Have we ever talked about slippers?
(Yes. At least I did, almost 10 years ago, in my first year of blogging. Never mind.)
Mine, as you can see, have worn out. They were a present from my son, Christmas of 2017 – lavender, because that’s the color that’s available by the end of December. They have reminded me happily of my family ever since.
But the time has come. On beyond sentiment to feet. For a well-considered choice, of course, we turn to Use Cases. Let us examine key parameters; when, where and how do I wear said slippers?
- Most mornings.
- Walking around the house.
- Out into the garden – I can see my rosebushes from my kitchen window, I am often seized with the desire to poke and snip hours before I actually get dressed.
- At the end of an Achilles tendon that suffers when I curl my toes, hence, au revoir mules and slipons.
- However, I also take said slippers off and on frequently, as I cross my legs on the sofa to write, rise when at my wit’s end, and sit again with a resigned sigh of self-discipline I imagine you’d recognize.
I could stick to suede and shearling. I confess I’m drawn to the black Uggs with trim, they look so like Belgian moccasins, a personal tribute to High WASP cousins and aunts of yore. And the Fitflops, because Elizabeth commented to say that despite the less-than-sublime name the brand makes extraordinarily comfortable shoes. They have extra heel cushioning.
But I also like the idea of wool. So Germanic, so Nordic, so cool girl these days. And why consume leather if there’s a good alternative? Seems these might be super cozy. I like my slippers to feel like friends.
Good part about buying slippers in May – lots on sale. But I am curious. What are your slipper Use Cases? Wait, do you even wear the things? I have to acknowledge that possibility in service of the slipper truth.
And I hope all of you, each and every one, have a good weekend.
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57 Responses
Yes I wear slippers – having tried to do without them several times . I prefer to shower at the swimming pool after swimming but sometimes the pool is shut , or I am ill so at home it has to be . We have a tiny bathroom so it is usually easier to exit in dressing gown & slippers & dress in the bedroom . Sometimes my shoes get wet through from rain (I live in England) and I need to change out of them when I get home and I do get cramp in my feet often-ish so need an immediate change to slippers as well as doing the massage etc nec . I’ve had all kinds but the ones I have now may not look great but are fully washable . However that does tempt me to go outside in them a bi too often .
@Rukshana Afia, Sounds as though you make good use of slippers:). Since I go outside and sometimes walk into flower beds I would have to wash them a lot I fear.
A subject about which I was musing over this exact morning. I have the chestnut Uggs in the first group of photos and I love them. However I wear them inside and outside and decided earlier this morning that I needed another pair so one can be worn inside, the other outside (dog walk, swimming pool, etc.) so I ordered the mini boot Uggs, which I’ve had before I love for outdoors.
I do have wool slippers too but find them a bit stiff and not cozy, although I like the look.
Now on to PJs and robes next week…..
@KSL, If I weren’t so erratic in my in and out life I’d do the same. But I often go outside to take a break from writing, and I (this is kind of weird) need to dart out impulsively as though I’m breaking the rules and therefore have no time to change shoes. Ha!
Have you looked at Birdies? San Francisco start up with beautiful smoking slippers you can wear inside and out..and stylishly. I have two pairs, and wear them with jeans and with pj’s.
@Jadie, Those are gorgeous!
Try Gjerups for a nice dose of Scandi hygge.
@Saga, Thank you! I see that LLBean even sells some:).
I love my Glerups! Cozy and comfortable and they seem intent on lasting forever (in their fourth year now, little sign of wear).
@Frances, Do you think they would survive occasional sorties across a wet lawn or damp pathways? They do look incredibly comfortable.
@Frances,Absolutely! I used to wear mine out into the garden or even down to the beach, quite often — they have a sturdy leather sole. Now in the city, I not only wear them out on the terrace “garden” but have been known to wear them down to the compost bin in the back lane (and once, across the street for lunch ;-)
LLBean wicked good slippers are like a hug for your feet with soles that are suited for light outdoor use.
@BB, I second this one – my first pair lasted 4 years of daily use and I’m on my second pair – happy feet!
I live in San Diego and for most of the year, I am barefoot in the house, or in Havaiana flip flops. In colder weather, I wear Uggs and honestly, the more broken in the better.
@MarlaD, Well Uggs have a beach pedigree after all!
I am so into slippers in just the last year! Had not worn them since I was a kid a million years ago. Last year I was at a ladies luncheon for work and they gave us pink fuzzy slippers and it was instantaneous love. I bought those exact slippers 3 times from amazon because they wore out so quickly and then got serious last fall. Slip on black UGGS. I can’t bear to go barefoot around the house now and wear them whenever I’m home. But now I want a pair of pink shearing UGGs just because.
@KKG, Because is always a good reason for slippers;). And I only started wearing them once I was older – 50 maybe?
kyrgies.com :-)
@Theodore, So hygge!;)
Ah slippers you have chosen many of my favorites. My slippers are well, embarrassing but I can’t part with them. Old Birkenstock mules that feel beyond good. I love the appearance of the Emu or the Ugg, but itching and sweating come to mind.
