Dress Slip Ons / Lazy Man Oxfords

[dieworkwear]

Anyone have thoughts on dress slip-ons? I'm thinking about having a pair made for wear with suits. I realize they're not to most people's taste, but there's something appealing and practical about the design. A shoe you can slip on and off easily, but both looks smart and casual.

Any thoughts on the style? Favorite models or makers? Examples of how they're best worn?

Some photos from ASW, Lobb, Cleverley, and Vox's blog:

 

[Gus]

Guys I know who own them think they are great, especially for airport security. But that is a very small group of guys. I've never been fond of the look myself. They seem to be a bit of an oxymoron. I will stick to a more traditional style loafer which, to me, is more versatile. Maybe not for formal dress, but for all other times.

 

[circumspice]

They are corny as ****. Buy Chelseas instead.

Lazyman= the aluminum siding of shoes

 

[stant62]



They are corny as ****. Buy Chelseas instead.

Lazyman= the aluminum siding of shoes

Agree more with the Chelseas for a suit occasion, but nothing like a tassel loafer for versatility.

 

[justonemore]

I like my slip-ons to be slip-ons and my oxfords to be be oxfords....As much as I want to like the Cleverey Churchill or Fairbanks....I just don't...Same goes for the Alden plain-toe shell cordovan slip-ons I can get at one of my local stores for $350...Sure they're cheap...But I'll never wear them....

I agree with the tassel loafer being versatile but there are tassel loafers and then there are tassel loafers.....


Every once in a casual blue moon I'll toss these on with a less formal suit....

 

[YRR92]

I like them. I've tried them on, but they always feel a bit chintzy at my end of the market – and tend to be a center gore, which is not as cool as the side ones. Aren't the ASW ones goreless, like these Foster & Sons samples?




That style almost certainly has to be bespoke, with such a high vamp.

I don't like the fake laces much. and I think the elastic-sided ones look much better with some kind of broguing – wingtip, toe cap, or they're even the only shoe I like with a floating medallion.

 

[dieworkwear]



I like them. I've tried them on, but they always feel a bit chintzy at my end of the market – and tend to be a center gore, which is not as cool as the side ones. Aren't the ASW ones goreless, like these Foster & Sons samples? That style almost certainly has to be bespoke, with such a high vamp. I don't like the fake laces much. and I think the elastic-sided ones look much better with some kind of broguing – wingtip, toe cap, or they're even the only shoe I like with a floating medallion.

Yea, the AC ones are made without an elasticized gore. Surprised the AC/ F&S ones aren't well liked. They're just a play on the regular loafer, but IMO a lot more elegant.

 

[YRR92]

Yea, the AC ones are made without an elasticized gore. Surprised the AC/ F&S ones aren't well liked. They're just a play on the regular loafer, but IMO a lot more elegant.

But a more elegant loafer is less casual, and if you firmly subscribe to loafers = casual (aka SF Dogma), then what good are these? Even then, this style (slip-on or side gore) reminds me more of a monkstrap meeting an oxford. A little more suit-appropriate, without the buckle, but I'll happily wear a black single monk with a worsted suit. Not a wingtip monk, though, and that's where these come into their own.

 

[dieworkwear]



But a more elegant loafer is less casual, and if you firmly subscribe to loafers = casual (aka SF Dogma), then what good are these? Even then, this style (slip-on or side gore) reminds me more of a monkstrap meeting an oxford. A little more suit-appropriate, without the buckle, but I'll happily wear a black single monk with a worsted suit. Not a wingtip monk, though, and that's where these come into their own.

It's basically a dressy enough slip-on that you can wear them with suits. If you live in an place where you have to take your shoes on and off all the time (East Asia, Russia, etc), they could also be more practical than monkstraps or lace-up shoes.

Mostly though, I think I just like them for their look, although I don't know if I've seen them enough with suits to have a strong opinion either way.

 

[YRR92]

Quote:
Sure, I get that. I, personally, am not a "loafers/monks = casual" guy, but I was positing a reason why more people don't like the goreless kind. I've probably seen three pairsof good ones IRL? So I can't say for sure I like them, but I think I do. That said, I think the practicality factor is largely why so many of the Japanese makers do such nice examples of the breed.

 

[Leaves]

This thread needs a bump. Lazy Man's Oxfords are my choice of footwear most often these days. I prefer the aesthetics of the Oxford but am too lazy for anything but loafers.

To this day I have not found a nicer side gusset / lazy man than this, at least just looking at pictures from the Internet.

I'm right now developing a new Lazy Man's Oxford or side gusset shoe as an option to the Löf & Tung "Ballard" which sold very, very well for such a dandy style (or maybe it isn't?). Post your inspirational pictures here, if you want me to incorporate any ideas you have into a future style.

The Ballard is a traditional Lazy Man's in the way that it's made to look like a wingtip Oxford. I'm looking for something more unique this time around.

Löf & Tung Ballard:

 

[emptym]

I like the totally plain ones like my old oneshoe. But I wouldn't wear the kind with broguing and multiple leather panels coving side gores. Will Field in DC wears them, or did about 15 yrs ago.

Personally, I'm totally fine wearing a penny loafer or wholecut loafer with a suit. Easier to slip on/off than one with elastics too.

 

[stuffedsuperdud]

These are the ones I have, Patrick. I do travel about 50% of the time for work and they are quite convenient at airports where I cannot breeze through security. These past few weeks of working from home, they have been great for popping out of the house to get a cup of coffee, run a quick errand, etc. So functionally, they are wonderful.

Aesthetically, I don't think they are dandy at all, actually, as no one can even tell that they are anything but plain old half-brogues unless they look very closely because of the faux laces. I wear them with everything from dark jeans to a charcoal worsted suit and they've never felt off.

It was surprisingly difficult to find a pair that did not look oddly different from laced shoes, and came down to either these by Fugashin Saigon or the Cleverleys made famous by Henry Cavill in Man from UNCLE (if you look closely you'll see he still wears them on his own time). In my search I saw that Skoaktiebolaget had a pair of Carlos Santos a few years ago and I regret missing out on it, as IIRC it came with a beautiful dye job, whereas this is a less interesting solid brown that I will let patina naturally. So I guess those would be my suggestions: make it looks as not-dandified as possible, and in museum calf because you can never overdo museum calf.

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

I went through a phase where I really liked the look of the Lazyman. I got the AC Churchill and then went and bought a pair of bespoke Cleverley’s (see photo)

Over time I have, however, come back to the view (that I used to hold) that they are a bit of a Frankenstein model. Also not helped by some fit issues on the bespoke shoes. They are fine but not great. Instead I now tend to wear classic punch cap oxfords or, if I am travelling, a pair of black loafers (second picture, also Cleverley)

R-O-T

 

[aristoi bcn]