There are two things I remember about the penny loafers my mother forced me to wear in elementary school: 1) The long, frustrating hours I spent as a kid trying to get that darn copper penny out; and 2) My mother forcing me to wear penny loafers (did I already mention that?). Needless to say, neither of these are fond memories. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened every fashion magazine (I subscribe to them all) this fall to find beautiful spreads dedicated to various versions of Bass’ original Penny Loafers. What’s even more shocking is that I found myself lusting after a penny-hording pair.
Suddenly, the unpleasant memories of my mom making me wear them with knee-high socks and a plaid skirt (the standard private school attire) were replaced with visions of Kate Moss and other celebs looking so fabulous strutting down the street or the red carpet in these shoes. Jeans, mini-skirts, black tights, and leggings all look so good with loafers. Considering that all of these garments make up most of my closet, how could I not own a pair?
At first, it appeared that penny loafers were making a killer comeback. However, after doing some research, I realized I was dead wrong. Apparently, they’ve been in style since G.H Bass & Co. first introduced the “weejun” (as they were called) in 1936. The simple design was inspired by the construction of a Norwegian slip-on shoe. Within the next 30 years, the shoe evolved into a symbol of style, due in part to celebrities, like legendary actor James Dean, who made wearing them “cool.”
In the 1980′s, Michael Jackson took the cool factor up a notch by donning a pair of black weejuns with white socks while performing his trademark move, the moonwalk, in a music video. At that point, the loafer trend was beyond just a pretty preppy look. It became a universal style that anyone could rock, just like the King of Pop.
Today, almost three-fourths of a century after loafers made their debut, they continue to provide comfort and style like no other shoe. Other brands, such as TopShop and Repetto (as seen in the above right photo) have since jumped on the loafer bandwagon as well.
And celebs continue to do their part in keeping them in the spotlight. Most recently, indie actress Chloe Sevigny collaborated on a new line of Bass Loafers for the uber-chic NYC store Opening Ceremony. The line consists of sleek and simple brown and black leather loafers, as well as a monochromatic black and white pair, and saddle booties (a take off on the saddle shoe). For a price of $89 a pair, I think it’s safe to say I’m over my childhood anxiety. Give me one in every color!
Photography courtesy of Opening Ceremony (left); Photography by Staff Photographer (right)
Published on December 8, 2009
While there are many sites today dedicated to the pursuit of fashion and style, here at MRK Style we approach these subjects through a collector’s lens. Through exploring how people relate to Art, Family, Fashion, Food, Film and Travel—essentially life’s various, everyday obsessions—we reflect on how we all live with the things we love. 
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