At the end of my father’s life I insisted he break into new slippers. Let’s just say that his slippers were beyond bad. When I replaced them with the exact moccasins he was wearing he finally relented. First, he took his foot and stomped on them repeatedly.
Am I becoming my father?
@luci, I asked myself the same question just the other day;). I am really sad but I can’t wear Birkenstocks right now! They irritate my Achilles…
Joseph Seibel slip on sandals. They’re an actual shoe that has great arch support. I’ve worn this pair for years. I don’t walk outside in them, though if I chose to I could simply wipe off the soles.
@Julie Anne, I hadn’t even looked at Seibel, thank you.
Abeo for the win. Worn to the mailbox 0.1 miles away, in the kitchen on hardwood floors, and sometimes accidentally to the store because they have such great arch support and are so comfortable I forget they are slippers.
These for the winter (top flips up to warm the ankles) https://www.thewalkingcompany.com/abeo-whitby-black/44376
And these for summer
https://www.thewalkingcompany.com/abeo-halifax-brown/58469
@Kelly L, I like those. I kind of wish they had a pair with a heel wedge – that would fit my needs perfectly…
I have simple black Uggs that are warm for winter. I like their sturdy sole. Usually wear flip flops in summer. Pretty much wear either when at home. Also like to be able to kick off when I want to.
:)
@Mary Anne, I am hoping I can wear flip flops again come the summer heat. <3
I have the wool Haflingers, but the model with an open back. L O V E them! Outside (if you must! ) and inside. I do both, but confess to trying to break the habit of wearing them out into the garden….
@Leigh ann, Thanks for the endorsement! Having been unable to break the habit of going out in my slippers (since it kind of supports my writing which is the top goal right now) I am determined to support it to the best of my ability:).
I am definitely a slipper person. In the winter I need the warmth. But I’m also a slipper wearer in the summer as I’m not one to go barefoot or just in socks. May sound weird, but I don’t like the occasional (or more than occasional) crumb sticking to my bare feet or to my socks! I do often substitute flip flops in the summer. I like having something on my feet and I also like being able to kick them off easily.
@Jeannine, Yes, exactly. I also track garden detritus in and I don’t like having little seedpods etc. embedded in the bottom of my foot, ha!
This will probably horrify your readers, but I wear the Crocs Specialist II clog as slippers. Great for all hurting body parts. I recently added the Hoka One One Ora Recovery Slide, which is amazing. Furry slippers are cute and all that but not sturdy enough for me.
@Donna, I think the Land of Slippers must be a judgment free zone or how can we have faith in humanity, at all? ;)
I have the first pair (pink Uggs) but in lavender (gift from my daughter) and wear them constantly at home, but only in the cold months because, well, Virginia gets pretty hot even with central AC. I’ve had the wool ones but they wore out pretty quickly. So, I vote for the Uggs. Yours look well loved – I mean it in a good way.
@Jane, It has been a good way:).
I wear shearling lined Birkenstocks in Winter and the foam ones in summer, both in the single strap Madrid style.
@Joannawnyc, I am deeply sad that Birkenstocks, for the moment at least, irritate my tendon.:(
My feet get much too hot in shearling slippers, and even wool is too much. I pretty much live in my Isotoner ballet slippers – nonslip sole, lightweight, washable, inexpensive. I like the satin finish, but they also come in terry cloth and probably other variations. But now it’s hard to put on real shoes!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O5GBIWO/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_nIB6CbMPMRQJB
Love Haflinger’s ! Loathe Clark’s – there is always something lumpy in the footbed !
Wool is always so comfortable. Just bought my first wool sneakers from Sperry, and my toes are so happy :)
I have Ugg Alena ankle high, like booties, slippers in navy suede. Hey have a firm rubber sole. I slip in and out of the house in them all year round. Garden touch ups, fetching the newspaper & mail, they never fail. They are most comfortable. I also own an ancient pair of LL Bean Wicked Good scuffs. The insoles look about like your slippers, but I can’t let them go. I refer to them as my summer slippers. Summers here in Walnut Creek can get hot as… well you know, but the scuffs are still comfortable. My feet don’t sweat and the hard sole doesn’t scold me when I walk across wet lawns. I love my two kinds fo slippers, for comfort and durability. They are like old friends to my feet.
Well worn grey wool slippers from Lands’ End… wear them most mornings. Have worn them outside when I take the garbage out. Quite worn at the back, very comfy and I am not nearly ready to break in a new pair!
I’ve tried a number of brands; Acorns fell apart quickly, the little rubber dots on the bottom of the Haflingers quickly became smooth, making the slippers dangerous on my uncarpeted floors and stairs. Finally landed on Allbirds loungers and have been very happy with them. I live in a drafty old house in Pennsylvania, so winters are cold, but these are fine with or without socks, and I love that they’re machine washable. I don’t care for the brand’s sneaker styles, but the lounger has a nice modern silhouette. The back can be flattened down to make it a slip-on, and easily tugged back up with a finger when a more secure fit is needed. They have a lighter version for warm weather and I’ll probably go for those, too.
