Whether it’s an aesthetic choice or one born from convenience, slip-on dress shoes are growing in popularity. Also known as loafers, not all slip-on shoes are actually suitable for dressy wear.
However, this guide will help you decide on the right ones for you by presenting the Best Slip-On Dress Shoes For Men:
- Penny Loafer: Allen Edmonds Addison
- Venetian Loafer: Amberjack The Original
- Chelsea Boot: Allen Edmonds Tate
- Tassel Loafer: G.H. Bass & Co. Lexington
- Tuxedo Shoe: Massimo Matteo Velvet Slip-On
- Venetian Loafer: Eccos Illinois Slip-On
If a particular pair of slip-on shoes has piqued your interest, use the links to jump ahead! Further down, we’ll also talk a bit about formality and where slip-on shoes stand, sartorially speaking.
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- Style: Penny Loafers
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $395
Overview
Allen Edmonds is a purveyor of traditional dress shoes that is known around the world. Of all the slip-on dress shoes and loafers that we have tried, the Addisons remain our firm favorites thanks to their superior calf leather upper, Goodyear welt construction, and the hard-wearing yet comfortable Dainite rubber sole.
How To Wear
Although not the dressiest of slip-on shoes, the Addison is certainly among the most stylish; they’re also surprisingly versatile. In winter, they’re on the casual side and look their best with jeans or chinos. However, summer is an entirely different matter. Don them with a summery beige suit, and they’ll capture the essence of Sprezzatura!
Best Colors
We have a preference for both the burgundy and tan leather upper varieties, as these will be more versatile additions to your wardrobe. Alternatively, there is a black color too. However, we find this to be too dressy for the shoe style.
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- Style: Venetian Loafer
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $175 [Buy From Amberjack]
Overview
Amberjack has quickly gained a large swath of loyal customers after successfully fusing the comfort of sneakers with the style of dress shoes. The resulting shoe is their first Loafer style that boasts their dual-density outsole, which is much more dynamic than regular rubber soles, as well as their proprietary padded insole with memory foam and an Italian suede upper.
Ultimately, these loafers wear like slip-on sneakers while still looking like snazzy dress shoes.
How To Wear
The inherent versatility of Amberjack’s Loafer comes from the fact that they’re available in numerous colors and in both full-grain leather upper and suede varieties. If you’re aiming to wear these more casually, the suede options are perfect, whereas the smooth leather versions are more fitting for formal settings.
Best Colors
The suede leather slip-ons from Amberjack are our favorite, though as mentioned above, if you need very comfortable slip-on shoes for the office, the full-grain options are most appropriate. Most notably, the Obsidian version is the best choice. If your workplace has a relaxed dress code, then help yourself to the entire range of Loafers from Amberjack, as they are all rather dapper and cushy.
- Style: Chelsea Boots
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $345
Overview
Should you prefer more conventional yet dressy slip-on shoes, we’d turn to the Tates by Allen Edmonds. These offer the streamlined profile that you’d require as well as superior quality thanks to a Goodyear welt and Dainite sole.
How To Wear
Depending on the color, the Tate Chelseas can be versatile casual or formal shoes for men. Whilst the brown leather will work well with both jeans and chinos up to business casual settings, the black can be worn with just about any dressy suit as well as cocktail attire.
Best Colors
Overall, we prefer the versatility offered by the brown leather boots. However, if your requirements are for particularly dressy yet convenient slip on shoes for more formal occasions, we’d suggest the black variety over anything else featured in this list.
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- Style: Tassel Loafers
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $155 [Buy From G.H. Bass]
Overview
As a more ornamental and decorative alternative to the Addisons listed above, these Tassel Loafers are very stylish and remarkably affordable. We love the moc toe stitched finish and their extremely versatile wearability.
How To Wear
As we said above, these are very versatile and can be worn with a wide variety of styles depending on the chosen color. In winter, they’re great business casual shoes. However, they’re ideal formal footwear for the warmer months.
Best Colors
Thanks to the glossy, almost patented leather finish, these are quite formal. Therefore, we’d go against our usual recommendation not to wear black loafers. Here, they could be happily worn with a business suit. However, it adds a touch of flair if you’re up for the extra attention. Otherwise, the burgundy are versatile and very easy to wear.
- Style: Velvet Tuxedo Slippers
- Formality: Cocktail & Black Tie
- Pricing: $155 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Overview
If you’re looking for a pair of formal slip-on shoes that you can wear to formal events, tuxedo slippers are your best bet. Whilst there are other more elaborate styles, they’re hard to find unless you go to a dedicated shoemaker. These affordable slippers from Massimo Matteo are an excellent choice for your first pair.
How To Wear
Exuding old-fashioned class and style, these are excellent for particularly formal events. However, they’re best reserved solely for such limited events as they’re almost unwearable out of a tuxedo.
Best Colors
Whilst these slippers come in black, there are other tuxedo shoes that come in a whole host of colors. If these are your first venture into tuxedo footwear, we recommend starting with black before you explore wilder yet equally sophisticated colors.
