Dirty bucks. Alden makes good ones.
JM Weston 180 loafers. Brown, burgundy.
Rancourt makes nice boat shoes and loafers.
These are my favorites for smart casual.

 

I'm currently looking for a good casual shoe style for mostly warm weather wear. While I am aware there is no one shoe suitable for every situation, I still want to find something that's as versatile as possible in a number of environments and outfits. The following criteria are what I'm looking for:
•Derby, "boat shoe" style (something like a Quoddy's Blucher), or a slip on like espadrilles or some other kind of deck shoe
•Not too casual but more smart casual
•Wear with dark indigo jeans, khaki cotton gabardine pants, ecru/khaki/brown linen trousers, and medium and Dark grey Tropical Wool trousers
•Regular leather, suede or canvas
•No brogues, chukka boots, Chelsea boots or penny/horsebit loafers (they're not my thing)
•Currently trying a pair of Johnston and Murphy Cresswell Venetian Loafers but I'm not sure about them yet
•Comfortable and able to stand up to wear and tear, frequent walking (not hiking in the woods/mountains or exercising) but can be worn from walking around town to on a dockside

So far I think the Quoddy's Blucher as seen below may be what I'm looking for as it has the derby like lacing, boat shoe style without looking too casual and "preppy", and moc toe like a loafer, but let me know what you guys think and what some of your favorites are.
View attachment 94628

OK. I think you may need more than one shoe for all your needs.

• I think the Quoddy Blucher Shoe (which you pictured above) is an excellent choice
• You might also consider the Camp Moc, which is grown up version of the boat shoe. Quoddy calls them Canoe Shoes
• LL Bean has more affordable versions of these called the Camp Moc and the Blucher Moc. LL Bean were the originals, then some guy Left LL Bean , copied their styles and founded Quoddy. LL Bean shoes are now imported. The Quoddy's are made in Maine.
• Camp Mocs and Blucher Mocs are a little less suitable to light gray wool trousers. For this I might suggest a plain toe blucher in calfskin or suede
  • Allen Edmonds: Windsor, Leeds
  • Alden: Plain Toe Blucher
• If you are into canvas sneakers, consider the Sperry Saltwashed Canvas Sneaker. I'd recommend white or navy. Again, less likely to go with wool trousers. They will go with almost anything else casual and summery: shorts, khakis, linen, etc.

If had the whole summer at Cape Cod and wasn't going hiking, I'd live sockless in Camp Mocs and Salt-washed canvas sneakers

 

My go tos for smart casual shoes include:
-Oxblood chelsea boots for ease of travel in, better in colder weather. Mine are a pair from Acemark. Can be dressed up or dressed down very easily.
-Chocolate hatch grain penny loafers (mine are from CNES). They make a pair of shorts or jeans look smarter, and again, could be worn with a nice pair of trousers ect. They are my warm weather travel shoes, great for security at the airport or time in Asia where you are hopping into and out of shoes all the time, and useful in a variety of settings.
-Chocolate suede brogued oxfords (my most beloved pair are from Stephano Bemer). These are my lace up smart casual. Again, good with a summer wedding suit or a pair of jeans. Not as convenient as a loafer or chelsea for travel, but probably (IMO) more versatile and year round than the other two.

 

I have a pair of Quoddy Maliseets and a pair of Rancourt camp mocs. The Quoddys are considerably softer than the Rancourts' chromexcel. Both are gems, exceedingly comfortable. I grab the Rancourts more often because I do not need to tie them, and my life is so busy that it is a bother to tie shoes (joking). I saw a pair of the Rancourts on their website with red soles. They looked very good to me, but my current pair will doubtless last a very long time. A pair of Scotch grain leisure hand sewns on the Ben Silver website looks enticing, too. All of these ideas are very TNSIL, and to me that is a good thing.

 

I was looking at these just this morning. Alden 561. Probably will get a pair...

 

I was looking at these just this morning. Alden 561. Probably will get a pair...

View attachment 94629

The Alden tassel loafer might well be the pinnacle of the Pantheon of TNSIL footwear. Mine are cordovan, but I love them in calf, Chromexcel, and suede as well. Pull that trigger, sir, but first check Shoe Mart for factory seconds!

 

I think you should look here:

Spring Pre-Order

We'll collect orders for three weeks then produce them together by style. Manufacturing this way takes advantages of efficiencies and we pass the savings along to you. The result - our best selling footwear at wholesale prices! Shipping dates are approximate, your order will ship by June 16th, 2023

www.rancourtandcompany.com

I am very happy with the boots I bought from Rancourt and these pre-orders look great.

 

I recently purchased a pair of knockabout's from Rancourt's new "Dirigo" collection.

Dirigo Ranger Moc - Ruffian Safari

Our philosophy at Rancourt & Co. has always been to offer the best products at the best value. We strive to find a balance between high quality and economical materials as well as superior craftsmanship versus efficiency. The Dirigo Collection embodies that balance. We’ve utilized shoemaking...

www.rancourtandcompany.com

I do like them but the thicker (height wise) than expected French manufactured latex sole will take some getting used to.

