Slip-on shoes are a key trend. Here’s how to wear them.

Are you one of those men who, when hearing that loafers were one of MR PORTER’s trends for SS18, said something along the lines of, “Well, they’re hardly reinventing the wheel, are they?” If so, consider the following article a smart riposte to that particular criticism and your general air of snark. Loafers may not, indeed, be the most new-fangled of menswear inventions, but the ways in which one can wear them continue to proliferate. So, we will continue to write about how to do it. Scroll down for six loafer-centric combinations that have particularly tickled our fancy this spring. And see why loafers are one of our key trends this season.

We have previously outlined the various things you might consider when deciding what colour shoes to wear with your suit. But we’ve perhaps failed to convincingly make the point that, if you don’t like the idea of lace-up shoes at all, loafers are a good option in smart-casual (ie, non-wedding, non-awards-ceremony) situations. For a particularly fun and youthful take on tailoring, wear this navy brown pair from J.M. Weston (the Parisian brand beloved by French presidents) with a sharp and, what’s more, machine-washable suit from Z Zegna, the more contemporary offshoot of Italy’s most renowned tailoring brand.

Loafers are generally considered to be smartish. Well, smarter than sneakers, anyway. But you can get away with wearing them as part of a decidedly casual outfit, too. This is especially true of some of the latest iterations from brand of the moment Gucci, which come variously embellished with chenille patches, tartan panels and, in the case of this particular pair, bee motifs. Wear them with a pair of washed-denim jeans that are cropped or cuffed enough so the hem is well clear of the ankle. There are many such pieces, but why not take a guns-blazing approach and select this heavily distressed pair from the same brand?

This is more your expected loafers territory here. But you can improve upon the general template by opting for a pair of tasselled loafers from Saint Laurent, and making sure your trousers are cropped to the right length – above the ankle. This pair from Maison Margiela not only come in a pleasantly subtle textured fabric, but have unfinished hems, so you can alter to your preference and delight.

There is that risk, when wearing leather shoes with chinos, that you look like a man who simply does not know how to relax. That’s why we like this particular combination of the aforementioned items – the chinos, from Rag & Bone, are garment dyed, and the loafers, from Officine Creative, are rendered in rugged suede. Both will fade and patinate beautifully over time, resulting in an outfit that looks sharp, yet natural and comfortably lived in.

This is where we come to some real innovation in the loafer department. The collapsible-back loafer, offered here by Harrys of London, is a new type of slip-on (or, rather, kick-on) that is eminently wearable in more dressed-up situations, but can be converted to a more holiday-appropriate shoe simply by treading down its heel/quarter segment, which has been rendered in a more pliable leather. In this slipper-like guise, it becomes the perfect shoe for wearing with shorts as you wander around a charming (and warm) foreign destination on your next spring break.

There’s a safe way to do black tie, which involves a plain wool tuxedo, a white dress shirt and a pair of patent Oxford shoes. But, if you’re looking for a little more fun and derring-do next time you step out to attend a ball or collect an award, the loungey idiom exemplified by these slipper-like Rubinacci loafers is always a good shout. Wear them with an equally characterful velvet dinner jacket. There are some extravagantly coloured and embellished examples available this season from Tom Ford and Etro, but this more subtle example from New York brand Theory will also do very nicely (and not break the bank either).

Keep up to date with The Daily by signing up to our weekly email roundup. Click here to update your email preferences