Rita Ora continued her summer shoe style streak in New York City on Monday with a bold take on the season’s reigning footwear trend: the penny loafer.
The singer stepped out in a pair of classic black leather loafers, grounding her sharply tailored plaid blazer and pleated micro miniskirt with a school-uniform-meets-streetwear edge. She paired the black leather loafers with thick yellow crew socks from Polo Ralph Lauren. The cable-knit texture of the socks, combined with their saturated hue clashed playfully with the loafers’ smooth finish, breaking up the otherwise neutral look with a bold hit of color.
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Loafers — particularly dark leather styles with penny slots or fringe details — have been staging a comeback this year, seen everywhere from runways to recent celebrity appearances. Ora’s choice follows her string of directional shoe looks this week alone, including clear plexiglass wedges by Sportmax and knee-high lug-sole boots from Stuart Weitzman. Ora’s swap from heels to loafers added a tailored edge to her usual eclecticism.
A closer look at Rita Ora’s loafers.
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The resurgence of the loafer isn’t limited to Ora, either. Men have been opting for more slimmed-down silhouettes on the red carpet, including with loafers, while brands from Prada to Rothy’s have also leaned into the silhouette this season, offering lightweight, summer-ready versions alongside sculptural or chunky-soled variations. And with collabs like Willy Chavarria’s with Portuguese shoemaker Mariano Shoes, loafers are also entering high-fashion territory, reimagined with avant-garde minimalism.
Ora, who released her new single “Heat” in June, has been regularly spotted around Manhattan as she promotes the track and upcoming album. Monday’s look featured a gray plaid blazer and matching pleated micro miniskirt, layered over a white tee printed with painterly black text. Oversized square sunglasses and hoop earrings finished the outfit, but the real focus stayed below the hemline: the loafer-and-sock combination that turned a tailored ensemble into something youthful and slightly rebellious.
