Q. Can loafers ever be worn with a suit? It seems to send mixed signals, but is there ever a time it would be appropriate? If not, are lace-ups my only choice?
A. Yes, loafers can sometimes be worn with a suit, if the suit is not too formal.
Here are a few general shoe rules that can be very helpful. First, with a dressier suit, wear a dressier shoe; and second, lace-up shoes are dressier than all versions of loafers.
The most formal man's suit (short of black-tie attire) is the navy blue pinstripe; it is widely thought of as the suit that goes with black wingtip shoes. But a lot of men dislike the formality of wingtips. If you don't like them, don't wear them. Substitute something else, something a step or two less formal.
Just a step down in formality are the other classic lace-ups: a plain-toed oxford with no perforations, or a cap-toe shoe with either plain or perforated toe. They both work as well as a wingtip with a dressy suit and are ideal with all the less dressy medium-dark suits, blazers, and sports jackets in a man's closet.
Speaking of a "perforated toe," any shoe and toe style can have "brogueing" (the decorative perforations in various patterns on dress shoes). Originally, the perforations were used to allow water out of shoes when crossing wet terrain, but now they have become solely an element of style. They appear in a wing shape on all wingtips and may or may not be part of other shoes, such as cap-toes.
These days the loafer is not just for loafing. It is no longer relegated to weekend wear. Loafers range from dressy tassel styles and kiltie fringe styles to the Gucci horse-bit type and the most casual of all, the penny loafer. Slip-on loafers are especially logical with blazers, sports coats, gray or khaki pants, and jeans, but they are also appropriate with less dressy business suits in medium tones of gray or blue, and tweeds in shades of brown or olive.
As you obviously understand from your question, it is important to avoid sartorial confusion -- mixing one extreme with the opposite extreme. For example, an elegant navy or charcoal gray striped suit looks out of place with chunky penny loafers. This is also true of the incongruous reverse kind of mixing: Easygoing tweed jackets and chinos tend to look nerdy with dressy black wingtips. These pairings are too contradictory.
Still, styles change and tend to blur. Many men today are wearing dressier (read: more expensive) slip-ons with their dark suits, such as beautiful black tassel loafers (just don't wear brown slip-ons with a dressy suit).
I noticed that you did not mention monk-strap shoes. I'm glad. A lot of men like them, but they are not among my favorites. And the only shoes I like less than single monk-straps are double monk-straps. I cannot think of a time when either would be preferable to a good lace-up or loafer. Men's shoes should be simple. A fine dress shoe has leather soles, is made of calfskin, and is quietly unadorned. Still, that does not mean that monk-straps are actually an unacceptable or inappropriate choice for men who like them.
Color guidelines to remember: Black shoes are dressier than all shades of brown, from dark brown and cordovan (a slightly reddish shade of dark brown) to lighter "cognac." This is true for any type of shoe: wingtip, plain-toe lace-up, cap-toe or loafer. You can be playful and colorful with such casual shoes as deck shoes, driving shoes, and moccasins, but never under any circumstances succumb to wearing navy, beige or gray dress shoes. No well-dressed man ever does!
Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 01/25/2015