Queen Elizabeth loafing with her minions on April 21. (Photo: Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II has been admired for many things during her 64-year reign, though not necessarily for her unchanging fashion sense. But it seems that her resistance to fads has finally paid off: At nearly the ripe old age of 90 (her birthday is April 21), HRH is now officially a trendsetter.
For more than five decades, Elizabeth has been wearing custom-made loafers by West London shoemaker Anello & Davide. Since they cost £1,000 a pair (that’s more than $1,400 in Yankee money), it’s no wonder the queen wears the low-heeled loafers with nearly all her outfits, both casual and formal. On Wednesday, she paired them with a bright pink coat, white floral dress, and matching pink-and-floral hat while celebrating her upcoming b-day with Prince Philip in Windsor, U.K.
Just like her instantly recognizable set-curled hairdo, the queen’s footwear is part of her well-configured uniform. As Yahoo Style Senior Editor Leeann Duggan put it, “It’s such commitment to a signature ‘lewk,’ because those pumps were out of style from 1974 through last year.”
Gucci Jordaan leather loafer. (Photo: Gucci)
Which brings me to Liz’s street-style status: Gucci’s $600+ leather horse-bit loafer, a shoe originally introduced in the early 1950s, was everywhere during spring 2016 fashion month in September. In both fur-lined and classic versions, the practical style could be seen on the tootsies of the industry’s top tastemakers — giving it total “it”-shoe status.
Oh, and it also happens to look just like the queen’s trusty Anello & Davides. Of course, there is one major difference between HRH’s footwear habits versus those of the typical Instagram-savvy editor: She’s got a servant with the nickname “Cinders” whose actual job is to wear her shoes in, so that the queen won’t suffer from stiff soles or blisters.
Anna Wintour only wishes.
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