Two-tone loafer: I tried a half size down from my usual size and my regular size. The loafer runs TTS: I fit in a regular size 6, without socks. If pushed, I could even wear 6H ( half size up) without trouble. I was really excited to see this knockoff of the designer loafer that Leandra Medine's been wearing all over. But it's a disappointment. My first thought after putting them on was: I am wearing the Penguin's shoes. Yes, Batman's enemy Penguin. The nose of the shoe is cut in a sharp point, there is a definite reference to a tuxedo/bow tie on top of the shoe (at the strap), and the white is actually a muddy vanilla leather. They're decent leather, the finish is definitely not premium. More like "made in India" competing with "made in Italy". I ordered a pair of shoes from Boden once - they were a remarkably good price I thought. But it was because they were made in India. IMO, you can tell Spain vs Brazil vs Italy vs India shoes apart quite easily. I personally prefer Spain and Italy, with Brazil coming in third.
On a related note, that's why Madewell has some well-priced leather goods. Lots of them are made of non-premium finished leather in India. The finish is a chalky matte look, rather than a soft leather, polished in natural oils, iykwim. Speaking of which, I tried their bucket duffle bag. I thought I might be able to satisfy my admiration of Mansur Gavriel's pieces with the Madewell duffle. But it's a similar story to the two-tone shoes. The Madewell product is nice, but far from perfect. A no-go for me.
Try the Everlane loafer maybe? Ran Half size small for me. I think the shape is so moden without being penguin-y!
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