SHOP $175, ghbass.com
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When you work in an office full of stylish men, and when your job entails sending you to various events with rooms full of other stylish men, you start noticing little things. For me, for a very long time, one of those things were a pair of black penny loafers that I’d see everywhere, and always notice, because they just looked better than all the other black penny loafers. It didn’t take me long to figure out what kind of loafers they were: G.H. Bass Larson Weejuns, of course.
I’m convinced that if you put a handful of people all wearing black penny loafers into a lineup, and asked a stranger to point out the pair that looked the best, they’d point to the Weejuns every damn time. It’s an iconic shoe, and has been for decades. The timelessness isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so now’s as good a time as any to hop on board the Weejuns train. Your footwear game is about to get so damn good.
SHOP $175, ghbass.com
They look good
Here’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to loafers: If they’re good enough to be worn by guys like Paul Newman, JFK, and Michael Jackson, they’re good enough to be worn by you. And, yes, those are all men who actually wore Weejuns. Join their ranks.
The Weejuns are less than 200 bucks, and in my book, their looks easily match or surpass loafers that cost ten times that much. That’s not really a surprise, I supposed, when you consider the fact that all penny loafers are technically iterations of the Weejuns.
A brief bit of history: Back in the 1930s, well-heeled Englishmen started traveling to Aurland, Norway to fish for the area’s legendary salmon. While there, they grew fond of the leather slip-ons favored by the locals and exported them first back home, and then to ritzy vacation spots around the world. In 1935, Esquire’s own editors noticed them being worn in Palm Beach, Florida. Deciding to expand the shoes’ reach in America, they teamed up with G.H. Bass and retailer Rogers Peet to get it done. By 1936, the Weejun—a playfully shorted version of “Norwegian”—was born. So take it from one Esquire editor in a long line of Esquire editors who have endorsed the Weejuns: No one has done better than the OG.
The design is simple, clean, and chic, with endless versatility. It has a moc toe that isn’t too fancy and signature “beefroll” stitching at the sides. You can certainly dress these shoes up with a formal fit, but you can just as easily pair them with jeans, cargo pants—hell, I’ve even worn mine with track pants. The leather outsole and slim design give a sophisticated flair (although if you prefer a slightly chunkier shoe, G.H. Bass makes a pair of Lug Sole Weejuns for you). And whether you pair ‘em with a clean white sock or a fun, patterned one, there’s no going wrong.
My favorite details, though, are the shiny (but not glossy) finish, which comes from the natural-oil finish on the leather, and that beefroll stitching. It shows the artisanship, the hand-sewn construction, the classic style that’s adapted to the modern world. It’s the little things that have made this shoe so huge.
SHOP $175, ghbass.com
They feel good
I am very picky about what I put on my feet, because I can’t stand to be in discomfort—especially as someone who prefers walking over any form of transportation. I won’t wear shoes that are even slightly uncomfortable, so it’s a good thing that the Weejuns are very, very comfortable.
Unlike many leather loafers, these don’t require a break-in period. I mean, they do break in the more you wear them, but even straight out of the box, they’re already comfortable. I’m used to having to face discomfort with leather loafers in order to get them to the comfortable stage, but these were good to go from the jump, and have only gotten better with time, as they’ve molded to my feet. Hundreds of reviews online confirmed what I already knew: Right away, these feel like shoes you’ve already owned forever.
They have a slightly narrow fit, so if you have wider feet, opt for the Wide option rather than the Regular one. But still, they’re true to size, flexible, and comfy, not to mention they keep you light on your feet; I can tread as quickly and easily in these as I can in running shoes. Something to note is that the soles take a bit of scuffing up to really garner some traction, but that’s to be said for most leather-soled dress shoes—I just want to warn you that you may experience some minor slip-and-sliding on the first few wears.
SHOP $175, ghbass.com
And they’re made good
There’s a reason why Weejuns have been so popular for almost 100 years, aside from their timeless looks. It’s ‘cause they hold up very well.
The heritage style is built to outlast microtrends and passing fads, both in looks and performance. I’ve had my Weejuns for nearly a year, and worn them through snow and rain and even sand. I’ve walked countless miles in them. They’re my go-to airport shoes and my go-to work shoes, and they look and feel just as good (if not better, actually, thanks to the leather breaking in) as they did when I got them.
Weejuns are hand sewn in El Salvador, and the care and craftsmanship is evident in every pair. Although they come in eight different colors, I’ve stuck with my classic black ones all this time, and haven’t even had to clean them yet. When that time inevitably comes, all it takes is a damp cloth and a quick spot-clean. These loafers couldn’t be easier or better to wear, and thank goodness for that, ‘cause once you have ‘em, you really can’t help but wear the hell out of ‘em.
SHOP $175, ghbass.com
Photographs by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Heather Greene.
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