Anthony Veer Kennedy Tassel Loafer: A Welcome Convergence of Style, Quality, and Price

From meal options to gadgets to shoes, people appreciate versatility. It saves us time, money, and grey hair.

A seemingly-common stumbling area for many men is footwear: few types of shoes offer the versatility and flexibility of fitting in well in the office, at a choir concert, a restaurant, a neighborhood cookout, and even the beach as well as loafers do.

The Kennedy Tassel Loafer from Anthony Veer does all of that, while also wrangling in quality and price to a very alluring degree.

Let’s run through the most salient points, such as the look, leather makeup, outsole, construction, fit and lastly price tag.

You should buy Anthony Veer Kennedy Tassel Loafer if:

• You don’t want to spend a lot of money
• You want to look as good at a semi-formal/business event as you would at a bar
• You want a quality, well-constructed Goodyear welted shoe
• You like leather outsoles
• You want or need a cushioned footbed in your loafer

You shouldn’t buy the Anthony Veer Kennedy Tassel Loafer if:

• You have a wide, or extra wide foot
• You prefer an almond-shape toe box design
• You prefer a rubber outsole
• You don’t like the tassel detail
• You want to buy American-made footwear

[SHOP THE ANTHONY VEER KENNEDY LOAFER ON AMAZON OR ZAPPOS!]

Initial thoughts: Purchase, Delivery, Unboxing

I picked up my Kennedy loafers on Zappos.com a little over a month ago. The entire experience of purchasing, shipping, and delivery was pretty seamless, with the only nuance being a change in my plans, where I wasn’t not going to be home during the time of estimated delivery by standard ground service. Since I live in central Florida, I didn’t want the shoes to sit on my porch in scorching 95F midday sun, so I called Zappos Customer Service, and asked if I could still update my order to expedited shipping. The entire interaction experience with Zappos agent was easy and pleasant, and they upgraded my order to 2-day shipping for free, as a thank you for being their customer. To me, this goes a very long way in wanting to do business with them again.

Delivery took place in a white Zappos box. Inside was a packing slip, containing my order number, description of product ordered and supporting detail, along with Zappos’ return policy. When I pulled the actual shoe box out, I was right away impressed by the perceiving quality it represented: dark textured carton with Anthony Veer logo on the lid.

Inside the shoe box I found a small envelope, containing a thank you card, detailing Anthony Veer company story, with an insert spelling out tips for caring for the shoes, and explanation of Goodyear Welt construction. There were two dark navy shoe bags with the company logo imprinted on them, and a small cloth drawstring bag featuring a brass shoehorn, which I found to be a very nice touch from Customer Service and branding perspective. The loafers also came with additional insoles for orthopedic support, which I also appreciated. All contents of the box were wrapped up in nice black tissue paper with Anthony Veer logo displayed all over it.

One thing that was not clear to me from the beginning (perhaps the website mentioned it, but I simply overlooked it), was where these shoes are made. I searched on Zappos and Anthony Veer Instagram page/Website, to no apparent avail. I saw a field on Zappos website, where Customers could ask questions pertaining to merchandise, so I asked it there. I received a response the very next morning via email, advising me that the country of origin is India. I never owned a single pair of Indian-made GYW shoes, so I thought it to be interesting.

Anthony Veer Kennedy Aesthetics

• Sleek, modern design
• Low profile, not always seen in Goodyear welted footwear
• Leather outsole with reinforced stacked wooden heel

These loafers feature a European-inspired, slimmer, elongating aesthetic, with upper stich design inherent to most loafers.

As opposed to more traditional American heritage designs, featuring wider and more almond-shaped toe boxes, this particular loafer is more tapered at the forefoot, while remaining quite secure and comfortable for an average D-width foot. I also like the look, as with having fuller legs, I feel like this loafer adds proportion and balances my appearance. Right out of the box, I was pleased by their clean, elegant, yet modern design.

There’s quite a bit of stigma that seems to follow “Tassel” part of these loafer design, with many guys associating it with and joking about it being “their dad’s or grandpa’s” go-to style. And while I can see (and have seen) other brands’ interpretations of said style perhaps befitting a more “seasoned” wearer, the Kennedy Tassel Loafer is anything but old-fashioned. In my opinion, these strike a good balance between dressy and casual, and while some may argue they are leaning more on the dressy side, I feel like they can work equally-well coupled with dress slacks/chinos, as well as with tailored denim.

[Read more: The 10 Best Dress Boots]

Anthony Veer Kennedy Leather

• One (1) leather is currently available in three (3) colors
• This Oxblood is full grain calfskin leather
• Wears and ages well

I picked up this pair in Oxblood color, which is a purplish/reddish shade but can look off-brown, depending on how the light hits it. I chose this color as it is not a very popular shade, and I could picture it going well with a few different outfits in my closet (back to versatility!).

The other colors currently available are Black and Tan, both of which are pretty commonly seen in the footwear realm. Although top grain calf leather is the only one these loafers currently come in, I believe it to be a good option, as calf leather is deemed by many to be particularly valuable because of its softness and fine grain, as well as tensile strength and durability.

