The 12 Loafers I Can't Live Without

An in-depth review of my current rotation and what makes each one special.

I’ve been something of a loafer aficionado since I was a little kid. Growing up, I’d dress up to go to church on Sundays, and my outfit usually consisted of a white oxford cloth button-down shirt, repp tie, khakis, navy blazer, and polished oxblood-colored penny loafers. Usually, they were Bass Weejuns, and I grew to prefer the models that didn’t have the beef-roll stitching, like the Larson, which felt a bit sleeker. When I entered the #menswear movement, Alden Leisure Handsewns—known as LHS—became the preferred alternative to Vans Authentics when you needed to dress up a bit. But they were too hard to size and never quite broke in how I wanted—the low toebox and vamp blistering my sockless feet. They also looked awkwardly casual with more formal looks, which left a little more versatility to be desired. These early experiences informed my search for the perfect loafer, which is something I’ve gotten close to finding, but much like the perfect t-shirt or perfect jeans, still eludes me. Still, with everything I’ve learned, I’ve assembled a collection of twelve loafers that remain in my rotation today.