Another is Alden's 704L Mocc Toe Leisure Oxford. I wish I had discovered these years ago. (Although I have no idea how long they've been in Alden's line.)
The rubber sole is outstanding.

Alden Shoes Men's 704L - Mocc Toe Leisure Oxford

Find brand name shoes online at The Shoe Mart. We offer Alden Shoes and other top quality brands from dress shoes to athletic wear. Shop for quality brand name shoes online from a store you can trust!

www.theshoemart.com

 

Excellent suggestions so far. I'll add that Jay Butler loafers would fit the bill as well.

 

Thanks for all the responses so far. I would like to add a bonus question since I don't feel like starting another thread. Which style of the following slip on shoes do you guys like best?

1.

2.

3.

4.

For reference, the first picture is of a John Lobb Edward slip on that uses a piece of elastic over the instep of the foot under the vamp. This style of shoe was worn by James Bond with his suits in You Only Live Twice and by Ian Fleming himself apparently.

2nd picture is of an elastic side gusset slip on. This one seems to be the most common and readily available.

The 3rd one is basically Chelsea boot with the top chopped off. It was Bond's main shoe in Goldfinger and a couple of outfits in Thunderball.

The fourth one is of a "Romeo style" slip on, this one made by Greenspan's and for a good price. Similar to the third one but a bit easier to find.

What style do you guys like best and looks good with most outfits?

 

I have one similar to #1 except it has flat soles like sneakers. I wear them with jeans, shorts and chinos. Easy for travel.

 

If going just by the pictures, I would say two. But I think going by style, I think the last of any of the above would greatly determine what I was leaning towards. To keep it looking smarter, I would err towards something with a less rounded or boxy toe, and then the color and material/leather would help determine the rest.

But to be honest, if you can find a well fitting loafer, you don't really need the elastic, though it may make getting the shoe on and off a little easier, or be better for travel if your feet swell a lot.

 

Check out the Rancourt 1967 Venetian loafers. They are currently available at a deep discount. They may fit what you are looking for quite well.

 

I don't like any of those loafers. I don't care if James Bond wore them; he had good taste in cars and women, but no taste in shoes.

I like Alden penny loafers and tassel loafers, also loafers and moccasin type shoes made by Quoddy, Rancourt and Gokey.

 

As for the elastic slip ons post I made previously I have since decided I prefer either the side gusset or instep type of loafer. The short Chelsea boot/Romeo style I've concluded I don't like because of the elastic surrounding the two malleolus (that's the two bumps on both sides of your ankles) being nowhere near as comfortable. Outside of maybe lace up boots, I don't like anything taller than ankle height as lower shoes are far more comfortable.
Now if only these styles were easier to find.

 

What price range are you looking at? I'm sure we can find you a couple of solid brands as long as we know how much you are specifically looking to spend. Also, FWIW, the medial malleolus is only the bump on the inside of the ankle (coming off your tibia or shin bone). The bump on the outside of the ankle is the lateral malleolus.

 

Probably not your cuppa, but you can pre-order Rancourt ranger mocs for $161!

 

That's actually one shoe I'm interested in along with the Quoddy Blucher.

 

An afterthought. The soles on the Rancourts feel a tad thicker to me.

 

I am going to try out a similar pair of "boat shoes" from Amazon Prime's try before you buy. I'll let you all know if I like the style or not.

 

Currently in my rotation for those purposes are smooth leather chuka's and a slightly more elegant loafer (like a streamlined weejun). I've had boat shoes before but probably a touch more casual than I wear routinely, for those similar occasions I'm probably wearing something even more casual like Allbirds or leather Chucks.

 

So the shoes I've tried out from Amazon were the Eastland Falmouth camp mocs. And after trying them on my feet and with the socks and warm weather pants I normally wear, I was surprised how much I liked these. They actually feel more sturdy and comfortable than my J&M Cresswell Venetian Loafers. I got them in a 9.5D since I normally wear Size 9 Wides but they actually aren't that narrow or cramped. They look good and only cost $110. They're probably not as good as a Rancourt or a Quoddy and probably cannot be resoled but for $150-$200 less they're a good deal. I'm definitely keeping these at least until I can find some nubuck derbies or some elastic instep/side gusset slip ons.
https://eastlandshoe.com/products/mens-falmouth-boat-shoe-camp-moccasin?variant=42921715499220

 

I have a pair of these, have been great, a nice go anywhere shoe, and you can comfortably wear them walking around all day:

Pinch Penny Moc -Heritage Brown

Pinch Penny Loafers in unlined Heritage Brown Pull-up leather.. These are our most lightweight and flexible loafers. They will break in and mold to your feet quickly, offering fast relief from other more rigid shoes and boots. Heritage Brown leather with lightweight Rancourt signature camp-moc...

www.rancourtandcompany.com

That said, the blucher mocs are also a great choice.

 

Thanks. I've tried penny loafers but I never cared for how they looked on me and I didn't like that they weren't secure on my feet. I definitely prefer the Blucher Mocs.

 

order from where?