Kendall Jenner’s Loafers Are Actually Perfect For Summer

It would make sense that after the winter season (that is to say, after seemingly endless months of stuffing our feet into boots) we’d finally let polished toes breathe and be seen. However, it seems that Kendall Jenner and her fellow street style stars have a different idea in mind — loafers.

Instead of reaching for a strappy shoe, Jenner, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Emily Ratajkowski have made a habit out of wearing loafers this summer. The driving force: versatility. “They are a classic, seasonless [option],” shoe designer Jamie Haller tells TZR. “[You can] wear them bare for summer or with a chunky sock in the winter.” The best pairs are also comfortable — a feature that makes them a great choice for navigating cities by foot this season.

“They’re tried and true,” Fashion Snoops’ Director of Accessories Anush Mirbegian says, pointing to a sense of nostalgia for mid-century French film. “What comes to my mind are the Jean-Luc Godard films from the 1960s, how the loafer was such a key item, part heritage and maybe part nerdy professor,” she adds. “It feels appropriate that they’re coming around again, given the current social and cultural tumult.”

Just this week, Jenner was photographed at a café in Los Angeles while sporting a midi-length jean skirt from The Row, a simple black tank top, and flat, black loafers with tassels, also from The Row. A few weeks earlier, she opted for a chunkier pair from Maison Margiela.

Then there was the younger Hadid sister, who was spotted on June 19 wearing a two-tone, heeled pair with a plaid miniskirt and zip-up sweatshirt. Her look was an obvious nod to the aforementioned ’60s aesthetic.

With such a classic appeal, the highbrow style has been on the contemporary runway for quite a while (Prada, Gucci, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, and Ganni are just a few that come to mind) but is just now taking center stage on the summer sidewalks. And though it seems an eccentric choice for the warm-weather months, a sturdy loafer can, in fact, fashionably anchor so many pieces, from denim bottoms to flowing midi dresses, miniskirts, and tailored shorts. (Below, Bieber’s chunky pair work wonders to balance her barely-there suit.)

When choosing a pair for yourself, Haller recommends real leather for the most comfort. (Her penny loafer style, a favorite of Ratajkowski as of late, has a Sacchetto construction that allows for a flexible, glove-like fit.) Other materials can work, too, though they tend be much more rigid and may cause blisters if worn without socks. Whatever you choose, the style is sure to elevate your look, particularly when you haven’t gotten a pedicure in time.

To get your hands on a pair ASAP, see TZR’S edit (which includes Jenner’s exact style), below.

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