The 5 Types of Loafers Every Man Should Own in 2026

7 min read

Have you heard the good news? Around the world, something is shifting beneath our very feet. Well, beneath … and around, and … well, maybe on is the best way to say it. Droves of young men raised on sneakers are changing things up. They’re opting out of the hype cycle and the schedule of endless drops and opting into the world of proper shoes. More specifically, they’re ditching the Dunks and slipping into loafers.

It makes sense. Of all the hard-bottoms out there, loafers are the most easygoing—the perfect transitional style for someone making a move from truly casual footwear. Loafers also offer a range of different vibes. You can go classic with penny loafers, add a tassel or a bit for extra flair, go minimal with a Venetian … the choice is yours.

Of course, choice can be a little intimidating, especially when you’re just getting into the game. That’s where we come in. Below, we get into the best brands for loafers, dispel a common misconception about the style, and load you up with the info you need in order to start on a successful hunt for a pair of your own. Then we’ll break down the five key types of loafers every guy should know (plus a bonus section, just for fun!).

American actor Robert Mitchum wearing loafers, circa 1945.

First, a Few Essentials

If you’re looking for some footwear basics, take a look at this story before reading on. In it, you’ll see a lot of brands we here at Esquire endorse when it comes to getting the best bang for your buck with shoes. It is not exhaustive, though, so keep an eye out for the additional brands featured here, like Morjas, Belgian Shoes, Gucci, Astorflex, Scarosso, Rancourt, and more. And then—we really can’t stress this enough—remember that this list isn’t exhaustive either. You have to get out there and look around.

Also, a note on what we mean by loafers here, which is to say: shoes without any sort of lacing. You’ll notice that there aren’t any boat shoes or driving mocs, though they are very close cousins. We’ve also left out the formal stuff like smoking slippers and tuxedo pumps, though you’d do well to wear either to your next black-tie affair.

Finally, let’s address the question of loafers versus moccasins, which we notice comes up a lot in these sorts of discussions. With loafers, we’re talking about a style: a laceless, slip-on shoe, traditionally made of leather (though rubber soles and textile uppers have since become quite common). While moccasins have some very distinctive styles associated with them—think camp mocs, boat shoes, even penny loafers—it ultimately comes down to the construction, in which the leather of the upper wraps under the foot. It’s kind of like a square or rectangle situation. All shoes that fit the stylistic mold are considered loafers, and some, made with a specific sort of construction, are also moccasins.

Feeling empowered by knowledge? Great. Let’s move along.

Penny Loafers

If you want an in-depth history of the penny loafer—which, as it happens, it bound up with the history of Esquire itself—you can delve into it here and here. The basic story goes something like this: Back in the 1930s, well-to-do Brits started fishing for salmon in Norway and became enamored of the slip-on shoes worn by the locals. They brought the style back home, then started exporting it to the world via their vacations. Esquire editors spotted the shoes in Florida, decided they deserved a place in the American wardrobe, and eventually teamed up with G.H. Bass to make the Weejun (short for Norwegian). With a strap across the vamp and a small cutout detail about the size of a coin, the penny loafer became an Ivy-style fixture before finding its way onto the feet of punks, Wall Street power brokers, and, now, a bunch of cool kids graduating from sneakers to proper shoes.

It is, in our book, the quintessential loafer. You can wear it with jeans and a leather jacket, chino shorts and a tennis sweater, a suit—yes, a suit—and anything else you please. If you can own only one loafer, this is the one to own. As for the finer points? Well, those are up to you. Some people find them a little rough-hewn, but we’re particularly fond of the “beef roll” details on the side of handsewn penny loafers like those you’ll find from Rancourt & Co. A flat strap, however, will look sleeker with tailored clothing. A leather sole says “business,” while a rubber sole (maybe even a lug sole) is more casual with a hint of rebellion. Explore your options and find what works for you.

Rancourt & Co. Beefroll Penny Loafers

The Ellis Penny Loafer, Onyx

Grenson Lloyd Penny Loafers

Tassel Loafers

If the penny loafer doesn’t have quite enough whimsy for your taste, the tassel loafer might do the trick. Just strip off the strap, add a couple leather tassels that bounce around with every step, and you’re all set. As the story goes, the tassel loafer came into existence in America just after the Second World War. It was created by Alden shoe company for the actor Paul Lukas, who had picked up a pair of oxfords with tassels on the laces in Europe and wanted his own version of the shoe. Alden cooked up a slip-on take that met with Lukas’s approval and put it into the brand’s lineup. A more formal version of the already popular penny loafer, it was a hit with preppy college kids, before—and you’ll notice this is a theme—it spread to other style tribes, some of whom wore it quite conventionally while others toyed with the style’s social and cultural connotations.

