You can only own one pair of Alden penny loafers. Which color/type do you choose?
type meaning shell/calf/suede etc
I want exactly one pair of Alden unlined loafers.
I want to be able to wear them to work (tailored clothing fits) and casually (shirt+shorts) and match my usual color schemes of grey & blue and brown & sand/cream & green.
What pair would be the most versatile?
13 Replies
do you have any other loafers currently?
and do you already have any experience with/preference towards calf vs shell vs suede?
if so let that factor in (to eliminate redundancy, or unfavorable options) but otherwise imo color 8 or black, shell or calf. to me, both can be worn casually or formally (shining or not shining helps), and both go with all of those colors.
honestly i'd get a pair of each and rotate out; each pair will last longer
Snuff suede LHS
You can’t really get unlined shell anymore so if they must be unlined that’s kinda out.
This really comes down to personal preference and what you like to wear. My black calf tassels probably get the most wear but I’ve been wearing my color 8 LHS a lot too. S/S is best for my unlined suede pair.
If I had to pick one I’d go with my color 8 LHS but it’s hard to go wrong with any of them
technically, I own a brown pair of AE pennies, but they hurt my feet so I plan to sell them. I also have a black pair of AE bit loafers that I haven't worn enough to determine if they will also hurt my feet or not. so these new Aldens will effectively be my only pair of loafers, black bits notwithstanding
I own a pair of unlined Alden chukkas in snuff suede already that I wear a ton. so I'd rather go with a diff color
what is S/S? snuff suede?
Spring/summer
ah nice. yeah I'm planning this for spring/summer
what color are your unlined suede?
They’re snuff
also I guess it doesn't need to be unlined, but with the amount of difficultly I've had in trying to find loafers that fit right, plus the extreme comfort I've discovered from my unlined chukkas, it seems like a good bet they'll feel good
also, what color belt do you typically wear with your color 8s?
really anything tbh, brown, black
as a heads up sizing and last build for alden loafers can differ, sometimes considerably, from chukkas or other shoes. if comfort is a concern i'd try the loafers on in person if possible
Alden chukkas are almost exclusively on their Leydon last which is considerably different from Aberdeen and Van and Copley which is most loafers
yep fair points. I just figure the unlined aspect is more forgiving for comfort with the toes/top of foot
anyway I luckily have an alden dealer near me so I'll be buying from him
LHS are pretty unforgiving across the arch/top of the foot bc the strap is stitched across the entire way. Being unlined kinda helps