Loafers: This Season's Must-Have

Here is the essential guide on how to style the trendiest shoes of the new season

In leather or suede, with laces or precious details, chunky or backless, loafers are confirmed as a must-have for the season, absolute protagonists of any outfit, from the simplest to the most formal and sophisticated.

Some love them, some hate them... and some would like to wear them but don't know how to style them: according to many, they are difficult shoes to mix with a wardrobe that requires an excessively formal style, which has no place in everyday life.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Footwear originating from the Native Americans, loafers came to represent, over the years, the Preppy style of American Ivy League students. Today, they are produced in countless fabrics, colors, and styles, testifying to the enduring fame of these shoes.

We all have in mind the classic black leather loafer, with a lug sole that is neither too low nor too high, which has now become one of those evergreens that cannot be missing from a wardrobe: in the last year, and beyond, many fashion houses have played with fabrics, accessories, and prints to reinterpret loafers and make them more unique than ever, almost collector's items.

Consequently, we will see how loafers for Spring 2022 will not only be made in classic black leather, but also in lighter color shades, from pastels to more vibrant colors, or in patent leather, jacquard and suede, sometimes mixing multiple fabrics and prints – such as zebra or leopard print – in a single shoe, and further embellishing them with buckles, classic or maxi, rhinestones, monograms or jewel applications, even featuring variations in the sole itself, which, in addition to the classic flat, may also appear in the chunky version, higher!

But how to style them, avoiding the classic formal suit? Here are 4 tips for you:

1 – Jeans: in all shapes and colors! Tired of always seeing sneakers on your feet? Try a pair of loafers under your favorite jeans and you'll see how your outfit will be completely transformed.

2 – Long pants, both skinny and culottes, or short, shorts and bermudas for a unique casual-chic look.

3 – Socks...? Of course! This combination is wrongly seen as something outdated, but in reality, it is one of many ways to play and create a totally original outfit. Short, long, fishnet, in any color, from classic white to the most disparate patterns, giving up socks would be a real shame!

4 – Skirts and dresses: long and soft, pleated or mini, in the most diverse fabrics and eccentric prints, skirts and mini or maxi dresses are another example of an item to pair with loafers for a sophisticated and never dull look!

From the combinations, we can see how loafers allow you to be daring for both a formal and an everyday outfit, combining garments, prints, and fabrics in a completely unique way without ever sacrificing comfort. And you, what would you pair your loafers with?