Luxe Austerity: Wearing Loafers & Skirts

image from here

I've never been a sneaker person. I know many will argue that they're comfortable, but they're just not me. I know they didn't fit into our school's dress code, but even before prep school, I cannot remember wearing them outside of playing a sport or doing something physical. I did try out sneakers for a while in college, but quickly went back to my non-sneaker ways. What I do remember wearing a lot of is loafers.

Many flats can be just as bad for one's knees and back as heels, but loafers have a slight heel, which makes them more supportive. So it was particularly good timing for me that when I was confined to flats due to a back injury, loafers were starting to come back into style on the streets of New York.

Rediscovering loafers has been great fun for me -- I thought they would be a challenge to dress around, but they really do go with nearly everything.

Black loafers truly go with everything. Fashion editors have been saying this for some time now, and it certainly is true. But there was something about black loafers that felt off to me, and I couldn't put my finger on it until my brother, a witty and consistent loafer-wearer himself, told me, "in Connecticut, we wear brown loafers."

That was it: Black loafers are much more city-trendy, while brown loafers are New England-classic. But that doesn't mean brown loafers need to look preppy, and they are still just as easy to wear. Pants are a logical and easy choice, but since I prefer skirts, continue reading for a round up of some great ways to wear loafers and skirts together...