Jennifer Lopez (57) and Kate Middleton Prove Loafers Are Fall’s Most Unexpected Power Shoe
Every fall, a few footwear trends rise to the top, and this season one humble classic is having a serious moment. Jennifer Lopez and Kate Middleton may have completely different approaches to fashion, but both stars have recently turned to the same shoe, and the styling couldn’t be more different.
After seasons dominated by stilettos and platforms, fashion has been leaning into what Hola called an anti-heel moment. Chunky, comfortable shoes have taken over the footwear conversation, and few styles have proven as versatile as the polished loafer.
That’s exactly the point People made in an October 3 piece, with its writer admitting the shoe style once seemed old-fashioned before Lopez broke it out in Paris. The magazine noted that Lopez, 57, and Kate, 44, have opposite styles, yet both have relied on this timeless shoe as the weather cools.
Lopez wore her loafers on September 29 while shopping at Goyard and Stella McCartney during Paris Fashion Week. She paired chunky black leather loafers and white crew socks with a white lace slip dress, reportedly from Dior, creating a striking contrast between delicate and sturdy.
The rest of her outfit kept things relaxed. Lopez added a small quilted black Lady Dior bag, oversized aviator sunglasses, statement earrings and a pendant necklace, with her hair pulled into a messy bun.
JLo stepped out for the first time during Paris Fashion Week, looking gorgeous in a romantic white lace slip dress and trading her usual heels for an understated sock and loafer look 💖 The megastar, 57, was completely surrounded by fans and paparazzi as she went on a shopping… pic.twitter.com/4fIXJ13G7i
— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) September 30, 2026
The look marked a deliberate break from the platforms and stilettos she had worn for much of Fashion Month. Lopez also made headlines that day when she stopped outside her hotel to address the photographers following her, and while fans were divided on the footwear, the mix of lace and leather clearly got people talking.
Kate’s loafer moment came just 5 days earlier. On September 24, she visited The Forward Trust in Southend-on-Sea to mark Addiction Awareness Week, wearing oxblood Boden Nya penny loafers without socks.
She styled them with a double-breasted jacquard blazer over a chocolate brown knit top and matching ankle-cropped trousers. Hello! described the shoe as an unexpected, preppy alternative to the pointed-toe Gianvito Rossi pumps the Princess of Wales is best known for.
It wasn’t her first time reaching for the style. Kate also wore Boden’s Nya penny loafers to Castle Hill Academy in February for Children’s Mental Health Week, pairing them with a Petar Petrov jacket and belted brown trousers, and Town & Country has even wondered whether 2026 might be her year of the loafer.
This isn’t the first time the two stars have landed on the same footwear trend. Both regularly wear knee-high boots every fall and winter, and Kate has been wearing one particular pair of Penelope Chilvers tassel boots for nearly 20 years.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, visits addiction support charity The Forward Trust in Southend-on-Sea, England, on September 24, 2026.
— Geo English (@geonews_english) September 24, 2026
📷: Reuters
Visit our website: https://t.co/vVwYJv8osA#GeoNews pic.twitter.com/v4t9lpjHUR
They’ve crossed paths on flats before too. Back in one summer roundup, People pointed out that Kate had worn a pair of Boden flats while Lopez stepped out in little black flats, as more celebrities swapped heels for comfort.
Loafers have also won over plenty of other stars. Us Weekly previously noted that Kate and Rihanna both embraced the style, with Kate Hudson, Dakota Johnson and Julia Roberts also hopping on board. The real appeal is versatility. Lopez used her loafers to ground a very feminine dress, while Kate used hers to soften a structured suit, proving the shoe adapts to almost any mood.
It’s also easy to try for yourself. Kate’s croc-embossed oxblood pair has sold out, though Boden still sells the $190 style in other shades, and People’s roundup of lookalikes starts with Amazon Essentials pairs from $21 before moving up to Vince Camuto and Sam Edelman options.
Whether it’s a royal engagement or a Parisian shopping trip, these 2 style icons have made a convincing case that the loafer is anything but old-fashioned.
Which loafer look do you prefer?
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