Thursday Lincoln Loafer Review | Business Casual or Sockless Chic?

I just spent an entire month in Southeast Asia wearing the latest loafer from Thursday Boot Company they’ve named the Lincoln.

I’d been waiting a long time to wear a Thursday loafer. While their boots have taken the market by storm, they seem to have had more trouble landing on a loafer style they like; they’ve released several over the years, but the Lincoln is the only one on sale today.

So has all that experience making different kinds of loafers (and, of course, boots) made the Lincoln the perfect everything loafer? I found that it’s a little too sleek and smart to dress down with shorts, but it’d be a great buy for anyone looking for a loafer to wear with trousers and collared shirts.

In other words: it’s a loafer you should wear with socks. 

In the review below, I’ll tell you what this wear test taught me about the style, sizing, and value of Thursday’s Lincoln Loafer.

Pros and Cons of Thursday’s Lincoln

I respect your time — if you’re a man with things to do, I’ll give you a quick summary of my thoughts up top. 

What I Liked

• Excellent value
• High quality leather
• Dressier than your average loafer
• Shock absorbing insole
• Blake stitch construction keeps it lightweight and resoleable

Downsides But Not Dealbreakers

• Slim toebox: boosts dressiness, not that roomy
• Not great for wearing sockless
• Less versatile than most of Thursday’s boots

How I Wore This Loafer 

I wore these Lincolns with gusto; that’s how I wore it.

OK, I’m sounding a bit flippant, but I genuinely mean that I was excited to try these loafers. While Stridewise started as a website all about boots, I’ve since learned that there are indeed some situations where a boot isn’t the right choice: usually, it’s when you’re wearing shorts or a tie. (Hopefully not at the same time).

So, what started as a mission to find resoleable footwear for summer became an abiding love of loafers that have made me who I am today: someone who wears loafers and ties any chance he gets.

Dozens of pairs (and several “best loafers” lists) later, and I’m telling you: I’m a good guy to review loafers. And after reviewing almost every Thursday boot, I’ve been waiting for the brand to go all in on a loafer. 

Styling Thursday’s Lincoln Loafer

• Slim toebox makes them best worn with trousers
• The other two Black and Rich Mahogany (“brown”) leathers would be great with a suit

With their sleek toe and lack of beef rolls (seen here on Oak Street’s, a feature that usually dresses down a loafer), I didn’t immediately love the idea of wearing the Lincolns with shorts, even though Cider Oil Snuff Suede is the most casual of the three available leathers.

But I just spent a month working in Vietnam and Malaysia, and every time I wore linen trousers or lightweight pants — and I wore them a lot — I threw on the Lincolns, sometimes with socks, sometimes without. 

My favorite fit has to be this linen “tuxedo” from Alex Crane: this “Kite” jacket is more of a chore coat than a sport coat, which makes this “suit” feel equal parts business professional and pajamas. I love it.

I was especially excited to do a tropical try-on because the Lincolns stand out for their leather sole and Blake Stitch construction, two elements that I absolutely love. As much as I try, it’s very hard to convince a footwear fan these days that both have benefits.

But there are benefits, and some that are especially handy in hot weather: the leather sole and Blake stitch improve the weight, flexibility, and breathability. 

Sizing Thursday’s Lincoln Loafer

• Thursday suggests ordering a whole size smaller than your true size, half a size smaller than your boot size
• I recommend sticking with your boot size
• I’m 12 in most sneakers, 11.5 on a Brannock device, 11 in Thursday’s boots, and 10.5 in these loafers

Most of my sneakers are a size 12, so you might be shocked to see Thursday suggested I get a size 10.5, but that’s not uncommon for Blake stitched loafers — I’m the same size in Oak Street’s US-made beefrolls.

Unusually for Thursday, there are no wide widths currently available for this model.

Leather footwear is almost always alarming when it’s first worn because they’re sized with the knowledge that the leather will stretch and conform to your foot’s shape. That means these slim-toed loafers felt like the wrong size when I first put them on.

After a couple of days of wear, though, they loosened up considerably, so don’t freak out if they feel constricting at first. That said, I can’t help but wonder if they’d have felt better if I’d only sized down half a size and got a size 11.

Now that I know how slim the Lincoln’s toebox is, and now that I have a huge stash of Pedag’s tongue pads (that make too-loose Chelseas and loafers fit just fine), I think I’d suggest going a half size bigger than Thursday’s recommendation.

I have a low instep, so loafers are often a touch loose for me, even when sized correctly. The Lincolns weren’t at all, so if you have a normal or (heaven forbid) tall instep, I think you should definitely order a half size bigger than Thursday’s suggestion. (In other words, your usual Thursday boot size.)

Are Thursday’s Loafers Comfortable?

• Better shock absorption than most loafers
• Less comfortable when worn without socks

No need to belabor the point: I think these are best worn with socks. The simple reason why is that, like Thursday’s boots, these are made with shock absorbing foam insoles to improve comfort and reduce break in.

The good news: the Lincolns absorb shock better than other loafers, which can be even more of a concern than with boots because loafers usually don’t have as many layers underfoot.

The bad news: the foam footbed is squishy and it feels weird when worn sockless. I wasn’t a fan.

Also, keep in mind these have leather soles. I love leather soles for a range of reasons. Just note that you’ll want a handrail to hold onto if you’re walking down stairs.

Wrapping Up: Are Thursday’s Loafers Worth It?

• $168 is an insane value for resoleable loafers like these

They’re absolutely worth it. Nobody is making loafers that are this good at this price. The Blake stitch makes them relatively easy to resole — not as easy as a Goodyear welt, but it can be done, plus the Blake stitch build is cheaper to make so it keeps the price down.

My only two notes of caution are that these sleek Lincolns aren’t super casual and that the foam insole doesn’t feel great without socks. Both of those points lead to the same conclusion: they’re better worn with trousers and socks.

Indeed, these are excellent dress loafers if you’re looking for some that can be worn with a suit, but so long as you’re in long pants, I think you’ll find a lot of ways to wear the Lincolns.