Do You Wear Socks With Loafers? – Best Way To Style Loafers

Loafers have become a fashion staple for men. There’s no wonder why. They are an incredibly versatile style of footwear. You can dress them up or down, getting maximum use out of them. But there’s a question that few know the answer to, do you wear socks with loafers? Thankfully, for you, we know a thing or two about shoes. 

Loafers should be worn with socks for health concerns as well as for the longer lifespan of your shoes. Fashion-wise, it’s perfectly acceptable to wear loafers with socks. You won’t be making any faux pas. Even for the sockless loafer look that is oh-so-trendy right now, we recommend you wear no-show socks. 

Keep on reading to learn how to style your loafers with socks. We’ll give you an idea of the best socks to wear with loafers and more.

Do You Wear Socks With Loafers? – The Appropriate Way To Wear Loafers

Yes, you should absolutely wear socks with loafers. Loafers are closed-toe shoes made from leather, which isn’t the most breathable material. When your feet sweat as they’re bound to throughout the day, the inside of your loafers will be all moist without socks.

This alone causes three major issues.

Firstly, bacteria and fungi get the best sort of breeding environment there is: dark, moist, and enclosed. Your feet may develop conditions induced by a fungal infection like Athlete’s feet.

Secondly, odor-creating bacteria will permeate your loafers’ leather and make them stink for a long time.

Thirdly, the shoe itself will be damaged from moisture. The leather will weaken and possibly crack sooner after staying damp for hours. 

So, wearing socks is a must. It’s also accepted in terms of fashion. Especially with formal looks. But we’ll tell you exactly how you can also incorporate socks with your loafers in a casual look. 

What Socks To Wear With Loafers? Best Way To Style Loafers With Socks

We think there are two kinds of socks that go best with loafers. One is dress socks and the other is no-show socks. The worst kind of socks to wear with loafers have to be bulky athletic socks that come up to more than ankle length. They first of all make loafers too tight and it’s not a good fashion statement. 

Let’s take a look at how you can style each of these sock types.

Wearing Dress Socks With Loafers

The combination of dress socks with loafers is perfect for work settings. Your office dress code may require you to dress sharp and not expose your ankles. Dress shoes are thin and can easily be accommodated by a snugly fitted pair of loafers. 

It’s generally colder in corporate buildings due to the air conditioning, no matter what month it is. Dress in socks and keep your ankles comfortably warm. 

Here are some tips for styling dress socks.

Tip 1: 

You can go bold with your dress socks in terms of color or pattern. There are stripes, dots, and prints on dress socks of varying sizes and you can find plenty of options. Your socks can give your outfit a pop of color. 

Tip 2:

If you want to stay safe, choose neutral colors like brown, beige, black, tan, etc. Stick to earthy tones. They’ll blend in well with any pair of pants. You don’t have to match your socks with your pants. Contrasting them looks great. 

Tip 3: 

You can pair a rich hue like burgundy, Sacramento green, etc. with dark brown loafers and tan pants. It’s a great way to add colors to your outfit in a way that no one can call anything other than tasteful.

Wearing No-Show Socks With Loafers

This is the better choice in summer. It’s fine to show some ankles outside of work. No-show socks aren’t visible when worn with shoes with low vamps, like loafers. Perfect for those who want the benefit of wearing socks, but want to look chic in the no-socks look.

Here are some tips on how you can go about styling these socks with loafers. Admittedly, you can mostly create casual looks with this combo.

Tip 1:

The most classic look is wearing a dark pair of jeans while wearing penny loafers with socks. You can also switch the denim for slacks. Either way, you’ll look sharp. 

Tip 2:

You can also go for suede loafers. They look exceptionally relaxed and with khakis, you can elevate the look further. Don’t pair a formal pair of tassel loafers with khakis. That’s a mismatch as khakis look too casual with those shoes. 

Tip 3:

You can also wear brown loafers with chinos. Throw on a solid tee for a casual look or dress it up slightly with a button-down.

Do You Wear Socks With Women’s Loafers?

Yes, women too can wear their loafers with socks. It’s more on trend in the colder months. You can wear ankle-length socks of any color you like. 

Even try out different patterns. Winter is all about layering when it comes to styling. Socks are just another layer that adds some Pizzazz to your outfit.

You can wear sheer socks with some detailing on them or fishnet socks to give your outfit an edge. For a more preppy look, striped socks are an option. If you’re bold and unafraid to sport some eye-catching look, knee-high socks with loafers worn with a mini skirt and blazer look great.

When it comes to socks, women have a lot more styles to choose from than men. There isn’t any limit to what you can do. The best thing is to experiment till you find the style that works for you. 

For summer, wearing no-show socks makes the most sense. You want your feet to breathe and get some breeze. At the same time, socks protect your shoes from sweat and dampness. It also helps maintain hygiene preventing microbial diseases. So, we don’t recommend going sockless in loafers. Grab a no-pair sock for those sunny days.

Final Words

Do you wear socks with loafers? Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable fashion-wise to wear loafers with socks. It’s also better for your health and hygiene. 

There are three major benefits to having socks on. Firstly, socks will soak up the sweat on your feet. Without that, your shoe would become a breeding hub for bacteria and microbes, causing diseases like Athlete’s feet.

Secondly, it protects bad odors from spreading through and permeating your leather. Once bad odor settles into your leather it can be quite hard to get them smelling good again. 

Thirdly, it reduces the damage that would be caused to your shoe from moisture. Leather cracks easily and its quality is ruined by dampness. Wearing shocks ensure your shoe is dry on the inside.