*Top Five Lists are Totally Subjective, But I’m Probably Not Wrong.
Of all the names given to various forms of footwear, loafer is by far my favorite. Historically, titles for new garments came from colloquial usage, often referring to where the garments came from or what they were used for. Therefore, loafers were used for loafing around or, as Oxford defines it, “to idle one’s time away.”
A general theme of current style trends is to dress as if you are idling your time away, even when you’re keeping busy. Idle time is associated with comfort and we are all, as a society, too stressed and anxious to not dress comfortably. So we’ve collectively decided to retain the idle comfort of 2020 but fancy it up for 2021 and beyond. That’s why loafers, and their many iterations, are the defining footwear of our current age. They’re formal enough to wear with suiting and black tie but comfortable enough to idle away in.
With winter bearing down upon us, I’ve put together a Top Five best winter loafers. This list encompasses the broader group of all slip on shoes but putting loafer in the title just sounds better. So here is the totally subjective and absolutely definitive Top Five Loafers (and Slip Ons) for Winter.
I know that Uggs have a certain reputation but it wasn’t always that way. Ugg was founded by a surfer in Southern California in 1978. The company gradually built up a following in the surf community over the next twenty years. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that they crossed over into mainstream fashion. By 2005, they became synonymous with “basic” culture along with leggings, North Face fleeces and pumpkin spiced lattes (anyone who spent time on a college campus in the late 2000s knows the exact look).
At the risk of sounding like a hipster, I got my first pair of Ugg Tasmans at a surf shop in 2002. They immediately became my favorite I had ever put on my feet. They were unique, looked cool, and were comfortable as hell. It irritated me to no end when Ugg boots exploded in popularity and gave the brand a bad rep. Still, I couldn’t give up on the Tasmans. I went through three pairs over ten years and they remain one of my all time favorite shoes.
4. LL Bean Wicked Good Slip-Ons
L.L. Bean makes the claim that their Wicked Good line are the “best slippers ever made.” While that fact is very disputable, they are certainly an amazing bargain with all of them priced between $80 and $100. You’re not going to find a better quality shearling slip-on for less without going to New Zealand and searching for a local craftsman hand making them in his shed.
The Wicked Good line has nine varieties, encompassing scuffs, moccasins, slippers and boot-mocs. The most stylish option in the line is simply called the Slip-Ons. They are essentially shearling loafers with a rubber sole featuring a slight heel. The Slip-Ons look great with jeans or chinos but really pop with plaid wool trousers.
Babas are a traditional Turkish shoe. They are similar to mules with a backless heel to effortlessly slip them on and off, for when you simply can’t be bothered to bend over. Sabah hand crafts all their shoes in Turkey and ships worldwide; the original DTC business model. They only make two styles of shoes – Sabahs and Babas – in an ever changing variety of colors and textures, and they make them to the highest standard of quality they can. You’ve got to appreciate a brand that keeps it simple and sticks to doing what they do best with complete disregard for capitalist expansion.
The shearling Babas are lined with fur for winter warmth. A backless shoe won’t be the warmest thing you can put on your feet but they’re ideal for indoor social gatherings, weekend errands, and wearing to the office whenever you actually go there.
2. Easymoc Cozymoc (Huckberry Exclusive)
Easymoc set out to make the perfect moccasin and I have to say that they nailed it. They took a design that has been around for centuries, produced by Native Ameicans for generations before being adapted by countless American brands, and thoughtfully updated every detail. The upper is boot quality leather, the footbed is Ortholine, and the sole is Vibram. Every pair is hand crafted in Maine and the Vibram sole can be replaced when it wears out. A moc that can be re-soled is unheard of but Easymocs are built to last long enough that it was necessary.
The Cozymoc is a shearling lined cold weather adaptation of the Easymoc made exclusively for Huckebrry. This iteration will see you through the winter months until you can break out your regular loafers in the spring. Interesting side note: since Huckberry’s head of footwear design also owns Easymoc, this is essentially an in-house colab.
Gucci Mules are decadence exemplified upon your feet. The Princetown version, with overflowing fur lining, was introduced in Alessandro Michele’s first collection in 2015. They were a standout product of Gucci’s ascendance over the following years and have just been reissued. For anyone who can afford the absurd price point of $1,000, there is no substitute for stylish loafing about.
The grand irony of Gucci’s Princetown Mule is that they are a showcase piece masquerading as a house slipper. Loafers were originally intended for casual attire outside the public eye. Gucci was one of the first brands to create loafers for formalwear in the 1950s, crowned with their signature golden horse bit. The loafer’s transition from modest house shoe to extravagant display of style reached its conclusion with Michelle’s take of the Gucci Mule. They’re the most decadently glorious thing you can put on your feet while remaining as comfortable as a house slipper.