Trust us, your Fall wardrobe needs a pair of black loafers. Loafers were trending this past Spring and everything we have read tells us they will be even bigger this Fall. And we are loving them!
Rachel especially loves them for Fall / Spring, but if you live in a warmer climate (hello Southern California) these are much more wearable than lug boots but have a similar vibe – especially if you go for a pair with a thick sole.
Tammy bought a pair in the Nordstrom sale that she is totally in love with and they are *mostly* stocked…more details below.
What really makes black loafers a unicorn shoe is their versatility. They are totally appropriate in a business or business/casual setting. However, they also manage to be incredibly edgy when worn casually.
Here are some of the ways we have been wearing them…
Tammy
I have not worn black loafers since I worked in an office in Canada which was a long time ago. Rachel bought hers last year and I was intrigued but not quite ready. Then I saw the AGL loafers from the Nordstrom sale and these babies changed my mind. I almost had a sense of homesickness for my old life. And these do feel very similar to my old shoes that I bought at Canada’s Holt Renfrew – my one and only pair of loafers. I LOVED those shoes.
My life now is very different from those suit-wearing days, so the question was how to style them and it was my biggest hesitation because while I find them gorgeous, I also wanted to make sure I would actually, you know, wear them.
Since Rachel had already covered all the casual options, I decided to try styling them up a bit.
With Black Pants
So in my opinion this is the easiest and most predictable. Most of my pants are black but I don’t always want to wear heels and so options are kind of limited. I have a super old pair of Vince d’Orsay pointy flats that I sometimes wear, but these are new and fresh for me. This formula might come off a bit safe (or boring) but sometimes we need that. This would be an excellent office-wear outfit that could easily be taken from day to night with a sexy pair of heels.
top (sized up to M) | pants (tts wearing 4) | shoes (sized down 1/2 to 7)
With a Dress
I wore this dress to a Chamber of Commerce event a few weeks ago and I love it so much. It is the short version of Rachel’s dress discussed here. That night I wore the dress with nude heels and my Cult Gaia bag. The only picture I could find from the event was this one — I am third from the right. It looks amazing with nude accessories, in my opinion.
But again, I don’t always want to wear heels, and I’m really picky about flat shoes…enter black loafers! I think this is a great option for this type of look. Another office-ready outfit that easily goes day to night with different shoes and bag!
dress (sized up to M) | shoes (sized down 1/2 to 7)
With Jeans and a Blazer
I tried to find a blazer I loved for a few years. I kind of hated them all except this Veronica Beard Scuba blazer, that Rachel and I both bought when it went on a big sale a few months ago. I have short arms, but once I got it tailored (Nordstrom’s in-house) it fits great.
This is my favorite of all the combinations above, just because jeans are more everyday me, and can easily be switched with so many different toppers like how Rachel has styled below. I see myself wearing them a ton with sweaters all fall and winter. I especially love black loafers with cropped jeans (or pants). I think they look much better when you show a little ankle here.
jacket (sized down to 4) | camisole (up to M) | jeans (up to 27) | shoes (sized down 1/2 to 7)
I wore these shoes for an entire afternoon putting all these looks together and my feet did get a few small blisters…they need to be broken in for sure! But otherwise, they were very comfortable. I do plan to wear them around the house a bit more with thicker socks (I just wore them with no-show socks).
Rachel (All the Casual Vibes)
OK, full disclosure, I was planning on styling up my loafers a few ways and doing a full photoshoot. But then I realized I have quite a few pics of me actually wearing them this past Spring, so here we go. My black loafers in action.
**Also, a quick note, my Rag and Bone Slayton black loafers are currently out of stock. They are still available in tan (though final sale), but I have a feeling the black loafers will be back! These pics are for styling purposes, and the pair that Tammy is wearing would work equally well with all of these looks.
With All the Denim
Jacket (TTS) | Tee | Jeans (TTS)
Denim on denim paired with black loafers is a win in my book. I wore this combination quite a bit in the Spring – effortless and chic. For me the key to wearing denim on denim is for the washes to be similar but not exactly the same. This jacket and jeans are the perfect example of that. This would also be great for Fall.
Also, I realized as I was looking thru these pictures that I typically pair my loafers with cropped jeans or pants OR I cuff my jeans to show a bit of ankle (like I did here).
With A Leather Jacket
Leather Jacket (size up, wearing 38) | Jeans (similar) | Sweater (old) | Bag (Simlar)
This formula will always work – jeans, sweater, leather jacket and loafers. This will be a Fall uniform for me but I’ll swap the pink sweater for a more Fall-ish color. And again, note that I’m showing a bit of ankle here.
Cold Temps? Add Socks
Coat (old) | Sweater (Old La Ligne) | Jeans (Old Mother pixie dazzlers)
Ok, so everything I’m wearing in this photo is older so no links. But I wanted to show it because you can see the loafers on a cold day – I just added a thin black pair of socks. My top pick is a lacey pair or some with a bit of texture – the ones I’m wearing were from Free People. I love everything about this look. And once again – my ankles are out!
Any overcoat and sweater would work here – I’m even picturing a trench!
Throw Them On & Go
Jacket | Tee (similar) | Joggers | Bag (similar)
And here I just threw them on with joggers to run errands. I love the bit of unexpected polish they add to a super casual outfit. I would even pair them with shorts and a light sweater as we transition to slightly cooler weather. The options are endless when you have a good pair of black loafers!
If you decide to dip your toe into these waters, we’d love to see how you are styling them and what you think!
For more denim inspiration, head over to our article What To Wear With Wide Leg Jeans.
xo Tammy & Rachel
Other Loafers That Caught Our Eye!
