I have for many years considered black loafers to be a shoe without a purpose. Black is for laced oxfords to wear with suits, and formal shoes for evening clothes. But every authority I am aware of considers the usual version - Norwegian slipons like the pair in the photo - too casual to wear with a suit, a position with which I agree completely and, one famous photo of Cary Grant wearing them with a dinner jacket aside, far too informal for dinner clothes. Further, since well-dressed men wear brown shoes with casual clothing during the day, they do not have a role before evening.
So where has that left black casuals? Relegated to occasional evening wear with a blazer perhaps, or the black trouser/white polo shirt combination that I like for informal entertaining at home. But even the latter would not happen often, at least where I live, as black Belgian shoes are more comfortable and look better to my eye. So I have not found enough opportunities to wear them to warrant space in my closet.
Recently, W. S. Foster has changed my mind about the utility of black casuals with a couple of models that I would wear with gray worsted during the day, those being versions of the slipon in the second photo. They are not the only maker either. The other day I was given a sample pair of plain banded slipons by SW1, maker of the Sloop, that tempt me to try them on the street before six o'clock. So perhaps I have been wrong in my thinking all these years.
Black Norwegians though? Never.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Musings on Black Loafers
Photos: W. S. Foster and Son
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7 comments:
One word: Belgians.
I think I might enjoy a pair in black calf suede.
For the well-dressed man the black loafer is indeed of little use. I can think of a few exceptions, possible a leisurely dinner in a nice but not too elegant restaurant under the starlit sky on the Amalfi Coast or a similar setting in summer, wearing a white shirt and a navy linen odd jacket with white pants, an ascot and a Panama hat. To me this is, alas, not an everyday event and hence there is little use for the black loafer, although it is not utterly useless.
I have a pair like these but without the seam down the toe. I find them useful to wear with odd jackets and trousers when visiting my family's homes for a meal and when going shopping for clothes. When one is trying on trousers in different stores it is convenient not to have to unlace shoes each time. To say that all well-dressed men wear brown shoes when casual sounds like a sweeping generalisation to me.
Do people still wear loafers? Perhaps in the summer, in seaside resorts? Then other colours than black are indeed of more interest. I suggest brown / tan.
http://davidikus.blogspot.com/
I wear a pair of black loafers regularly with a pair of dark grey flannel trousers and brown dress trousers, they seem to complement each other better.
I'd challenge the idea that 'well-dressed men wear brown shoes', it's become another safety rule and good dressing is not always achieved by following the rigid rules of the day.
As many black shoes as brown shoes are seen on the street here in Belgium.
No black loafers? I would have thought you couldn't go wrong with a pair of black penny loafers...
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