What is the proper fit for leather loafers?

[Blastwice]

Always go for the smaller, uncomfortable size for unlaced shoes. Or MTM or bespoke.

Interior volume will get slightly larger over time. Pain fades, but volume never gets smaller.

 

[smittycl]

For me it's always heel slippage. I really like the C&J Boston loafer. The toe box fits well but my heels pop out when I walk. Thankfully C&J makes the Grantham and the Harvard 2 in Last 376. This last was apparently made for the Japanese market and has a narrower heel that makes for a perfect fit.

I have Grantham's in black and in brown and Harvard 2 unlined suede in dark brown.

Last 376

Last 376 is a Main Collection last, with a ‘high walled’ round toe and slimmed down back part. A last that is directly associated to another, last 376 shares its toe shape with 314!

us.crockettandjones.com

C&J makes unlined Harvard loafers in Last 314 (same as the Boston) for Ben Silver that also fit me as well. No lining lets them wrap over the foot and stay on the heel. Have pairs in black leather and snuff suede. These are US-sized so I get an 11.5 whereas I'm a 10 UK when ordering directly from C&J.

Search results for harvard - The Ben Silver Collection

Search Results - The Ben Silver Collection

www.bensilver.com

 

[smittycl]

This was me trying to find good loafers in NYC just before the pandemic. C&J did not have the Grantham available at that time. (@clee1982 gives sage advice throughout)

Shopping for loafers and other classic menswear shoes in New York in 2019

Okay, in NYC for Moulin Rouge tonight. Got here early to hit some stores. Barneys - kind of boring. Mostly because I’m getting menswear-sated. Do not need any suits, sport coats, ties, scarves, etc. C&J - could not get decent fit in Boston loafers. Need a dress pair in black and annoyed that...

www.styleforum.net

 

[Concordia]

Sorry, it's a thing only you can properly evaluate. Of course, if the shoe feels overly too tight, it won't ever feels comfortable. In the case your feet differ noticeably in size, I fear the only option is going bespoke.

Or MTO. Crockett & Jones and Vass both offer special orders in standard sizes on their regular lasts. You could almost certainly split between two sizes.

 

[jamie411]

I’ve had horrible experience going with the “snug” fit with any shoe - loafer or otherwise. Stretching never fully accommodates the swelling from being on your feet all day or when it’s hot out. I have dozens of Goodyear and Blake welted shoes from numerous brands and I’ve never had any stretch out dramatically. Personally, my experience is that I’m far happier and far more likely to wear shoes that are a tad loose than tight. You can always add some padding if you need it for your instep etc.

 

[michaelvl]

Full grain leather shoes will definitely stretch given enough time on feet. When a quality leather shoe is constructed the leather is moistened and the upper leather is stretched across a last in order to give it the desired shape. The inherent properties of full grain leather allow it to be stretched. The stretching doe not necessarily end during the construction phase of the shoe, but can and often does continue during the life of the shoe.

A quality leather shoe generally has cork layer sandwiched between the layers of the sole, beneath the toebox. When the shoe is spanking new the cork is uncompressed. The whole purpose of the cork is compress and mould to the owners feet with wear. Said compression of the cork after subsequent wears will cause the volume in the toebox area to increase. Given these two phenomena, it is not uncommon, that a shoe will initially start out feeling a slightly too tight for comfort, but loosen up in the toebox and across the vamp.

There are also specific tools that some cobblers own, that can basically stretch many parts of a quality leather shoe, such as adding volume across the vamp, increasing the instep, stretching a particular area of the toebox (for example where the pinky toe is located). What can't be altered with stretching is the length of the shoe, nor can the heal cup be made narrower than it originally was.

Further more the whole purpose as to why quality shoes needs to be put on with a shoe horn is because they intended to fit snug, the heal cup should lock on to the wearers heal. Heal slippage for me is an immediate sign of an ill fitting shoe.

For illustration checkout this YT vid on boot stretching: boot_stretching_youtube_vid

 

[Sinyo18]

Howdy all, well in my case depending upon what kind of sole & material that the uppers are made from Il tend to buy loafers that are my correct sneaker size. If the uppers are made from suede or rough out leather then my correct Brannock size will suffice as those leathers tend to stretch more over time & will allow me enough room for my orthotics to fit. If the loafers are made from box calf I will also size according to my sneaker or Brannock size. If the loafers are drivers I might size down 1/2 size, depending upon the brand.
I tend not to purchase brands that I personally haven’t previously tried on. I hope that this information is helpful. ✌🏻

 

[Miles R.]

