MFAD Recommends: Loafers - Topic of the day 8/20/25
Possibly the most popular shoe if you check #waywt or Instagram, do you have a favorite pair of loafers? Let us know about them - the brand, the cost, the material, the fit, how to buy (including location), any pics, and what makes them so great. Or, if you had an awful pair, roast them here and let us know why they're garbage. 🫡
"MFAD Recommends" is an ongoing series in #topic-of-the-day similar to the "Best [X] for $Y threads" on r/malefashionadvice.
Looking for more advice on what loafers to buy? Search in #questions-and-advice for loafers to see previous threads and make a new one if you haven't found an answer. 👍
44 Replies
I have faithfully worn my adrian tassel loafers from doc marten for over a year now. They have broken in very nicely and i really like the chunky sole. I paid about 130 for them and will do it again at some point!
Amomento put out heeled loafers for men, which is rare
The needles slipper loafers are fun as well
Alden the GOAT
Same!
You have the same color as me too I think?
They’re just so easy to throw on and indestructible
Yes!!
these are crazy i love them
Allen Edmonds Graysons cause they're cheap and plentiful on ebay
kinda cute too
The other loafers I have aren’t my size I need to get rid of them
I have a pair of small flat officine creative loafers coming in the mail they’ll be fun
I’ll still be looking for some nice chunky square loafers
Love my pointy little Alden loafers, but I really want some chunky square ones too
absolutely hate them
couldnt tell you why
Absolutely smoked pair of weejuns/ae waldens/etc for me, something abt the plasticky leather getting shitty just does it for me
Crunchy peeling adrians live here too
I know I will get cooked for this but my favourite tassel loafers are from Clark‘s
I‘ve had them since 2018, they were like 70€ and they‘re holding up great
They‘re also a good middle way between chunky and low profile
Clark's shoes in general are surprisingly solid for the price
Out of all the cheap dress shoes I wore when I was in school/after college Clarks were generally the best
Rancourt too, the Cole Haan Made In Maine pinch loafers made by them go for so cheap and the quality is excellent
Ugh loafers is the topic of the day? I hate loafers.
Cowboy boots are really just loafers with a shaft and a heel if you think about it.
Picked up some Astorflex from Meadow this spring and have been wearing them since. I like them quite a bit.
I have an eBay search for that made-by-rancourt Cole haan line. They are so good and so cheap.
that and the Eastland Made in Maine shoes/boots are such good value
incredibly well made and so cheap secondhand
Gonna try to get a pair of black ro brown penny loafers in Stockholm when I’m visiting in September, for more preppy outfits. Something I don’t love about the more Maine style & beefrolls.
Shit I should’ve done this with my tassels before selling my Ravello pair
Whiskey (sold) - Ravello - color 4 - color 8 - cigar (sold). I picked up black right after selling whiskey and Ravello
Something tells me this guy HATES loafers
My first loafer purchase was from oak street bootmakers and I’m enjoying them
just bought these berwicks and breaking them in as we speak. first pair! I'm Japan based, so as beautiful as Aldens look, they're hard to get here (afaik) and I wanted to start with a more affordable gateway shoe
https://berwickjapan.co.jp/products/8491bcvibk?_pos=13&_fid=9e14e4a98&_ss=c&variant=41511757775036
バーウィック オンラインストア
Berwick1707 | タッセルローファー | 8491BCVIBK
【商品詳細】 踵抜けを防ぐ為にヒールカップをシャープにした、日本人の足を研究し開発されたローファー専用ラストを使用し、ソールにはヴィブラム社製の強度とクッション性を併せ持った画期的な靴底材を採用。ゴムを発泡させて作っている為、同じ体...
Cowboy boot jokes aside, I think i like belgians and grecian slippers the most.
For us eurofolks you can check out bobbies (france). Solid pieces for 100~200€
got my first pair of butterfly loafers for $240 but shame they're too narrow for my feet
How is the sizing? Is 10M a true to size 10 D in other styles?
I'm so late but I'ma get in on this.
I have become a disciple of the Holy Loafer. I forsake all other shoes before Her Glory. I am a sicko and I own too many loafers. If anyone wants more info on any of these (or if i left out obvious details) im happy to
My general loafer counsel is to always try shit on, and the other one is: be patient and buy on ebay. You can find extremely high quality loafers on ebay for very cheap. I'll give my inventory with brief reviews (later will attach pics). Presented in no particular order
1. Grant Stone Espresso Traveler Loafers: extremely comfortable, zero break-in time. Gorgeous brown suede, always get compliments on them. Not as high quality or tough as Alden LHS but I feel that they were well worth the $300 price tag when I got 'em for my wedding.
2. John Lobb Lopez hunter brown: I was given these used as a gift and they kinda live up to the hype. They feel bullet proof, and after a fairly painful breakin, they're extremely comfortable. They are probably the single "nicest" item of clothing I own (although I was sworn to not baby them by the guy who gave them to me) and they're extremely fun to beat up. Absolutely NOT worth $1200 because no shoe is. That said, if you can get 'em second hand, I think getting a pair for 3-400 is possible and sheeeeeesh they're nice.
