Calling something an investment piece is completely pretentious, however this is one of my favorite ways to justify luxury purchases to myself. “I can always sell it,” “It holds its value,” or my personal favorite, “It’s for my future child—think of the children!” This is typically cope, but with the Gucci Loafer I feel confident my stock has vested.
I moved to New York in the Summer of 2016 during the height of Gucci loafer-dom. If I had a dollar for every horsebit I saw on 5th Avenue during my afternoon walk from the office to Sweetgreen, I wouldn’t have to work anymore. The loafers always seemed to be on the feet of women with perfect hair wearing vintage Levis cut at the hem and crisp white shirts with some type of classic with a twist feature like an open tie back or unbuttoned just enough to drape off the shoulder. Cool girls.
If it’s a sin to covet, baby send me to hell. At the time, I thought my life would be infinitely better if I could walk in those loafers to buy my overpriced desk salad. I needed to be one of them, to join the band of horses.
I hadn’t felt such a strong desire for an item since 7th grade when I saw Lindsay Lohan in Teen Vogue wearing a rainbow heart Dooney & Bourke bag, which I eventually bought at the mall with a birthday check from my grandparents–my first investment.
The bag was glued to my shoulder for the entirety of 7th and 8th grade and not a single day after. The purse is still in my collection, I couldn’t bring myself to sell it. As a monetary investment, it doesn’t really hold. I paid $250 in 2004 and today it sells on second hand sites for $65. The girl math in this equation, $250 divided by 730 days, checks out to about thirty-five cents per wear. Not bad, considering the sentiment is priceless.
When I finally got my own Gucci loafers, no one crowned me queen girl boss, but wearing them made me feel like a million bucks—the coolest girl in Brooklyn, and like I could at long last be who I wanted to be. Since 2020, they've mostly collected dust in my closet, worn about once a year, but I’m so glad I’ve kept them.
Last week
How much did you pay for them?
They were $695. This is expensive, but seven years ago this was an even bigger splurge for me. It was my second year of blogging full time (I left my day job in 2015) so I really thought long and hard about it. It's worth noting that they are now $990.
Based on the increased retail price alone, Grace’s loafers have a 42% return.
The Gucci Horsebit loafer epitomizes classic style—versatile, comfortable, and chic. Worn by icons like Jane Birkin, Zoe Kravitz, and Paul Mescal–these ponies have proven their timeless appeal. They’re making a strong comeback, as showcased on Sabato De Sarno’s Spring 2024 Gucci runway. The numbers back it up: @databutmakeitfashion reported last week that Gucci loafers saw a 31% increase in popularity, according to a sentiment analysis of 1,000 posts.
The current collection of Gucci loafers range from $950 to $1,550. There are also great options on the resale market, Erika has some pretty rad secondhand and vintage picks here.
Weather you’re just getting on the horse or this ain’t your first rodeo, will you pony up for the Gucci loafer?
Stay toasted, xx.
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Loving that TM26 inclusion! The perfect all-season fragrance and a modern classic in the truest sense!
i loved this