For decades, before I started upgrading my wardrobe, I wore penny loafers at the low end of the price scale very comfortably: Dexter, Bass, Cole-Haan, and Sebago. These were all priced under $100 a pair and never gave me any trouble. But since I began to be more selective about my clothing and shoes, I have not found a single brand of penny loafer that I can wear comfortably. I own a pair of Allen Edmonds Randolphs that I had to wear about twenty times before they ceased to cause my feet more pain than I could endure, and even now, if I wear them for more than two or three hours, they leave my insteps smarting. I had (actually still have, though I don't wear them) a pair from Edward & James with the opposite problem: they are too loose. I desperately wanted to wear (and still wish I could wear) a pair of Alden full-strap Cordovan loafers, but after trying on every plausible combination of size and width had to give up the effort, as any pair that did not cramp my toes would leave my heel to slip out.

So it seems that if I want to get a pair of penny loafers that will neither be so tight as to hurt my feet nor so loose as to let my heel slip out, I shall have to go back to one of the cheap brands. Is there some reason why higher-quality shoemakers can't make a penny loafer that meets this modest requirement?

 

[Sinyo18]

Hi Miles, I hear you loud and clear. It does seem to be a challenge to find basic penny loafers or loafers generally speaking that me the golden triangle of criteria. Namely price, fit and quality. Style of course is subjective. Having to find loafers and particularly drivers that will accommodate my orthotics or to be reasonably comfortable with a metatarsal pad glued in is as I mentioned challenging however,not entirely impossible. I wish you success in your search. Happy hunting. All the best!

 

[Emil S]

For loafers, I would strongly suggest to try tounge pads to prevent heel slip if you find that as an issue. Its a very easy solution, it helps push the feet back in the loafer - opposite to what a heelgrip would do. Plenty different versions available if you do a quick search: Tounge pad search on Google
Would advice to get them in leather/suede.

 

[mak1277]

For decades, before I started upgrading my wardrobe, I wore penny loafers at the low end of the price scale very comfortably: Dexter, Bass, Cole-Haan, and Sebago. These were all priced under $100 a pair and never gave me any trouble. But since I began to be more selective about my clothing and shoes, I have not found a single brand of penny loafer that I can wear comfortably. I own a pair of Allen Edmonds Randolphs that I had to wear about twenty times before they ceased to cause my feet more pain than I could endure, and even now, if I wear them for more than two or three hours, they leave my insteps smarting. I had (actually still have, though I don't wear them) a pair from Edward & James with the opposite problem: they are too loose. I desperately wanted to wear (and still wish I could wear) a pair of Alden full-strap Cordovan loafers, but after trying on every plausible combination of size and width had to give up the effort, as any pair that did not cramp my toes would leave my heel to slip out.

So it seems that if I want to get a pair of penny loafers that will neither be so tight as to hurt my feet nor so loose as to let my heel slip out, I shall have to go back to one of the cheap brands. Is there some reason why higher-quality shoemakers can't make a penny loafer that meets this modest requirement?

I might suggest a pair of loafers that are Blake stitched instead of GYW.

 

[andrel42]

Heel slippage is not uncommon with loafers and if it's a tad long then a leather insole works just fine, at least for me. My issue with loafers is the gap on the sides when walking - Is this something other experience?

 

[smittycl]

For decades, before I started upgrading my wardrobe, I wore penny loafers at the low end of the price scale very comfortably: Dexter, Bass, Cole-Haan, and Sebago. These were all priced under $100 a pair and never gave me any trouble. But since I began to be more selective about my clothing and shoes, I have not found a single brand of penny loafer that I can wear comfortably. I own a pair of Allen Edmonds Randolphs that I had to wear about twenty times before they ceased to cause my feet more pain than I could endure, and even now, if I wear them for more than two or three hours, they leave my insteps smarting. I had (actually still have, though I don't wear them) a pair from Edward & James with the opposite problem: they are too loose. I desperately wanted to wear (and still wish I could wear) a pair of Alden full-strap Cordovan loafers, but after trying on every plausible combination of size and width had to give up the effort, as any pair that did not cramp my toes would leave my heel to slip out.

So it seems that if I want to get a pair of penny loafers that will neither be so tight as to hurt my feet nor so loose as to let my heel slip out, I shall have to go back to one of the cheap brands. Is there some reason why higher-quality shoemakers can't make a penny loafer that meets this modest requirement?

Try C&J Grantham. Last 376 has narrower heels but big toe box.

 

[Concordia]

Crockett & Jones Harvard is often a good choice. In any case, CJ has several lasts they build on. If you have one you like, they will do a special order in the color and material you want.

If you don't mind a little more fragility, the Stride collection from Baudoin & Lange has a lot of 'give' that covers a lot of sins.

Alden has more than one last for loafers. The classic version on the Van, and some others on Aberdeen (I think).

 

[SirThopas]

I’d really counsel avoiding any shoes it actually hurts to wear. Loafers can be very close-fitting at the point of purchase (on the principle that they will "give"), but surely not oppressively so. Tongue pads and heel grips can help a lot with achieving snugness. I also tend to wears loafers only when I’m not going to be doing a lot of walking, e.g. lounging around on holiday or sitting at my desk.