Newport, etc.) if they are comfy they look great on you. I think you'll find them very versatile.

  • rachylou replied 9 years ago

    These are one gorgeous pair of shoes. Not your usual, but I think they'll work with a lot of what you've got.

    Great shots of kitty!

  • replied 9 years ago

    They look really well made and classic in style--more classic to me than preppy, though I'm not a good judge of preppy. I often find I get more use out of any well-made, well-designed impulse buys than I do from cheaper 'needs'. If it were me, I'd keep. You could pair them with so much.

    And I love your enchanting little kitty!

  • UmmLila (Lisa) replied 9 years ago

    Deborah said exactly what I wa going to say about loafers. So I'm just going to shout out some love for the drina sweater and black jeans look that appeared often on me in the winter (mostly with moto boots).

  • Greyscale replied 9 years ago

    "I would wear them with high waisted wool trousers with a wider leg that are slightly cropped."

    anna606 - I have exactly that on my wish list! It's like you read my mind.

    It's funny, I have very short legs but I'm so drawn to cropped lengths right now. I wonder if it's as good on me as I'd like to think. I should post some photos for feedback, some day when I have time.

  • Dixie replied 9 years ago

    20 points for the kitty picture!

    I like them. I don't see preppy at all. If this are confortable, I say keep them.

  • Jaime replied 9 years ago

    I love loafers and own more than one pair - and I mean just of black loafers. I would keep a good looking, comfortable pair.

  • DonnaF replied 9 years ago

    I tend to have a poison eye for loafers, but those are gorgeous.  They aren't feminine in that frumpy way, but I don't find them particularly clunky either.  This Little Red Riding Hood finds them just right.  If you think you would actually reach for them and that they won't fall off your feet after a number of wears, then keep them.

  • catgirl replied 9 years ago

    They are perfect to my eye.

  • Greyscale replied 9 years ago

    Wow, universally positive reactions! I hadn't expected to keep them, but now I am very seriously considering it. I'd also been considering some sandals, and these are the same price, so I might choose these over the sandals without ruining my budget.

    Thanks for all the feedback!

  • Caro replied 9 years ago

    Ok well as you know by now, the loafers look amazing, I love them! But, like you, I am usually not that preppy. One style that I have been REALLY LOVING this season is the slip on trainer--like a loafer, only more casual (as they were originally a skate shoe after all). Loving the ones by Ash but can't afford them, picked up a pair of black ones at H&M and am wearing them every day, they go with everything.

    I'd keep 'em but get some more casual ones as well!

  • replied 9 years ago

    I lean towards a masculine vibe too, Greyscale and look forward to seeing how you style your new R&B loafs (if you decide to purchase!) I have serious shoe envy!

  • replied 9 years ago

    Keep.  Keep.  Keep.  I realize they were expensive, but if they fit and ar comfortable, they are worth their weight in gold.  

  • replied 9 years ago

    Excellent. They look great. I understand your heightened sensitivity to excess preppy but I'm seeing more retro than country club. The fit appears to be so good and so natural that they don't look clunky or too manly, they just look solid.The little bit of detailing in the texture and tooling pulls them away from masculine too.

    Probably "yes" to the wool pants.

  • Joyce B replied 9 years ago

    Keep them as long as you are sure that you will wear them. I think they look good and the fact that they are comfortable is a major plus. I never look down on a decent looking comfortable shoe. Sure, there are pretty shoes and trendy shoes out there but when you need to go about your day without having foot worries nothing beats comfortable loafers.

  • jackiec replied 9 years ago

    I think they look really, really good on your foot. Totally up to you if you'd wear them, but they certainly look great!

  • catseye replied 9 years ago

    Love it. I wish I could have found one of these in my size in my Rack. 

  • Kirstjen replied 9 years ago

    I really like the texture of the leather.  I'd say if they fit your feet & are comfortable, especially if you have a problem fitting your feet, keep them.  If you think you will find something equal to them for less money, maybe not.  I think that depends on how far outside of your comfort zone the price is.  

  • Elizabeth P replied 9 years ago

    Exactly what Jackie said.

  • Carole replied 9 years ago

    These are beautiful shoes and I can never say no to a pair that are comfortable on my feet and practical! Please keep!

  • Sveta replied 9 years ago

    I like them but you need to decide if you actually wear them :-)

  • Greyscale replied 9 years ago

    They weren't actually that expensive in an absolute sense: marked down to $180. That's an excellent price for well-made leather shoes. As an unneeded impulse buy, it would be high. But I do think these fill a gap.

    Aliona, you have a brilliant point with "I often find I get more use out of any well-made, well-designed impulse buys than I do from cheaper 'needs'." The things I've bought as the end of a long search / stalking a particular item so often turn out to be duds.

    I think I'll return the Gentle Souls sandals and keep these. Closed toe shoes are more versatile since I'm not supposed to wear sandals to lab.

  • unfrumped replied 9 years ago

    I think they look great.
    Loafers can look cheap or upscale so buying better is worth it if  you will wear them.
    I do tend to look for the more rounded oval toes, not pointy at all , but just smoothed off and not the really squared-off ones you see around, because I have a poison eye for those. These to me seem to have a gentle rounding and should have longevity.   
    I see the cropped craze but I still wear my pants sort of sitting/scrunched over the foot with loafers. That has just been the look I like, and especially with a dark shoe.  But the beauty of a sort of "classic" piece, whether it's the shoes or the pants or whatever, is that you can combine it with something else that is more trendy or experimental.

  • Tanya replied 9 years ago

    Love these, and hope you keep them. I totally hear you on the closed toes shoes and lab rules, urgh.

  • annagybe replied 9 years ago

    Great! They actually have enough detail in the stitching and the perforations to make them different.

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