I read somewhere that Don Draper is to blame for the price hike.

I had a pair of wayfarers from 1989 to 1999 then left them by the pool outside my apartment for a short while to run inside and when I came back they were gone. My then GF after some heavy hinting got me a pair of AO square aviators with the bayonet arms for my birthday in November 1999. They cost around $40 and lasted only a matter of months before the black paint on the frames started corroding and the hinges turned green with oxidation. The hinges also became very loose.

This may have been the start of my absolutely ridiculous sunglasses obsession (approx 30 pairs) but some time after this I got the Randolph version. Now AO and Randolph seem to be in a fight as they both lay claim to being the “original† or the “genuine† similar to how Victorinox and Wenger used to fight about Swiss Army knives until Victorinox solved the issue by buying Wenger!

The Randolphs were quite a bit more expensive - Ray Ban territory of over $100 straight retail - but the quality was palpably better. They guarantee their hinges and joints and throw in a nice little kit of screwdrivers and spare screws. I don’t reach for the square aviators very often but like Tomas says I got them for use on the bike thinking they’d work well under my Chinese Air Force helmet. The problem is that above 50 mph the wind gets under them and makes my eyes stream so much I’m almost blinded. Still I was impressed enough in their everyday function to get a pair of RE Concordes (traditional tear drop aviator shape but in a smaller size) and Crew Chief (slightly rounder teardrop shape with spring hinges which is always a nice touch). The lenses are glass and very clear. Frames and hinges much more robust than the AO ones.

I did see that Don Draper was wearing them in the earlier seasons. Later on you see him in a gold pair of those like John Lennon wore in the Beatles’ Holland Park videos, similar to Ray Ban Olympian Deluxe II. I wondered if that would shoot up the price and/or demand but haven’t seen many in the wild.

Anyway sorry for the digression from loafers but when sunglasses get mentioned I have to jump in!

I don’t do tassels. I have loafers by Shipton (navy suede), Meermin (polo suede), Cheaney (chestnut grain) Crockett and Jones (tan grain) and had a pair of AE Cavanaughs which looked great but I couldn’t get away with the weird last so need to sell them. All half strap pennies, no tassels!

^^ Finally, a kindred spirit. A fellow member of the No Tassels club.

Can't not wear tassels. Maybe it's a personality flaw.

I have an all leather heel and sole pair of tassel Weejuns mid late 60s I think, which I don't wear often but like occasionally as they are that wonderful old matt finish.

Only other pair are some Paul Smith Brooks Bros style ones which I got at a sample sale, but think I may well sell off on eBay (though I did wear them for my wedding).

I came, I saw, I mused, I took the plunge.  Well, at £49.99 post free what would you have done?  Made in the USA Dexter penny loafers.  At least they claim to be made in the USA and the Ebay seller will feel the full fury of my what'd'you-call-it if they're not. 
Much as I love my Florsheim PTBs - which have just been taken out for a buffing - and my cordo wingtips, my back now requires a nice slip-on (no faffing with laces).  Besides, I miss my old Sebago.  The Bass I had were nothing much (three pairs) and Paraboot I never could get on with.  Ditto Weston - too posh, too European, too heavy.  I'm not a hundred per cent in agreement when JS says Bass are basically slippers, but I do now have a slightly more casual approach to loafers in general (not having gone the Alden route).

I'm not sure, Woof.  I can't seem to bring up the original photographs.  Should be here by Thursday, though, so I'll take a look and report back.

Rancourt look fine but I would be averse to paying those US-UK shipping prices.  I was about to buy a shirt last night with an £18 shipping cost - which turned into £25 at checkout.  I demurred.
The Dexter are described as 'burgundy' and will perhaps be similar to a pair I bought at Russell Street for resale a good many years ago.

In spite of their currently poor reputation, I did own three pairs of Bass.  This was partly because I could buy them in a local 'trendy' shoe shop: Bass and only Bass when it came to loafers.  Then, in spite of Yuca's reservations, I did wear black Sebago and liked them well enough.  I also bought white (can't remember the make), but couldn't really pull off the look.  The Weston went to our old poster Moose - who may still be getting some wear out of them.  A 'posh' loafer, unliked by some on here twelve or so years ago, which I thought looked okay when worn with L.L.Bean jeans (cheap) and a navy Brooks cashmere v-neck (not so cheap) and, I suppose, a navy polo shirt or blue or white button-down.

I have two pairs of grain weejuns from about five years ago in sale. Okay for the odd thing but I wouldn't trust them for extensive wear.

Back in the 80's I bought two pairs of pebble grain loafers (one in black & one in brown) by Buffalo Creek, bought them from Harrington, they were a bit cheaper than Bass at the time. Great value for money as I still have the Brown pair, probably my favourite pair of loafers. Black ones bit the dust years ago.