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Now, more than ever, the traditional rules of menswear exist mostly to be broken—and that feels especially true when it comes to footwear. This past year has produced too many wild sneakers to count, fancy new-wave sandals, streetwear-friendly Ugg boots, and fashion-goth clogs. On top of that, one of the most cardinal style rules—never wearing socks with sandals—has been by broken with zero regard by the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Tyler, the Creator. And don’t let the fact that the weather is getting chillier by the day stop you from wearing your favorite cozy footwear.
To start, you’re going to need socks that as warm as they are stylish. We’re talking about the kind of ultra-toasty, super-cozy socks that are basically like sweaters for your feet. When it comes to wearing sneakers, it’s fine to go with plain old drugstore socks, but if you’re going to be wearing sandals or clogs (or something that falls in between) you’re going to want to up the ante. Look for a sock with some texture and fuzziness and you’ll be set. When it comes to footwear, Japanese label Suicoke makes a shearling-lined version of its “Moto” sandal that offers more coverage and coziness than the typical slide sandal. If you’re looking for something with a closed-toe, a pair of Birkenstock “Boston” clogs in a fall-ready material like suede will do just the trick. And for those with deeper pockets, Gucci made a leather sandal that riffs on its iconic horsebit loafer and comes with a hefty rubber sole. Simply wearing pool slides with a regular socks come November won’t cut it, though.
The cozy slip-on footwear once deemed unsuitable for wearing outside of the house has been cleaned up to look genuinely fashionable—and just because fall is here doesn’t mean that should stop now. No one is saying that wearing sandals or clogs to slosh around in the snow or rain is a good idea (it isn’t!), but we’ve got some time before the weather becomes that dreadful. So, until then, wear some warm socks and cozy kicks on all your fall weekend adventures—you’ll look cool and your feet will thank you.