I once had an uncle whom I greatly disliked. He used to wear tasseled loafers. Why? I am not entirely sure as I never asked. There are a few things to note about my uncle’s choice of footwear.
First of all, it was rare to see anyone else wear them. Secondly, I disliked him–my uncle–a great deal. And thirdly, my dislike for him then extended to the shoe that I’ve never seen anyone else wear.
Like tassels on furniture, the tassel to a loafer is a decorative piece. It is something that a dog might nibble away on as it is teething. In fact, I remember my old dog doing exactly that when he was but a puppy.
As I read up on the monstrosity of a shoe that my least favourite uncle wore, I discovered that they were invented in the USA in the 1940s and are still considered ‘a business classic’ for bankers and stockbrokers.
The funny thing is that my uncle is neither. Was he trying to be a banker or a stockbroker? Well, if he was, he never shared those career aspirations with me. His kids aren’t bankers or stockbrokers either. Despite its popularity in the business world, the tasseled loafer is considered déclassé or tasteless in Europe.
While I would never succumb to describing a shoe in such harsh terms, I wouldn’t shy away from reserving such commentary for the man who once wore them.
The Mercantile 