Also, since it comes from younger cows, it has fewer imperfections and less variability across hide. Because of this, it is frequently used for high-end/ high-quality shoes, clothing, accessories, and traditional leather bookbindings. However, this also means that this leather is softer and is more prone to nicks and scratches, so these are by no means a pair I would take on a rugged terrain or any sort of particularly strenuous activity; there are other types of footwear in various leather types that would suit that purpose. The Kennedy loafer is also fully leather lined which adds rich, comfortable feel to them.

Overall, these loafers look and feel very nice right out of the box. The pair I got was darn-near flawless, and I don’t toss this term around loosely. There were not discolored spots, loose grain, crooked/fraying stitching, or any other defects.

Anthony Veer Kennedy Sole 

• Leather outsole with reinforced stacked wooden heel
• Rubber insert at the heel for extra support
• Leather-covered Ortholite cushioned footbed for all day comfort

To date I’ve purchased/ owned a number of loafers, all different in their construction and sole composition.

The two types of soles seen most frequently on loafers in my years of enjoying them are rubber and leather. These two have their own pros and cons, with rubber makeup affording greater stability and “softness” right out of the box, but less formal/dressy appearance and often more chunky profile, whereas leather soles tend to be more slippery and ridged upon first few wears, but breaking in with time to provide greater grip/stability and more classic appearance.

With the Kennedy loafer, you get a very pristine looking leather sole with Anthony Veer logo, along with US and corresponding UK sizing designations embossed into it. The heel is reinforced in place with five nails and features a nice rubber insert for added traction. To me, it always seemed a bit weird to walk around on leather-soled shoes at first, as I feel every single imperfection in the surface I am trekking on, but that subsides by third or fourth wear and feels natural.

[Learn more: The Pros and Cons of Leather Soles]

Anthony Veer Kennedy Fit & Comfort

• Fits true to size
• Great all day comfort system
• Decent shock absorption
• No wide sizes

I was concerned about picking a size that’s right for me, as I was not able to go into a store and try these on beforehand. Given that I am a true 10D on a Brannock device, but have been all over the place size-wise with other Goodyear welted shoes — ranging from the smallest 8.5D on 8 last in Red Wing Iron Rangers to 9D in Grant Stone’s Leo and Alexander Last, to 9.5D in Thursday’s new Foundation last, I wanted to do what I could to maximize probability of ordering my correct size this time around.

Based on all reviews I read on Zappos.com and Anthony Veer website, it appeared that buyers agreed on these fitting true to size, but I calculated that since most GYW shoes run at least ½ size bigger than your average sneaker, I ordered 9.5D and it fit like a glove. As mentioned above, the inside of the loafers is fully lined, with only exception being the heel. This works out well, as it adds extra traction and minimizes the almost inevitable initial heel slip with new pairs of shoes, where soles are initially stiff.

Further Reading

10 Best Loafers For Men | Dressy, Chunky & More

We’ve spoken with experts and tested dozens of loafers before landing our 10 favorite pairs.
Learn more →

Many will find the Ortholite comfort footbed to be a welcome standard in these loafers. When I first put my feet into them, I felt like I was standing on a cloud, and after wearing them for a bit I quickly came to appreciate the long-terms comfort this technology offers to me as a consumer. After 8 or 9 hours spent on and off my feet at random intervals, I felt no pressure nor blisters form anywhere on my feet. I also didn’t experience any pain, pressure, or other discomfort in my legs, which is more than I can say about some of the other loafers I’ve worn prior.

Perhaps the biggest drawback to Kennedy loafer I am seeing to date is it only being available in standard (D) width. Although it works just fine for me, I can imagine it being an equal-part disappointment and a deterrent to our wide-footed brethren. The initial fit for me can be best described as “comfortably snug”, and it loosened up just a bit as I approached my second hour of wear.

[Read more: The Best Boots for Wide Feet]

Anthony Veer Kennedy Price

Here’s a BIG factor, which attracted me to buying these: the price tag. At the time I purchased these (Late July 2021), the Kennedy Tassel Loafer was going for only $108, down nearly 40% from its MSRP of $179.00, which in my humble opinion, is still a heck of a deal for everything you get with this shoe. I’ve seen the pricing fluctuate from one retail outlet to another, and even from one color to another with the same retailer, ranging from $108 on the low end to $179.

[SHOP THE ANTHONY VEER KENNEDY LOAFER ON AMAZON OR ZAPPOS!]

Wrapping Up

Having purchased quote a few pairs of GYW shoes over the past decade, I’d like to think I have learned a thing or two about them, general trends, and pricing architecture. An average pair of comparable footwear in recent years ran me (on average) just north of $280. With this in mind, I was initially skeptical of them, given the young-by-comparison age of the company and lack of YouTube reviews from credible sources. Still, for the money, I decided to take a leap of faith, and boy, am I glad I did. So far these have been a joy to own and wear, and I look forward to seeing how they perform in the years to come!