Penny Loafers take to the skies....

[Edward]

So, after two years of thratening to do it, I've finally decided that before I fly to Beijing next, I'm going to pick up some penny loafers. Enough of it taking forever to get through security because of all this unlacing and relacing my shoes! Tat and I like to kick them off on the plane, and it'd be nice at the end of a long haul flight to just slip them on and stepp out the door... I've not cared for slip-ons for a very long time: other than my house slippers, I haven't worn slip-on shoes since I was about eight. If I'm going to do it now, I'm at least gonig to take a style nod from Elvis... well, a bit. His were white, Gucci loafers with the metal horsebit thingy. I'm looking at black penny loafers with a white vamp, a la:

Bass
https://www.ghbass-eu.com/weejun-la...TMl-Y1gny86leb3228I3lkJ6vdEWxpEVCAaAh2e8P8HAQ

Rocket Originals
http://www.rocketoriginals.co.uk/1950s-Penny-Loafer-Black--White-Leather

I have a slight preference for the shape of the Rockets, but I'm not sure it's worth another fifteen or twenty quid...

Anyone got any direct experience with either of these models?

I do have a couple of other pairs of RO shoes and their great, but if I got a much better priced on the Bass and could buy them in a shop in london (ROs are strictly mail order only), I could be swung that way...

Who knows, if I like them, I might even pick up a brown and white pair eventually.... (Engineers boots are, of course, just fine for Winter flying!).


Any of you guys wear loafers day to day at all? I'm aware if all I wanted them for was the plane, I coul just take a pair of house slippers or a much cheaper pair of shoes, but I figure if I'm gonig to buy 'em, I might as well like 'em enough to want to wear them when I land (which also means one less pair to lug in the case...).

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Edward; Airports and flights - yes, you need shoes to slip off. Agree 100% if you travel with frequency.

I travel with either a black/cream or a brown cream pair of Allen edmonds. I ordered them custom and have never looked back. They fill my needs to the brim. I have some black trad roll slip ons from Aldens, but I find myself leaving those in my wardrobe. Perhaps it provides an idea for you.

Pic below:

Best in your hunt, Eric -

 

[Edward]

Thanks, that's exactly the vibe I'm going for. The Aldens look great; I may check them out when I'm next in the States. (Tricky brand to find here, and there's a lethal mark-up in price for the UK!). always useful to hear from somebody whose gone the same route and found it works!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Edward; I should expand the details from above. I choose to leave the Alden or better shoes at home as when I travel I do not need to draw undue attention to myself. I certainly do not need to have shoes with metal shanks or supports draw lots of time consuming attention by security at airports in countries were my language skills are less than fluent. As to mark-up yell if I can assist in any manner.

England, origination of the bespoke or country gentleman, must have like or better brands/models.

Eric -

 

[dh66]

Eric - absolute beauties! You are one swank cat, from head to toe.

Edward - never had a pair of the rocket originals (admired them plenty online) so no experience with the product, but I do own a pair of bass - blue suede bucks, not penny loafers - and I can say that I find them to be a little lacking in quality. I scored them on clearance for $25 USD, so they'll do, but had I shook out full retail I'd be pretty bitterly disappointed. I've a pair of Re-Mix that I'm happy with the quality of. Again, not loafers but bucks, but they do offer two tone penny loafers and I've seriously considered a pair.

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[Edward]

Edward; I should expand the details from above. I choose to leave the Alden or better shoes at home as when I travel I do not need to draw undue attention to myself. I certainly do not need to have shoes with metal shanks or supports draw lots of time consuming attention by security at airports in countries were my language skills are less than fluent. As to mark-up yell if I can assist in any manner.

Thanks. Heh - I know what you mean re metal shanks and such; I've had that be an issue when flying before now. Ten or twelve years ago is wasn't much - they'd run the wand over and that would be fine - but since the shoe-bomber, I think the only place I've ever gotten thorugh without taking my shoes off has been Beijing.

England, origination of the bespoke or country gentleman, must have like or better brands/models.

A lot of great shoes here - though a real shortage of 'spectator' penny loafers.

 

[Edward]

Edward - never had a pair of the rocket originals (admired them plenty online) so no experience with the product,

Well, they're now out of contention; I discovered they only have one size, a size smaller than I need, left. I messaged them to see if they'dbe getting new stock in, but according to them their supplier wanted to whack the price way up, so they've decided not to stock them again. A real shame, as they look great - I've had several other pairs of shoes from RO, all superb. (The only rocket Originals I've not been impressed by, and wouldn't buy, are their engineer boots.) Eh, well.

Lots of other options on pls out there, but very few two-tone for whatever reason.

but I do own a pair of bass - blue suede bucks, not penny loafers - and I can say that I find them to be a little lacking in quality. I scored them on clearance for $25 USD, so they'll do, but had I shook out full retail I'd be pretty bitterly disappointed. I've a pair of Re-Mix that I'm happy with the quality of. Again, not loafers but bucks, but they do offer two tone penny loafers and I've seriously considered a pair.

Remix have a good looking option, though itg only appears to be available in a crepe sole? (I'd heard they didn't ship to the UK, but I didn't get any further than this with the spec). I have found a UK place selling the Bass version for GBP55 (as distinct from the GBP125 they are everywhere else), and so now I'm humming over whether to just order them, or wait and get to a shop and try on a pair in whatever colour first. At 55, though, they're certainly reasonably priced.

 

[dh66]

Well, they're now out of contention; I discovered they only have one size, a size smaller than I need, left. I messaged them to see if they'dbe getting new stock in, but according to them their supplier wanted to whack the price way up, so they've decided not to stock them again. A real shame, as they look great - I've had several other pairs of shoes from RO, all superb. (The only rocket Originals I've not been impressed by, and wouldn't buy, are their engineer boots.) Eh, well.

Lots of other options on pls out there, but very few two-tone for whatever reason.



Remix have a good looking option, though itg only appears to be available in a crepe sole? (I'd heard they didn't ship to the UK, but I didn't get any further than this with the spec). I have found a UK place selling the Bass version for GBP55 (as distinct from the GBP125 they are everywhere else), and so now I'm humming over whether to just order them, or wait and get to a shop and try on a pair in whatever colour first. At 55, though, they're certainly reasonably priced.

If you do decide to go w/ bass, I'd sure recommend a try on first. I got mine mail order, and could have used a half size more, but since they were on clearance for a ridiculously low cost, by the time I found this out they were gone.

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[Edward]

Yeah, I think I'm going to take a risk on them stsying available cheap online a few days and try on a pair in the shop. Unfortunately the chain in question doesn't have them in stock in the B&W, so I'll have to try on a different colour, same model. If it was 'only' size, I'd gamble on it, but not sure when I need to see 'em in person to be sure I like them too.... (First world problems, eh? ).

 

[dh66]

(First world problems, eh? ).

Indeed.....and don't think I don't say my thanks every day for 'em.

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[David Conwill]

I keep a pair of Weejuns in the office to essentially use as a pair of slippers. I love 'em for it, but I don't know that I'd really like them on the street. They don't feel all that substantial. I suspect stepping down hard on a piece of gravel might be quite agonizing.

 

[IXL]

Edward, maybe this is a good time for you to step up to some American-style cowboy boots. You can thank me later....

 

[Edward]

Heh, no... My cowboy boot days are long behind me...