3. Crockett and Jones chisel toe loafer, black (unsure of last or model sorry): These were also given to me by the same person who gave me his Lobbs (long story) and he knows his loafers lemme tell you hwhat. These are much harder to make work because they do have a pretty long, square toe-box which makes them feel a bit like clownshoes at times. But it's a really interesting case because of how they give banker shoe in a way that other loafers don't. I know this is obvious to people who know their loafers well, but small details like apron, vamp, and stitching can give such different vibes. My loafer patron advised that C&J and Carmina are pretty close to the optimal price/cost ratio for really nice loafers.
4. GH Bass and Co. (moder, bought in 2016). Cheap, plasticy feeling, and yet... fine! they are what they are. Still fun to wear, moderately comfortable. Idk man I got 'em for like 10 bucks. Old GH Bass and Co. on ebay is much nicer. The beef rolls and stitching still kinda rock though.
5. Alden 660 Tassel Moccasin Loafer (black calf): acquired a cooked pair on ebay for 50 bucks, got 'em fixed up for 90 bucks (resoled, polished, cleaned, etc.) Cobbler informed me that the biggest problem was that the bit between the insole and outsole was bone dry and it should've been resoled earlier. And yet! They have been fixed up and by god do I love them. They feel great, they feel tough, and they don't feel too heavy. Cooked high quality loafers on ebay are awesome dude.
6. Paraboot Reims: acquired on ebay for like 80 bucks shipped (i have no idea how this happened). So much lighter than I expected, leather is super soft, absolte joy to wear. I just got these so I haven't put many miles on 'em but they feel incredible
7. Trickers Suede loafers (not sure what last): Acquired on TRR for like 230. They fit longer than my other pairs, but have these thick ass dainite soles that are fantastic. They feel great and resilient to walk around it, but the suede does show dirt better than my Grant Stones, partially because it's a ligher color, and perhaps because the suede is finer? These have some of the most satisfying, clunks as I walk around on a tile floor
8. Doc Martens Adrian Tassels: acquired at buffalo exchange for like 40 bucks as beaters. They do the job. Leather feels cheap, sole is yuge and comfy. Tassel and apron are super rough cut and kinda ugly but in a way that I like.
9. Ferragamo Kiltie loafers (got from my Loafer Patron): Super low apron, very slutty imo. Feel kinda like ballet shoes? Super light and comfy, but the sole is very thin. Not good English double stitched alas, but they're extremely light. I've lost both times in the fit battle when I've worn these, so they might be cursed.
After trying on many dozens of loafers in my life, here are my personal tiers for makers, accounting for quality of shoe, price of shoe, and wearability:
S Tier: These are probably worth it at retail, but you can also get good second hand. Love them wear them every chance I get, I hope to own them for my entire life and pass them down to descendents, mentees, whatever:
Trickers, Alden, Paraboot
A Tier: Great shoe, but with one or more concerns (either price or something else. should be clear in my above reviews):
Grant Stone, John Lobb, Crockett & Jones (these could move up a tier but my particular ones are so weird)
B Tier: Good shoe, but one actual feature of the shoe that I'm not the biggest fan of. These would probably be A tier with different preferences:
Ferragamo
C Tier: Fine, but you're not gonna get anything too special here. Please don't pay over 100 bucks for em:
Doc Martens, Allen Edmonds (except for certain models and materials)
D Tier: not very good. upside is that they're cheap. don't take these to represent the genre
GH Bass & Co (modern), any mall brand like Cole Haan, Johnston & Murphy, etc. if they're more recently made. Old MiUSA ones are good.
Maybe @awz pp can chime in too. I wear these same size in rancourt as in Allen Edmonds.
Ah, then the eBay links aren’t for me, I wear 10.5 3E in Allen Edmonds loafers. Got hopeful when I found a Cole Haan size chart that said 10M was a 44 somehow (???).
Anyway, you got that eBay search? Not sure what to look for, Cole haan pinch loafer seems to return a lot that’s not these made in USA secret Rancourts
“cole haan made in (maine) (9,9.5,10)” is the search i use. It turns up about 1 per week. The key is to look for a picture that has the inside. They have a hand written looking size and model information on the inside. The first picture is a Cole Haan, the second picture is a Rancourt both from eBay.
wait can you wear a 10EE in allen edmonds
or is it true like EEE necessity
Don’t know if I tried a EE, never saw one. I’m an 11E technically on the bannock, but found with the AE Randolph loafer the 10.5 3E works better for minimal heel slip + instep.
gotcha. i ask bc i have a pair of 10EEs that im trying to find a home for, doesn't sound like these would work for ya though 🙁
Yeah, might be a hair too small unless they’ve been stretched out some :/
Tts for me