Cheryl Shops

If you've seen House of Gucci, you know that the Italian luxury house has certainly had its ups and downs over the years. Its most recent resurgence, which is still going strong, has been led by Alessandro Michele, who's been Gucci's head designer since 2015. In a stark contrast to the sleek, sexy Tom Ford years (which, to be honest, did appeal to me in my early 20s), the current era is more of a maximalist, geek-chic vibe with a healthy dose of streetwear influence. While the more over-the-top pieces don't always speak to me, I do appreciate Michele's reinterpretation of many Gucci classics. Several years ago, I had my heart set on the Princetown mule, which I discovered did not fit my foot (more on that later). Thankfully, I found the Brixton horsebit loafer and treated myself to a pair for my birthday back in 2019. To this day, they remain one of my favorite pairs of shoes, and I've featured them frequently here on Cheryl Shops. But if you're thinking about buying a pair, there are some important things you should know. Here's my honest and unfiltered opinion of the Gucci Brixton leather horsebit loafer. 

Gucci Brixton vs.  Princetown vs. Jordaan

As I mentioned earlier, I originally wanted the Princetown mule, which felt like a modern twist on a classic, and as someone who has very narrow heels, this seemed like a good way to avoid slippage. However, I discovered the Princetown has some design flaws. In order to stay on your foot, the leather has to be on the stiffer side; this creates a lack of flexibility, particularly if you have high arches like I do. I am normally a 38.5 in Italian shoes (39 in the rest of the EU, and 8.5 US), but had to size all the way up to a 39.5 to even get my foot inside. Then, of course, it looked like I was wearing clown shoes—an effect that was the polar opposite of the classic-with-a-twist vibe I was going for. I was crestfallen, but thankfully the salesperson suggested I try the Brixton, which has an ingenious foldable heel, so you can wear it as a mule or as a regular loafer. Brilliant, no? I was sold. Of course, if you just want a regular loafer without the option of a mule, there's always the Jordaan loafer, but since the Brixton and Jordaan are the same price, why not have the flexibility? 

How they fit

Unlike the Princetown, the Brixton runs large, due to its buttery-soft leather. Seriously, they feel like putting leather gloves on your feet. The leather conforms to your feet in the most comfortable way, yet they still feel supportive—in fact, I walked over 20,000 steps in these on Monday and felt comfy all day, no pain whatsoever. The sole is thin yet substantial, but I think a lot of the support comes from the higher instep, thanks to the loafer design. Because the leather is so soft, you will likely need to go down at least one half size; as I mentioned earlier, I'm usually a 38.5 in Italian shoes and ended up with a 38 in the Brixton, which fits me perfectly. They have stretched a bit over the years, but are still as comfortable as the day I bought them. Depending on the size and shape of your foot, you may have to go down a full size; I recommend going to a store to try on a pair if you can. 

Where to buy them

As much as I love to recommend secondhand sources, sites like The Real Real and Vestaire Collective tend to have a very sparse offering of this style—which is why you know it's so good: everyone loves their Brixton loafers so much, they don't want to sell them! For reasons which I'll get to in a minute, I recommend buying a new pair; thankfully you can find them at:

Gucci

Saks Fifth Avenue

Nordstrom

Bloomingdales

Net-a-Porter

Farfetch

Matches Fashion

My honest review

I absolutely love my Gucci Brixton loafers. They're some of the most-worn shoes in my entire wardrobe. They look great with trousers, jeans, and even with dresses and skirts. I can wear them all day—even while doing a lot of walking—and as someone who tends to struggle with flats, I find these to be the most comfortable pair I own. As you can see by the photos in this post, I do tend to wear them as a regular loafer, versus as a mule with the heel folded down—they're slightly more comfortable that way, and they look cleaner and more polished. That said, the leather is so soft and malleable that I experience no heel slippage whatsoever. I do have two caveats: one, because the leather is so soft, it gets nicked up pretty quickly. My loafers are long overdue for a refresh at the cobbler (they could use a layer of rubber on the sole as well, since the leather is starting to wear down) and they have a lot of wear along the toe and heel. If you are someone who tends to be a little rough on your footwear, keep this in mind—these babies are going to need a lot of TLC. This is also why I don't recommend buying a pair secondhand, unless you're sure they're brand-new: it's going to be a challenge to get a pair that isn't already banged up. Which brings me to my other caveat: these shoes are not cheap; in fact, they've gone up almost $200 in the three and a half years since I bought mine. Are they worth the investment? In my opinion, yes, but if you have gift cards or Nordstrom Notes saved up, that might soften the blow ;)