Should You Wear Tassel Loafers?

Unnecessary ornamentation. If I were to try and boil down what the most likely characteristic of clothing that would turn an average guy off, that’s it. If it’s devoid of any personal meaning (like a gold chain with sentimental attachment to a parent), or any necessary cultural requirement (work uniform of jacket and tie, or a dress code for a wedding), then many men will see it as suspect. And if it’s something that would keep one from being able to do physical work on a whim—like changing a tire or pushing your car out of the ditch—a lot of guys would balk even more.

I can’t think of an unnecessary ornamental detail more frivolous than tassels on a loafer. Flapping around while you walk, doing nothing but just existing to be looked at and pondered.

It doesn’t help that they have a reputation born of their popularity with lawyers and Wall Street types. In 1993, the New York Times reported on the cultural and political baggage tassel loafers experienced, reporting “When George Bush wanted to hurl a wounding barb during the last Presidential campaign, he complained that Bill Clinton was supported by ‘every lawyer that ever wore a tasseled loafer.’”

But Derek Guy asserts that, far from starting out as shoes for coastal elites with a condescending attitude toward others, tassel loafers originated in the 1940s as part of a long trend of men’s dress becoming less formal with each successive generation. If that’s true, perhaps that makes them a victim of their own success. One generation’s dressed-down R&R shoe is the next generation’s Ivy League symbol of privilege.

In which case, it’s been long enough to reevaluate the shoe again, now that another generation has been born and come of age since that ‘93 NYT piece.

Which brings us back to the question in the title: Should you wear them?

That’s easy: Yes, you should, if you like them.

If you don’t like them, either because their intrinsic shape and design isn’t to your taste, or because you can’t shake those negative lawyer-y connotations they have in your mind for some reason very specific to you, then don’t wear them. I don’t wear pleats because I can’t shake the ‘90s Dockers vibe they give me, so I get it if that’s the case.

But if it’s that they seem frivolous, silly or fairy-ish on account of the tassels, I’m here to tell you not to worry about that. Firstly, on the utilitarian aspect (“can you change a tire in them?”), the tassels really don’t get in the way in real life. Frankly the only time I’m aware of the ones I wear are when my toddler is stepping on my feet (why do kids do that all the time?!), or my baby is on the floor near me and I worry about him grabbing them to put in his mouth.

Secondly, on the charge that the unnecessary ornamentation giving them a silly or fairy-ish air, I can only say that unnecessary ornamentation is what makes life delightful. The world is literally full of unnecessary ornamentation that’s rich and beautiful to the senses, reflecting a creativity of a Creator who made it all for our enjoyment. Let yourself wear things that reflect that same creativity and spirit of beauty, even if it’s just for beauty’s sake.

In other words, wear them stylishly and you’re good to go.

Which Tassel Loafers to Buy

The best ones, all around, are Alden’s. In snuff suede or dark brown suede, you can’t go wrong. The reason I love them is that the deeply rounded transition from the flank of the shoe to the vamp. The shape of the last is also just about ideal, not being too round and casual, nor too pointy and severe. Alden’s are annoying to buy because of their wholesale retailer model, but Todd Snyder carries them in snuff suede—my favorite make-up of them. A few other places you can find them are: Gentlemen’s Footwear or Supply & Advise, Leffot, the Alden Madison store in New York’s website, The Shoe Mart, and Sid Mashburn has the shell cordovan model (size down 1/2 size on cordovan from Alden in this shoe, FYI). 

They’re hard to find anymore, but I love Allen Edmonds’ Acheson. I have a pair made specifically for Club Monaco years ago (pictured throughout), in a different last from the regular Acheson model, in tan suede (it was called the “South Beach”). Polo Ralph Lauren also sold them under the name Shanley. The tassels hang low instead of being taut against the shoe. They’re even flappier and I love it (very louche), although I do worry more about them snapping or being caught on something (or my baby grabbing them!). You can find pairs of the Acheson on eBay in reasonable shape.

The next-best in my opinion are Crockett & Jones Cavendish. The shape is a good, the quality is good, and they’re fairly easy to buy either new from places like C&J’s own ecommerce site, or other retailers.

Anglo-Italian stocks a different take on Crockett & Jones’ tassel loafer, called the Studrige, in an archival last that reflects AI’s general sensibilities (low toe spring, low vamp, slightly rounder shape). One immediately noticeable difference from the Cavendish, however, are that the tassels are braided, taking the concept of unnecessary ornamentation to the next level. I wasn’t a big fan of braided tassels, but came around to them eventually as I got used to the idea.

Actually, some of the coolest looking braided tassel loafers come from Barbanera. Their model, called the Hemingway, combines a brown suede shoe with braided brown calf leather tassels. I think it’s a rakish take on the idea. They also sell the loafer in an unlined model, called the Lawrence, which they bill as wearing lighter for summer (and the tassels are the same material as the shoe itself).

Carmina has a few models, with the ones made on the Forest last being the most classic.

Meermin’s model is also very classic in styling. If you aren’t sure about the style, this would be a good pair to buy to dip you toe in, literally and figuratively.

Whatever pair you buy, I think you’ll find that once you put them on, the tassels fade from your awareness, and just like the rest of your outfit, make you look good and communicate your style to others. That’s the purpose of clothes after all, as I keep banging on about, and the tassel loafer is simply another vehicle to accomplish that goal.

Here’s to beauty for beauty’s sake.

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