Loafers

Mens loafers have taken up the shoes industry by storm and with time more and more men are loving the loafers style. The reason for this is that the one thing that matters when considering the mens wardrobe is the versatility- and the mens dress loafers has got it in abundance. This has made the mens dress loafers popular among men regardless of their age or their profession. When it comes to mens dress loafers the main advantage is its blend of style and comfort when compared with other mens dress shoes. The famous styles like Brogues, Oxfords and Derbies are the best for formal events, but they do not offer the versatility that comes with the mens dress loafers. The options available in mens dress loafers are also plenty which makes you have a choice and select the ones that perfectly fit your need and taste.

Before we go into the details of the mens dress loafers it may be best to learn some of the history of this style accessory. Most people have come to know mens dress loafers as a recently and believe it to be a new style. But that is not the case since the men's dress loafers have been in use for almost a century. Regardless of their early origin mens dress loafers have remained in style even today and that is a rare case in fashion. The mens dress loafers have slightly changed with time but the overall structure and design remains the same as it was at the time of its origin. Mens dress loafers are also called slip ons and the origin story of the loafers goes one of two ways. Some people claim that these shoes were first worn by Norwegian fishermen and noting the interest of the travelers in the style of these shoes the locals modified the style and started exporting them to the rest of Europe. Another story states that the travellers too interest in the shoes, brought them back home and started wearing them in their hometown from which the shoes started gaining popularity. Whatever be the story it is clear that the mens dress loafers have Norwegian origin and when the popular design was noted by the shoe companies they started producing them on a large scale. One of the first companies that started producing mens dress loafers commercially is G.H Bass.

The first mens dress loafer that the company produced was Bass Weejun in 1936. The name Bass was a tribute to the company owner George Henry Bass and Weejun was the derivative of Norwegian, a nod to its origin. Soon there was a lot of styles that were produced, and they gained popularity among the people. The common reason for this design of mens dress loafers was for them to be easily put on or taken off. They were used as the evening shoes that people wore when they were having fun or simply going out. The easy design gained them the name of slip ons. Since then the mens dress loafers have stayed in style and there was never a time in history when the mens dress loafers was seen as an irrelevant style. It has stayed in style for generations and that too with little to no modifications. Though the loafers started out as a casual type of shoes it was not long before that it gained importance as a formal wear. Even today a lot of people prefer mens dress loafers to any of the above mentioned formal dress shoes.

Now if you are thinking about getting a mens dress loafer then the first thing that you will have to do is to keep in mind the purpose for which you are buying the mens dress loafer. Only of you get this clear, can select the type of mens dress loafer. There are two main materials from which the mens dress loafers are made which is leather and suede. For example if you are getting the mens dress loafers for wearing to formal events or to your regular office day then it is best for you to go with leather mens dress loafers. The sleek and gleaming finish of the leather mens dress loafers greatly complement.your formal wear and thus is the best choice when it comes to important events that require you to dress up. The leather mens dress loafers can also be worn with the smart casuals or suit separates. These formal mens dress loafers are a good investment if you are a person who suits up often like say to office regularly. Mens dress loafers that are made from leather lasts for a long time due to its sturdy material. On the contrary if you are purchasing a mens dress loafer to wear with the casuals then formal loafers would look like an over do. In these cases you can go with suede mens dress loafers. These loafers are luxurious in design and construction thus very delicate to the same degree. Therefore, it may be best to keep these type of shoes reserved for the summer and spring season since they do not do good if got wet.

Suede mens dress loafers have a casual vibe about them and thus works best when paired with the relaxed type of outfits. The material from which the mens dress loafers are made matters a great deal in the durability and functionality and therefore it is best to spend some time to get to know the details and decide on the option that suits your need. After deciding the material of the mens dress loafer the next thing is to decide on the style of loafer that you need. As we said before there are a lot of styles in mens dress loafers and you can go through them and select the one that fits your need. We are going to discuss about some of the famous styles available in mens dress loafers and how best to utilize them.

