Lug Sole Loafers Are Deals Sleds You Can Actually Sled In

It’s hard to say for sure, but demand for loafers feels like it’s approaching an all-time high. Over the last few years, the market for snazzy slip-ons has exploded in size, catalyzing a major boom period for the ur-prep staple that shows no signs of slowing down. These days, it’s nearly impossible to scroll through TikTok without encountering some mustachioed gent in double-knees and a trucker cap showing off a slick pair of two-tone pennies, courtesy of any number of upstart brands specializing in the style. After all, how many other shoes—with all due respect to your black derbies—can anchor a razor-sharp suit just as ably as battered jeans and a vintage tee?

Until recently, though, loafers weren’t exactly winter-friendly. When the sky explodes halfway through December, the loafer’s Achilles heel is exactly that—a lack of traction by the bottom that makes navigating slushy streets an anxiety-riddled minefield at best, and straight-up treacherous at worst. Luckily, footwear savants with far more cobbling expertise than us cooked up a quick fix: rugged lug soles, which lift their design cues from your favorite pair of boots without compromising on the loafer’s essential qualities. And when your dress shoes literally need to get a grip, there’s few better options to slip on.

If slapping a hulking boot sole on an otherwise dainty loafer sounds like a mashup with disastrous, Frankenstein-level implications, you’re already overthinking it. Most of the time, lug sole loafers simply offer a welcome layer of heavy-duty traction when you need it most. (If you really want to freak it, honking, platform-esque options also abound.) Which means you should treat your new winterized slip-ons exactly the way you would their daintier counterparts, with a few crucial exceptions. To keep the proportions consistent, anchor your lug sole loafers with heftier pants, like baggy jeans, wide-wale cords, or wooly trousers with a big ol’ cuff. (Thick, textured socks are a killer idea too.) And on those blustery winter days when you’re hustling out the door to make that afternoon rendezvous, take solace in the fact that you’ll still pull up looking your best and won’t eat asphalt chasing down an Uber along the way.