Friends - of all my shoes, the #8 loafers tend to be the unloved stepchild of my shoe rotation. Too casual for suits, shape not elegant enough. What is your opinion on them?
First saw them on the feet of hard working surgery residents at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. It was that or cowboy boots. After trying everything else i discovered the virtues of both the loafers and the cowboy boots.
Don't wear cowboy boots in Maryland nowadays. Ahh...but the loafers...
My workhorse. Beaters.
Don't think of it as a dress up shoe for a suit, but as a good looking beater. When they are old and the folds are really worked in they come into their own.
Always take them on trips. Great looking road warriors.
I use them as slippers around the house, or when I need to nip out to get something quick from the shops. I know there's a lot of fans of them here and I can dig why someone likes the loafing quality in an office or for leisure. But for me, I just can't get use to them other than an upgrade to slippers.
"I just can't get use to them other than an upgrade to slippers" - Well said.
I can't speak for Alden, but I like suede loafers in summer. Look great with Linen.
I love the Alden Leisure Handsewn loafers, they are key, for me, my favorite is the unlined Brooks Brothers model in cordovan, and the unlined suede penny loafers are great too, especially in the summer.
I have no idea why there is a cult love of this shoe. I don't have a loafer foot, so it's irrelevant to me, but the whole idea of a shell cordovan loafer only makes sense to me in terms of wearing around the drafty manor or igenty dogwalking and mailbox checking in cold/wet weather.
/\ heh heh ... I only got them because some really well-dressed iGents on the Internet wrote that they were essential but I understand they might get creased if worn and it's better to have at least three pairs in "rotation" and an extra pair that remains untouched in its box before you wear the first pair .... I also need some Saphir shoe cream, I have read that that's the brand the cognoscenti use, but I wonder what its purpose is ..... I'm told the special #8 color "pops" but I haven't heard any strange noises while wearing them ....
there is a great website, if that's the word, called Ask Andy About Clothes, run by a respected clothing expert, that is full of threads about this great shoe, and I spent some time reading through them, and when I was done I knew I had to get a pair of them ....
and you are absolutely correct, they are excellent for walking the dog, much better than my double monks, and I do just throw them on when I have to pick up my mail. Thanks.
They make my feet look small and fat. End of.
that's a shame Beestonplace, did you try them on before you bought them?
as an aside perhaps the elevation afforded by the Alden is a benefit that outweighs the short fat appearance of your feet when you wear them.
Last edited by stanshall (2015-10-13 09:46:46)
Yes, but I was in a Cordo haze and did not know what I was doing. Now I have 3 Alden cordos and, to be frank, one would have been enough.
+1 re "elevation".
Last edited by Chévere (2015-10-13 21:50:48)
I really hope you get a pair of hornbacks mate. Wear `em to work.
Mine are now enjoying a long break until next spring.