Slip-on or loafer shoes, are they too casual? Join us as we enlist the help of India’s hottest footwear brand, Tresmode, to help answer that question from their wide range of slip-on and loafer styles.
The first idea to get out of your head is that slip-ons are not slippers, although you may want to be wearing them all around the house considering how comfortable they are. One of the greatest benefits of slip-ons is perhaps obvious but often underestimated; the ability to simply slip your feet in and out, no need to bend over or worry about laces.
We will start of with a classic, the penny loafer, originating from Norwegian fishermen the style icon has come a long way in the past one hundred years. The penny loafer was originally considered part of the preppy style but is now seen all over the dapper fashion scene.
While the penny loafer offers great versatility it is often held back for business attire since it is worn without socks. Therefore if you are considering a pair like the Angiome (pictured), then make sure you can get away with showing some ankle at the office.
Either way, the penny loafer is the perfect choice for casual suit wear, strolling in-between social coffees and cocktail soirees like the dapper gent you are. Try pairing it with your favourite navy suit and a t-shirt for a comfortable, casual, yet stylish dapper look.
As we are perusing the Tresmode gallery of slip-ons we notice the large range in nubuck or suede. To the eye there is not a great difference between the two, they are both from leather, yet this choice is sometimes overlooked when choosing shoes.
Firstly suede is made from the inner layers of the cowhide and then sanded to expose the grain. Therefore suede will be considered a softer and suppler material. Nubuck however is taken from the outer layers of the cowhide and sanded, making it a more durable and resilient material.
While nubuck is more durable remember that both suede and nubuck are not fond of getting wet, so always make sure to waterproof your shoes before wearing them.
Moving on to our slip-on review, we have the monk strap. While not all monk straps are slip-ons, the Obitio (pictured) is a prime example of a stylish slip-on monk strap. The monk strap has seen a recent resurgence as a fashion favourite in the past few years. Slightly bolder than a simple loafer you will stand out in a crowd.
For the office a monk strap can be acceptable, while the general consensus on penny loafers is to go with a no-sock look, the monk strap has more leeway, however, you have to choose the right pair.
The Obito for example is better worn without socks, or with no-show socks, but the Moine is a style of monk strap where a sock would suit well, thus making it more acceptable to wear to your next board meeting. Overall the monk strap does give you a more sophisticated look, to match that sophistication has a formal fit to your attire.
So in the end, are slip-ons too casual? The truth, it depends on what you are wearing them for. If you are going to wear them as a business executive with a stricter dress code opt for a pair of suitable monk straps that may not always be slip-ons.
If however, you define your own dress code then you can dress them up or down to however suits you whether you are a media creative or socialising on top of the city skyline.
