The Tamesis
You know what they say: new season, new silhouettes. Skirt suits, ruffled tops, and flowy tapered pants aren’t the only styles we’re eyeing this spring. This sentiment also extends to footwear, with sleek and simple loafers standing out among the crowd. Unlike the preppy classic penny loafer, this style feels more sophisticated: slim, understated and cool. Like various other footwear trends (such as soft ballet flats), its popularity can be traced back to The Row, followed by Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and, more recently, Dior.
FashionFavorite soft loafers
The street style collection has taken notice –Fashion Italy’s Francesca Ragazzi is one of them, pairing classic black silhouettes with vibrant everyday essentials. And after returning from Paris Fashion Week, fashion magazine Lisa Aiken is quickly launching a new brick-and-mortar store, Rubirosa’s, offering her most stylish line of simple loafers yet. Founded by Parisian designer Lauren Rubinski, it’s worth a transatlantic trip, but if a jaunt to the City of Lights isn’t on your bingo card right now, the options below are close.
For spring, try suede styles from Banana Republic, The Row and Khaite, or choose bold pops of color with red shoes from Emme Parsons. Crisp shades of ivory, cream and pink and white from St. Agni, Lemaire and Jamie Haller offer a fresh seasonal update (and an elegant alternative to the classic white derby shoe). Whether you opt for sub-$300 styles from A. Emery and Cos or designer iterations from Toteme and Phoebe Philo, black shoes remain a classic choice. Meanwhile, rich chocolate brown collections from Madewell and Dear Frances pair perfectly with everything from poplin dresses to transitional trench coats and denim.
Below, you’ll learn why simple loafers are spring’s go-to shoe style—timeless, sophisticated, and quietly on-trend.
