I don’t know about you, but unless I’m heading to a particularly special occasion—and honestly, even then—you can bet I’ll be wearing flats.
Whether it’s trainers, Mary Janes, ballet flats or my personal favourite, loafers, rarely does a day go by when I don’t slip into something comfortably grounded. My collection serves me well, but every so often, I find myself craving something with a little more impact. And just when I thought I had all my bases covered, I stumbled across the flat-shoe trend that’s about to shake up my wardrobe in the best way. Enter buckle loafers.
The moment of revelation came when I spotted Simone Ashley stepping out in Milan for Prada’s autumn/winter 2025 runway show, effortlessly styling an elegant twist on the classic loafer. At first glance, her shoes seemed simple enough—glossy burgundy leather, a short block heel and that timeless loafer structure. But it's the oversized buckle detail that, in my opinion, takes them to the next level.
Paired with a chic grey miniskirt, a green quarter-zip jumper and a crisp sky-blue shirt, Ashley’s loafer choice made her outfit feel polished, timeless and effortlessly cool all at once. And whilst the emergence of this trend caught me off guard, the more I thought about it, the more I realised the clues had been there all along.
For the past few seasons, designers have been leaning into bold, eye-catching hardware, from cinched-waist belts to buckle-adorned ballet flats. Given fashion’s ongoing love affair with all things belted and buckled, it was only a matter of time before the trend made its way to loafers. And now that it has, I can’t stop thinking about how this simple yet striking detail breathes new life into the classic shoe.
If you’re looking for an easy way to update your footwear collection for 2025, buckled loafers are the answer. Scroll on to shop our edit of the best pairs to buy now.
SHOP BUCKLED LOAFERS:
Style with a minidress or use these to dress up your favourite jeans.
I predict these sleek burgundy loafers will be a sell-out style this season.
Style with crisp white socks for a preppy finish.
Shop these whilst they're on sale.
The supple suede finish gives these a more relaxed energy than patent styles.
Buckle detailing has been key for a while, and I can't see the trend slowing down anytime soon.
These also come in a glossy black style.
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