Loafers & Driving Shoes

Penny, logo or driver

• Penny loafers carry a saddle strap across the vamp with a slot cut into it: a vintage brown Gucci pair, the Ralph Lauren Chalmers in black full-grain leather, a vintage Prada Milano pair with a metal logo, and the women’s Brunello Cucinelli Molini.
• Logo loafers let the branding do the work: the vintage Prada triangle plaque across the strap, Prada Milano lettering embossed on the vamp, and Gucci Guccissima loafers with the GG monogram pressed into brown leather.
• Drivers are soft moccasins on flexible rubber soles: the Louis Vuitton tassel driver in pebbled brown leather with engraved LV tips, and a vintage Prada driver in pebbled black leather with a logo penny strap.

Welts, leather and rubber underfoot

The vintage Gucci penny loafers are Goodyear-welted, the Chalmers has a leather sole stamped with the Ralph Lauren name, and the Guccissima and Molini pairs combine leather with a rubber insert. The Prada loafers sit on rubber.

Several lace-ups, among them the Santoni brogue derby and the Gucci apron-toe, also sit in this section; their construction is covered under Formal Shoes.

FAQ

How should a loafer fit?

With no laces to take up slack, the heel cup and the throat of the vamp hold the foot. A good fit grips the heel lightly as you walk without pinching the instep; leather softens with wear, but the length stays the same. The Chalmers also carries a width letter, E, next to its US size.

Are drivers made for long walks?

Not really. The nubbed rubber sole grips pedals and bends with the foot, but on pavement it wears down faster than a full sole, starting where the nubs wrap around the heel, so check that spot in the photos.

Which details on a loafer get checked first?

Metal hardware first: penny-strap plaques, tassel tips and heel inserts, with their engraving and finish. Our team then checks the stamps inside, the stitching around the moccasin toe and the sole, all in-house.