Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style
  3. Evergreens

La Canadienne’s Alberto penny loafers offer a modern take on a classic slip-on shoe

Why you should buy La Canadienne's Alberto loafers

La Canadienne Loafers
Nate Swanner/The Manual / The Manual

Do you know how penny loafers got their name? Back in the 1930s, a payphone would cost a measly two pennies to make a call. Penny loafers featured a slot in the tongue that could hold a penny in each one, just enough to cover an emergency phone call home if you needed. While classic shoes have developed over time, they have largely stayed the same. La Canadienne has found a way to upgrade the penny loafer and declare the return of the classic shoe.

La Canadienne Loafers
Courtesy of La Canadienne / La Canadienne

Back with class and style

We know what you’re thinking: these are my grandfather’s shoes. There is a reason that, even after retirement, Grandpa still wore a luxurious pair of men’s loafers both in the house and with his suit. The La Canadienne Alberto showcases a timeless style and slightly more oversized silhouette than its predecessors. Still, it retains the classic look that our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers came to know and love.

Recommended Videos

Like all shoes from La Canadienne, the Alberto is built to be worn around the city. The soft and light sole keeps the shoe as comfortable as a slip-on can be without being a slipper. The suede uppers feature the company’s revolutionary City Dry technology and will be suitable for either rain or shine. The penny loafer may have had a down cycle through the 2000s and 2010s, but La Canadienne is paving the way for the classic men’s slip-on shoes to make a giant comeback.

La Canadienne Loafers

Add some color to your shoe wardrobe

What makes these loafers feel like a significant upgrade over anything else on the market, other than the City Dry, is the color. While most others will be stuck in their black or brown leather penny loafers, you will be sporting the rich blue color that will keep you more stylish than the rest. The Buy at La Canadienne is the perfect fit for a casual moment or a unique choice for a dress-up event.

La Canadienne Loafers

How to wear the Alberto

These shoes will be suitable for nearly all moments you decide to wear them this summer. If you are headed to a barbeque, toss these on with a pair of shorts and some no-show socks for the ultimate casual look. If you are headed to a summer wedding, the loafers will look great with a linen suit. The Alberto will work best in the in-between moments when you wear jeans or chinos with a polo or a button-up shirt. If you stick to slim-cut jeans or chinos, these will be the perfect finishing touch to your outfit.

This summer, you will be tempted to stick to the usual white sneakers, sandals, and dress shoes. However, La Canadienne has made it easy to invest in one pair of shoes that can replace all three with style and panache. The Alberto signals the return of the penny loafer.

Buy at La Canadienne

Mark cut his teeth in the men’s style world when he sold suits first at box stores such as Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank… Read Full Bio
Topics
Serious Question: Why are you wearing anything OTHER than Taylor Stitch this fall?
Outdoors, Nature, Yard

Look, I am admitting it right here. The internet is forever. So I know I can never take this back. But I am not an unbiased journalist. Sure, I try to be objective in my reporting of brands and trends. But subjectively, I have favorites. Brands that speak to me. Brands that fit me well. The ones that define my lifestyle better than any others. Now that I have that off my chest, I can objectively say that there is no better brand for your casual wardrobe than Taylor Stitch. I have always loved them more than most, but this year, the Taylor Stitch F/W collection has me asking one very important question for all of you out there:

Why the Hell are you wearing anything other than Taylor Stitch this fall?

Read more
Christopher Ward’s new release turns its sporty Loco into a dress watch
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

Can a watch be a dress watch if it’s got an in-your-face design element like, say, the balance wheel visibly spinning on the dial? Christopher Ward is betting yes.

The Maidenhead, England-based brand just launched their C1 Loco Classic, a dressed-up take on last year’s C12 Loco. That watch was an angular, brightly colored sports watch built around the brand’s in-house CW-003 movement.

Read more
Old Fitzgerald and Jonathan Adler team up for a bourbon-night backgammon set
Coffee Table, Furniture, Table

Some bourbon bottles live in the cabinet. Old Fitzgerald’s were made to live on the coffee table.

The brand’s iconic decanter debuted in the 1950s and became a fixture on well-set tables and home bars, backed by the tagline “Your Key to Hospitality.”

Read more