- Style: Venetian Loafer
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $260 [Buy Now On Zappos]
Overview
If you’re looking for an alternative slip-on dress shoe that’s both understated and subtle but formal enough for the office, Ecco has plenty of offerings. We’re fond of the Illinois and their modern Venetian style as well as the clever use of their Comfort Fibre System.
How To Wear
Whilst not very daring or overly stylish, these are perfect if you fulfil a profession, which requires black dress shoes. For instance, they’re a favourite among catering staff and servers as well as people that work in events management.
Best Colors
Whilst we think that the black shoes are the better bet for professional wear, there’s a walnut brown option that is somewhat more casual for a less dressy look.
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How Formal Are Men’s Slip-On Shoes?
There is a lot of confusion as to the formality of men’s slip-on shoes and loafers. Whilst some people regard them as very casual shoes that are reminiscent of slippers, others consider them to be exceedingly formal footwear.
In reality, it’s a lot more complicated than this simple interpretation.
Indeed, loafers began as casual footwear that could be conveniently slipped on and off. Due to the absence of laces, these were originally deemed rather informal, almost like a slip-on sneaker in today’s world. However, with the passing of time and changing style trends, they have developed their own offshoots and variants that break down into different styles and levels of formality.
For instance, the penny loafer, a classic and firm slip-on favorite, is often made from materials like suede, which makes it very casual. Meanwhile, there are patent leather bit loafers, which are extremely formal.
However, if a bit loafer was to be made out of suede, it would actually be a casual shoe. Therefore, how do we make a distinction between the two? Furthermore, it’s also important to remember that formality isn’t just black and white but actually a wide scale.
Formality By Material
One of the biggest contributing factors to a slip on shoes’ formality is the type of material used to make the uppers. Whilst some are exceedingly formal, others are very casual. Here’s a breakdown from the most to least formal:
- Velvet: Ironically, velvet is actually one of the most formal materials for loafers. These usually come in the form of tuxedo slippers that are worn with black tie outfits.
- Patent Leather: The most formal leather material, patent leather has a distinctive shine to it, which looks like it’s been highly polished. Again, patent leather slip-on shoes are best reserved for formal occasions.
- Smooth Calfskin: The most classic leather type for business wear, smooth full-grain leather has thick fibers and a grain that gives it a clean appearance. It will give slip-on shoes a dressier appearance.
- Pebbled Leather: With its chunky grain, pebbled leather has a hard-wearing texture that’s ideal for business casual wear.
- Suede / Nubuck: Although similar in appearance, suede and nubuck use different sides of the leather’s hide for their casual texture. When used in slip-on shoes for men, suede/nubuck would be considered casual shoe materials by traditionalists, regardless of how fancy they may look.
- Canvas: A very casual material that’s becoming more common in summery dress shoes.
- Wool: These are probably slippers, mate…
Formality By Ornamentation
As you may have noticed, there are various styles of loafer with their own little characteristics that usually appear over the vamp. This will play a significant role into the shoe’s formality.
Here is another list that looks at various styles and their level of formality:
- Bit Loafer: One of the most formal types of loafer thanks to their metal decoration, bit loafers can be very formal in patent leather. However, they also exist in suede, which renders them quite casual.
- Tassel Loafer: Like the above, tassel loafers can be rendered formal with different leathers. However, they’ll always be relatively casual by comparison.
- Penny Loafer: Also known as moccasins, penny loafers are quite versatile but will never be as formal as the above.
- Venetian Loafer: The formality of Venetian loafers greatly depends on both the toe and material. Generally, they’re quite casual with moc toe stitching. However, they can be very formal with a plain toe in patent leather.
- Boat Shoe: Whilst technically slip-on shoes, boat shoes aren’t dress shoes but very casual footwear.
Formality By Color
Finally, colour is also a characteristic that will decide whether loafers are formal or not. In fact, it’s arguably one of the most important considerations as it leaves very little for interpretation.
Once again, here’s a quick breakdown:
- Black: Naturally, black will be the most formal color for loafers. Whilst these are obligatory for black tie events, they’re otherwise quite hard to wear in more casual settings.
- Oxblood/Burgundy: A very versatile option, oxblood and burgundy are shades of brown that are quite sophisticated in appearance. They’re formal enough for business professional yet can be worn quite casually too.
- Brown: Relatively middle of the road, brown is as versatile as oxblood yet not quite as formal in appearance. It’s likely the most common color for most loafer types.
- Tan: The least formal brown shade, tan is great with business casual attire but will never be dressier than this.
- White: A very casual color that is often worn with summery attire.
- Other Colours: It’s becoming more common to see both leather and canvas in other colors, such as red or yellow. However, they’re decidedly casual and will unlikely be appropriate for even business casual wear.
Now that you have a clearer idea of the various factors that contribute to a loafer’s formality, you’ll be able to shop confidently. However, it’s important to remember that there are several characteristics at play rather than just one.
What Next?
Now that you have read about the best casual dress shoes for men, consider checking out some of our other related guides.
- Best Summer Dress Shoes For Men
- Most Comfortable Dress Shoes For Men
- Best Business Casual Shoes For Men
- Bespoke Unit Shoe Homepage
"Great shoes without laces! Arthritis in my fingers prevents me from tying laces. These were just what I needed."
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