If you’re worried that tassel loafers are going to feel too fancy, just try them on. You might be pleasantly surprised at how well they work with casual gear like fatigue trousers and straight-leg jeans, especially when they’re done up in suede. If, on the other hand, you’re looking to dress them up, calf leather—black or brown, please—is probably the best route.

Meermin Tassel Loafers

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Sid Mashburn Tassel Loafers

Bit Loafers

In 1953, Gucci opened its first New York store in the lobby of the Savoy Plaza hotel. On a prior visit, Aldo Gucci, the son of founder Guccio Gucci, noticed the American penchant for loafers. He wanted to create something that would resonate with a stateside audience, so he decided that Gucci should do its own take on the slip-on shoe. He added a horsebit detail as an homage to his father—a lover of all things equestrian—and the bit loafer was born. It was a smash hit with business types and Hollywood A-listers from the get-go and eventually filtered down to pretty much everyone else too.

While the original remains an icon, these days a whole range of brands make bit loafers, with varying degrees of allegiance to the original style’s horsiness. The trick, as with the penny and the tassel, is to find one that speaks to you. Dress it up or down to suit the occasion or your mood.

Grant Stone Horsebit Loafers

Gucci Horsebit 1953 Loafers

Venetian Loafers

According to lore, Venetian loafers earned their name from … yeah, you guessed it, Venice. They started out as party slippers for the wealthy before migrating to feet that ventured beyond the palazzos and out into the world. (Gondoliers even wore them because the soft soles were easy on the boats.) Stylistically, they’re the most minimal of the loafers on this list, with nothing on the vamp to distract from their clean lines and easy elegance. And in terms of construction, many maintain the flexibility and softness so crucial to their gaining popularity in the first place.

When done right, Venetian loafers are about the easiest things in the world to wear. Just think of them as the loafer equivalent of a Vans slip-on: eminently malleable, from a stylistic perspective. But the simplicity of the Venetian’s design is also a double-edged sword. When the shape is wrong, or something is out of proportion, it’s impossible not to see it. Watch out for anything that looks unnaturally elongated, pointed, or squared off. The idea is to find a shape that complements the foot—and your outfit—without distracting from the overall vibe.

Astorflex Venetian Loafers

Todd Snyder x Alden Venetian Suede Loafers

Belgian Loafers

Like so many of the other loafers on this list, Belgians have their roots in Europe—they’ve been crafted by hand for about 300 years in Belgium, of course—but only made their way to the States in the early-to-mid 20th century. It started when the famed New York department store Henri Bendel began importing them around the 1930s. In 1955, the Belgian Shoes boutique in midtown was established by the nephew of the founder (also named Henri Bendel). The Belgian loafer was an immediate hit with the upper crust, transforming into a status symbol in the tonier parts of Manhattan (and, come summer, the Hamptons). It might have remained a niche style if it weren’t for menswear blogs and social media, which turned it into a different kind of status symbol for in-the-know style hounds and industry insiders.

You can, of course, still shell out for the original Belgian Shoes if you want maximum cred (and have a decent line of credit to fund your exploits). But there are also versions from upstart makers that, while not made in Belgium, deliver the same kind of look. For most guys, the best bet is to play against the style’s preciousness by wearing it with clothing that feels more relaxed. But you can also wear yours with a tux to Lincoln Center. Dealer’s choice.

Beckett Simonon Vincent Belgian Loafers

Belgian Shoes Mr. Casual Loafers

Bonus: All the rest of ’em!

Want to get a little freaky with extra ornamentation like a kiltie or a buckle (or both)? Feeling like a Venetian is okay but a streamlined Turkish Sabah is even better for your spring and summer wardrobe? Great! Because the world of loafers is wide and varied, and there are so many more options out there that you can explore. We’ve pulled together a few easy ones, but you don’t have to take our word for it. Just get out there and see what you can find.

Sabah Kalahari Suede Loafers

Adrian Arcadia Leather Tassel Loafers