Traditional Flat Shoes

 

Preppy Choices 

Loafers – slip on shoes with a heel

Driving Shoes – slip on shoes without a heel 
also called

Moccasins

Closet Content Analysis:

Flats – Loafers & Moccasins

                                                                       

NICE                   NO THANKS         NOTE-WORTHY            NEED

                                     

Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.

- Marilyn Monroe

 Without flats, particularly moccasins and loafers, there is no preppy style.

NICE 1: With my decision to post on traditional flat-heeled shoes, I began rummaging through my shoe boxes in anticipation of taking a few photos. I can not find the NICEST moccasins/driving shoes I have ever owned. Needless to say, I am annoyed with myself. I live in Canada half time and in France the other half and so I am hoping that they are in France and I will reacquaint with them when I am there. They were, I mean are, grey suede Salvatore Ferragamo moccasins. My husband was in Las Vegas in 2010 and he called me from one of the outlet malls asking me for my shoe size. He bought them for me even though I did not see a photo nor did I even have a verbal description. They have a flat front, no tassels, no adornment and I love them. They fit like a glove and they just had that “casual Jackie O would wear these on the weekend” feel to them. Whether I find them or not, they are still the NICEST pair of flats I have ever owned.

March 30, 2012: I found them! In preparation for moving back to Europe I had to move a few boxes into storage and sort through others. One of those boxes contained several pairs of shoes – in all fairness this box was not with all my other "shoe boxes" and so that’s why I missed them on the first search. I never panic when I misplace something; it usually turns up!

NICE 2: Any Geox flat. These neutral beige Geox loafers were my walking shoes in Italy, Greece, Spain and France over a two year period. I am presently wearing a pair of black patent Geox loafers (see photo under buying tips at the end of the post). I found them on sale in France and they replaced my worn out black smooth leather Geox loafers.

NO THANKS: A flat backless beige pair of loafers AKA mules have to be my NO THANKS choice but they shouldn’t be. I bought them in Romans, France, a shoe production location with many outlet shoe stores. I don’t so much walk in them, but waddle. They looked like they would be comfortable and they are, but I’m not wearing them. I’ve tried to use them as “house” shoes and that didn’t work either. And so they sit in a bin with other regrets.

NOTE-WORTHY: So what is it about beige flats and me? Just this last Saturday, I walked through The Bay and saw a pair of taupe-coloured Ralph Lauren loafers. It wasn’t the shoes that attracted me at first but the 50% mark down from the last marked down price. So this pair of loafers that started out their retail life at $109.00 (Cdn) ended up costing $32.50 (plus 10% taxes). You would have thought that the size on the box was flashing intermittently with “buy me”, in neon colours no less. There was another potential buyer muttering to herself that she was a size 7 and asking, no one in particular, if she should buy the six and a halfs. Well, I now own yet another pair of beige-tone moccasin/loafer styled flats (the pair on the right). 

NOTE-WORTHY VOW: Here I swear, before all my loyal blog readers, casual lurkers and dedicated followers, I will not buy another pair of beige loafers or moccasins in the next five years. Disclaimer: this vow does not include colours other than those in the beige to taupe spectrum.

NEED: A colourful assortment of flats, loafers and moccasins.

Moccasin/Loafer Buying Tips:

In my experiences, there’s no repairing moccasin/driving shoe soles. And by patented construction of the Geox sole, there’s no repairing or replacing those either.  Once the soles are gone, the shoes are done. So if that is a problem for you, don't buy driving shoes or Geox.

These soles on my black patent Geox loafers are not shoemaker-friendly.

Moccasin/Loafer Caring Tips:

For smooth and patent leather, I have used leather cleaning wipes. I only have experience with one brand and those were packs of 30 Leather Love Wipes by Method.

Look for the suede caring tips in the Heels post (February 17, 2012).

Welcoming your comments on driving shoes, moccasins and loafers.