The Best Loafers To Buy Now And Love Forever

The word versatile gets thrown around a lot in fashion, but loafers are the real deal: they truly go with everything. The beauty of this preppy shoe is that it will always retain an air of polish, which allows it to pull a look together in an instant – whether elevating jeans, grounding floaty dresses or finishing crisp tailoring. You only need to look at the SS26 runways for proof. Brands such as Calvin Klein Collection, Bottega Veneta, Tove and Khaite styled a plethora of looks with sleek loafers. Plus, the silhouette has been worn on rotation by style icons for decades (Katharine Hepburn, Princess Diana, Sienna Miller and Zoë Kravitz, to name just a few), cementing their wear-forever appeal.

The best loafers retain original design codes, including polished leather uppers, a structured sole and either a gleaming metal buckle, tassels or a penny strap (according to fashion lore, the cutout detail was once used for carrying a coin to make emergency phone calls). Unsurprisingly, given their evergreen nature, most brands with leather-working credentials have at least one signature iteration. Classic colorways – black, brown and tan – are adaptable all-rounders that wear well. Look to Saint Laurent for a riff on the collegiate penny loafer, this season reworked with a collapsible heel, or try Christen’s sleek style in smooth burgundy leather and a slightly elevated heel. Of course, no loafer roundup would be complete without mentioning Gucci. The iconic Italian house has been crafting classic loafers for more than 70 years, and its ‘Jordaan’ style is an update on the original horsebit design, which first launched in 1953.

Elsewhere, brands have added slick, contemporary details to the nostalgic silhouette. Jil Sander’s slip-on loafers, for instance, are topped with hand-knotted detailing and gold rings, while Gabriela Hearst’s square-toe ‘Aveda’ loafers come with contrasting suede panels. Wear them with a midi skirt and ankle socks or slouchy, wide-leg jeans.