The loafer, that 1980s preppy staple, has stepped back into the spotlight.

For men, the slip-on shoes are an easy style to wear: they are comfortable and versatile, and available at seemingly every price point. They are also an easy style to mock. Their long association with blue bloods and the Ivy League provides good fodder for social media ribbing of men who wear loafers, especially those who, like TV anchorman Matt Lauer, do so without socks.

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