Slippers, those seemingly humdrum, utilitarian items, are vital! I have strong feelings on this matter. First: comfort. (They go on my feet the minute I get home from work!) Second: warmth. (I live in the Pacific Northwest…although my preferences were the same when I lived in southern CA.) Third: *must* have soles made for outside wanderings (yes, gardening; fetching the newspaper; taking out the recycling; etc. etc.).
Having been a tomboy as as youngster, my original priority was to eschew anything feminine and girly. I settled on Minnetonkas, and have not deviated since. I wear them to pieces and then order replacements. I have a winter pair and a summer pair: the Shearling Ankle Boot for winter, and the moosehide Driving Moccasins for summer (divinely comfortable! One caveat: the bow tends to come untied, which can be annoying.).
I confess to a pair of Ugg boots as wekk for the deep of winter, so that my ankles stay cozy as well as my feet.
Good luck! Hope you find something divine and perfect. xx
The LL Bean wicked good slippers really are wicked good! My husband, son, and I have gone through several pairs over the years and we all love them. The soles are super durable, and my husband often wears his in the garden, and sometimes on a grocery store run. Great value for your money, and so comfortable!
A couple because you can ever have to many! Mine are seasonal, summer ones and winter ones…my favorite, L.L. Bean Women’s Wicked Good Moccasins In Chocolate Brown. Happy choosing! :))
Birkenstock Arizonas!
I’m with Frances and Saga I wear Glerups all winter. I’ve bought them for the entire family actually. They’re perfectly warm for our hideous cold winters. I love the look and feel of the wool.
Big fan here in New England of the gray wool Haflinger type (represented by your Clarks image, sort of). Cozy in three seasons. But in summer I swap to a pair of blue cotton espadrille/mule-ish pair that have a similar sticky rope bottom, if you know what I mean. When I was younger I just knocked around the house in bare feet in summer, but I don’t like the feel of the floor anymore.
True confession: I am recovering from knee replacement surgery and have developed a love for light gray “diabetic” cotton socks, which have sticky dots on the bottom and a nice wide band around the ankle that doesn’t cling tightly. First pairs worn in the hospital but I ordered about ten pairs after I got home! I may never wear any other kind! They are so unhip I think they qualify as norm core.
Definetly Haflingers. Love the arch support and wool. Like you, I cannot resist going into yard so have gotten indoor/outdoor sole sometimes.
Mine are rather shabby. I live in slippers at home. May need a couple more pair
I’d try the flipflops as they’re less expensive. I had a high rate of shoe fails when I had my foot problems, sometimes you just have to keep trying them out. Are there no insole inserts with wedges you could slip into regular slippers?
I have felt slippers with a flower pattern on them that I bought from Romanian gypsies at a blacksmith’s workshop in Transylvania. They were still slightly damp, as made that morning, and I said I would have preferred a pair with leather soles so they sewed them on then and there. I only wear them in the morning before a shower, but I took them on holiday and they packed flat. My partner is much more houseproud than me, so as a concession to him, I wear Sanita clogs around the house during the day – brown suede, complete with cooking stains.
I need slippers with hard soles because I wear them out at our farm (sometimes all day!) and often go outdoors in them, usually taking the dog out. I have trouble finding them and often don’t like how they look. Because it is so hot much of the year, I don’t want wool. If I lived in a cool climate, I would love to have wool slippers.
Slipper love. UGG and LL Bean for me. Cozy comfort and a constant in life. Reliable, always waiting to provide warmth.
Yes to slippers year round! This is Scotland, in a house with draughty floorboards. Mine are from Celtic & Co, based in Cornwall in the south of England, and hand made there. 75% of the company’s materials come from the UK. They are wonderfully machine washable. I choose a bootee style that folds down in the summer into a sort of moccasin. I do go outside in them on the paving around the house when it’s dry (shouldn’t really, as we have carpets indoors and do have a ‘shoes off in the house policy’. But as it’s often wet I jump into wellies if that’s the case.
OK – I own those Uggs (not that I have a lot of love for that brand, but the shearling slippers are WARM and DURABLE). I’m still wearing them 4 years later and they show relatively little wear. I wear them outside (around the front and back yard), in the basement, in the upstairs. They were incredibly worth the money – but in Canada, 5 years ago(ish). I seem to recall they cost about 200 bucks once tax was added in. Run out and buy those things if you can score them for 100 bucks!!
@K-Line, And the style I have is the pink UGG you’ve pictured (only mine are brown “suede colour”).
I wear the ugg boots in the winter because I like my ankles warm. But summers in Tennessee are humid and I have mostly used flip flops. I am looking for something for the in between times, and it seems I will have to have seasonal slippers. I live in them and they are a necessity. I will have to follow all the trails and recommendations that have appeared here once I get home and can buy things again.
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