The most famous style of mens dress loafers is the penny loafers. This is one of the classic style of loafers that still is popular even after a century after its invention. Penny loafers are said to have originally designed in Norway. A Norwegian shoemaker called Tveranger studied the art of shoe making in America and eventually when he returned to his homeland and created the Aurland moccasin which soon gained popularity. This is another variation of the story of origin for loafers. This man's design is said to have prompted the G.H Bass design and the rest is history. This version of the mens dress loafers featured a leather strip that ran across the front with a diamond cut out detail. This detail created the name for the penny loafers. This cut out detail was an ideal place for stashing a penny which was a technique widely followed by students at that time. This gained the loafers it's name and soon spread in use. The major benefit with the penny loafers is that you can easily dress up or dress down when wearing the penny loafers and also this style looks good with almost any outfit. You can wear penny loafers with summer suiting but these mens dress loafers are said to work the best when paired with smart casuals or casual looks. They also look equally good when worn with varsity jacket, chinos, t-shirt or even shorts.

The next famous style of mens dress loafers is the tassel loafers. This style of mens dress loafers is said to have brought into existence by a man called Paul Lukas. This man was an Oscar winning Hungarian born actor. He was well known for his debonair style and it is said that he reached out to several shoemakers to make him a style of shoes that was like a tasseled Oxford style that he picked up in Europe. By 1950 the Alden shoe company who were the leading shoemakers of that time released their first tassel loafer which instantly became a hit. By 1957 Brooks brothers who were the high society outfitters stocked their stores with this tasseled loafer style with their own style twist of adding a distinctive foxing to the back of the shoe. The tassel loafers weren't elaborately designed like the traditional loafers and thus soon became the favorite among the people who loved the practical and elegant design. The best known tassel model is arguably cordovan. This style of tassel loafers is made from horses rump unlike most of the types of loafers which are made from calfskin. These type of tassel loafers are strong and durable and is the least porous of all the leathers. The loafers have a lustrous texture to it which makes them highly sought after. All this being said a quality pair of cordovan loafers can cost you a fortune but it is every inch worth the money you spend on it.

The next type of mens dress loafers that we are going to see about is the horse bit loafers. This type of mens dress loafers are considered to be dressier than the above mentioned styles. This style of loafers can be characterized by the presence of a brass strap that is shaped like a horse's snaffle. The inspiration to this detail is from the equestrian wear since the style takes inspiration from a lot of polo matches and horse racing. The origin of this mens dress loafers is interesting. By the end of the first world war, the founder of the Gucci company, Guccio Gucci was working as a lift boy at the Savoy hotel in London. Here he keenly observed the styles preferred by the wealthy people and carefully noted the nuances of the styles. When he returned to Italy he used his knowledge with the company's history of saddle making and thus fashioned the first horse bit loafer in 1953. This was the iconic piece that soon skyrocketed the company to the height of stardom thus soon making it a luxury label. The design became popular so much so that it was the subject to an entire exhibition in 2013 at Gucci Museo in Florence. The main advantage with the horse bit loafer is that they work perfectly well with the suits and even make it a notch more elegant. The horse bit mens dress loafer style reached a great popularity that there was a time when it was like the uniform for the elite people.

Most of the mens dress loafers are available in calfskin leather. There are also mens dress loafers available in exotic skins like crocodile mens loafers, gator and lizard mens loafers, ostrich mens loafers, ostrich tassel loafers, tiger pattern loafers, lizard skin mens loafers, teju lizard mens loafers, alligator mens loafers and many more. The exotic skin mens loafers tend to get expensive when compared to the calfskin mens dress loafers and therefore it is important that you check for the authenticity of these loafers before you buy them. The patterns on the exotic skin loafers indicate their authenticity and you can also check for the labels in the inside. To ensure the purchase of the authentic mens dress shoes you can go with famous shoe brands which offer quality shoes at reasonable rates. For example Mezlan brand shoes, belvedere brand shoes are some well known brand shoes that can ensure the quality of their handmade leather loafers and handmade exotic skin loafers.

While selecting the type of mens dress loafers there are different styles. You can go with side buckle loafers, monk strap loafers, Italian style mens loafers, fashion long toe mens loafers, Oxford mens loafers, casual leather loafers, black slip on loafers , zig zag suede loafers, double monk strap mens loafers, printed suede loafers, mens bone loafers, leather lining mens loafers and many more. Also select the color of the mens dress loafers with consideration to the purpose of the loafers whether it is for formal use or casual use.