Vintage vs new — the cognac loafer

Last / fit

A loafer last should feel like a closed book, not a canoe. The vintage pair I keep has a shorter toe and a darker crease already negotiated. The new pair is cleaner and slightly more polite — which is not the same as better.

Material

Cognac that has seen weather beats cognac that has only seen a campaign. If you buy new, you are paying to invent the crease yourself. That can be the point.

Where it fails

A cheap recraft. A seller who will not show the inside counter. A new pair advertised as "broken in" from a warehouse.

Who it is actually for

Day. Offices that still have floors. Travel if you can shine. Not a night shoe, no matter how the lookbook lights the vamp.