Everlane's Modern Smoking Loafer seems to have been upstaged by its younger sister, the Modern Oxford, at least when it comes to attention and press given by Everlane. But I'm always in the market for a good smoking loafer so I ordered this baby as soon as it came out. And the quality and craftsmanship did not disappoint as usual. But (and you knew there was going to be something), it's quite possibly the most uncomfortable loafer-type shoe made by Everlane to date (ok well I'm just comparing it to the modern loafer and the modern point).
First off, I ordered this shoe in my normal Everlane shoe size of 8 (my usual shoe size is around 7.5 but because I have wide feet and Everlane shoes run narrow I always go a half size up). And the 8 fit length-wise but it was still a bit narrow for my feet. The leather on these shoes are really beautiful but aren't like the super stiff smooth leather of the modern loafer or the softer pebbled leather of the modern point. It's a lot like the leather they use for their boots. It's smooth but also very stiff and structured. And since these already squeeze my foot quite a bit I would imagine that it would take awhile for these to break in.
I'm also not a fan of the stitching that's around the edges that meet the foot. I know this is what makes the smoking loafer look, but for some reason they just keep rubbing the tops and sides of my feet with each step.
Ah, I wanted to love this shoe so much. And I do love the look but I'm not willing to put the time and pain into making these shoes more comfortable. So I am for sure sending them back. I guess my quest for the perfect smoking shoes continues.