Herring Shoes Journal

The loafer tends to be synonymous with summer sockless days, worn with shorts, chinos or linen trousers, but we are seeing more orders for this shoe style during the colder months as our customers look for an easy-to-wear shoe that’s smart but less formal than a lace-up or buckle.

There is no doubt a loafer adds continental or preppy flair to any outfit, so why limit this style to summer only? We firmly believe there is a place for loafers as winter turns into spring. What you will need though is socks, but then that’s a great excuse to indulge in some lovely socks too. I am not talking cartoon character Dad socks, but I do love some colour, a stripe or a well-chosen pattern. Avoid wet or snowy days though as the low-slung profile of a loafer will do little to prevent your feet getting wet.

So how do you wear a loafer in winter? As always, you do you…it’s not for any blog to dictate how you wear your footwear, but here are a few styles I have seen and liked.

Pair your loafers with hard-wearing chinos, a double-breasted pea coat, a scarf and stripy socks. This is a supersmart style but still casual. It’s definitely a nod to the weather conditions without being too bundled up, so could easily translate to office wear with a shirt concealed under the coat and scarf.

Another work look: add a sweater over your shirt, pull on some moleskin or other heavier material trousers with a short frock coat or even a Parka jacket if you want a more casual appearance. This could be the time to add some diamond socks too just to add a splash of detail.

For more formal attire, try complementing a polo neck sweater under a herringbone or checked suit. It feels a bit James Bond, but hey, 007 was the king of the loafer back in the day!

Come the springtime and you can go for paler socks or no socks at all to pair with lighter coloured trousers and more lightweight suits – without a tie looks good.

But what about loafers and jeans? Slim jeans potentially work better but I have seen looser, even skater boy styles, worn with thick socks that look just as good. A turn-up can be an excellent addition too to delineate between the shoe and the jean leg. However, a rubber sole – I like a chunky one – is a good option to take you through the wet weather of winter and to give you more support underfoot.

For women, the same rules apply. Socks and loafers to accompany a long or midi skirt or dress look great, but also look amazing with mini-skirts as the weather warms up. They work well with cropped trousers and skinny jeans too. Loafers are a very versatile shoe!

With all this in mind, which loafers do you choose for winter?

For a chunky, cleated sole, we have the Brighton II and the Kramer, for a smoother rubber sole, we have just brought out the all-black Ibiza. The cognac calf version was very popular last spring, and we expect the same from this version. It’s a classy, preppy Penny loafer.

For a smarter look, the new Esher is ideal. Made by British manufacturers Cheaney, this is a luxurious shoe. It is made on a bespoke last with a refined toe shape out of exquisite leathers to make it stand out from the crowd in a tasteful way.

Lastly, Wildsmith have brought out several lines of rubber-soled loafers that in their words epitomise city soul and country sole. If I had to choose one, I would go for their Model 80 with its kiltie tongue and diamond broguing. It’s chunky, stylish and that little bit different.

For women, our Scarlette is a classic horsebit style while we also have some chunky suede versions in our sale. See the Charlie.

So, don’t save your loafers for the summer, just select some socks and step towards spring this winter with your favourite slip-ons.