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Gucci’s Horsebit Loafers Deserve Their Place on a Pedestal
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The Gucci horsebit loafer is an icon. Not just because Esquire said so—though we did, and we even made a whole video about it—but because the design has proven itself again and again over the course of more than seven decades. (Consider how long skinny jeans were the dominant denim style and you’ll see just how remarkable that reign really is.)
Although I’m going to touch on the history a little here, this story isn’t really about the story behind the shoe itself. Instead, it’s about why this subdued shoe represents a genuine slice of luxury that’s well worth the investment. It’s about how impressively versatile the silhouette is. And it’s about why you should have a pair of your own. Because the Gucci horsebit loafer isn’t just a signifier of good taste; it’s a damn good shoe, full stop. And having worn plenty of other slip-ons over the years, I can attest that you absolutely should have a pair of your own. Let’s get into it.
The first thing you notice about a pair of horsebit loafers is, well, the horsebit. A nod to Gucci founder Guccio Gucci’s love of all things equestrian, the signature embellishment has been seared into style-conscious minds ever since it debuted in 1953. But it is an embellishment—there to look good, not to up the durability or improve the comfort of the shoe. Which is why it’s handy that the first functional thing you notice about the horsebit loafer is the suppleness of the leather upper.
The black calf—a perennial and personal favorite, though more-adventurous options are available—has a slight sheen and a soft hand. It’s pliable but far from flimsy. It looks and feels, in a word, expensive. Not in an opulent way, mind you, but in a reassuring way. Like the money you just laid out to acquire these shoes went toward the materials contained therein, rather than directly to the budget for more billboards or influencer posts. Then there’s the sole, which in classic Italian fashion is secured to the upper via a Blake construction that ensures maximum flexibility (though it’s a little less robust and weather ready than something like a Goodyear welt). There’s no feeling of clomping around in these things. Instead, they feel lightweight and easy. Not too far off from a slipper, though far better suited to a long walk or an evening on the town—maybe in Florence not too far from Gucci’s Tuscan factory, where the shoes were first put together by expert craftspeople.
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There may be a few contenders—bucks and boat shoes spring to mind—but there’s a strong argument for the loafer as the quintessential preppy shoe. No wonder, then, that Gucci’s horsebit has a well-established fandom among American blue bloods. But it also made a big splash with the Wall Street set when it first arrived in New York at Gucci’s store in the Savoy Hotel. And it’s been consistently spotted on the feet of Hollywood A-listers since the middle of the 20th century. These days, you’ll see it on the feet of rocker types with black leather jackets, business bros in slim tailoring, fashion guys in voluminous trousers and blousy tops, and everyone in between.
It’s an object that’s impressively adaptable, able to make the leap from style tribe to style tribe with ease. You could write it off as the simplicity of the design, but that doesn’t quite capture it. There’s just something about the horsebit loafer that manages to feel both aspirational and entirely wearable. You don’t need to coddle it. In fact, it’s got a certain punkish charm when it’s a little scuffed up and road worn. And it doesn’t shout for attention while, simultaneously, remaining immediately identifiable. It seems that’s exactly what a whole lot of us are looking for.
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Have you ever worn new, cheap loafers for a full day? I’m talking right-out-of-the-box new and I’m talking about a longday. I have. I came home with more cuts and blisters than I cared to count, and those loafers didn’t leave the house again for a very long time. You’re not going to get that with Gucci’s loafers. Sure, they’ll get better as they break in, because that’s what good shoes should do. But thanks to the soft uppers and the flexible sole, they feel great right off the bat. You might find yourself wanting to wear them every single day. I wouldn’t recommend that, because it’s hard on the materials and can shorten a shoe’s life span. (You should give them a day of rest between wears.) But you shouldwear them as often as is reasonable, and you should definitely try them out with stuff that might seem, on first blush, to be entirely unreasonable.
You probably know by now that they look as great with a pin-sharp suit as they do with beat-up, frayed-at-the-hem jeans. But give ’em a shot with baggy cargo pants. Straight-leg chinos. Swooping, swooshing, high-rise trousers. Even shorts, if you’re lucky enough to be somewhere warm. Wear them with ribbed white socks, marled ragg socks, or no socks at all. Just as these shoes are able to make the leap from subculture to subculture, they’ll navigate the vagaries of your particular wardrobe with no problem at all. And if you find yourself longing for that dash of luxury and versatility on their off days? Well, maybe it’s time to get another pair.
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Photographs by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Heather Greene.
