SO! Have you heard what leading menswear designers like Miuccia Prada, Stefano Pilati for Yves Saint Laurent and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga are showcasing in their current collections? Did you guess Socks & Sandals?
Not everyone is down with this hot, new trend. Sexy author and blogger, Isabella Snow, believes the S&S combo to be offensive and about as attractive as a pocket protector.
“If it’s hot enough for sandals, it’s too hot to wear socks. If it’s cold enough to wear socks, it’s too cold for sandals, ” says she.
Ah, but it’s not that simple, is it? I, fess up to wearing socks with my Birkenstocks sometimes because maybe it’s chilly in the morning and I’m planning to be out all day and maybe it will get really warm in the afternoon. So, I don’t want to wear shoes all day, but I also don’t want to wear naked feet on a cool morning.
There are other reasons someone might want to wear socks with sandals. Maybe they have ugly or somehow embarrassing feet – lots of people do. (not me, of course). A thin pair of socks with sandals will still keep the feet cool, but won’t expose those hideous tootsies to the world.
Or, maybe your feet get really, really sweaty and you don’t want to be sliding around in, and smelling up your lovely sandals. So, a nice pair of cotton socks will absorb moisture and prevent your gorgeous leather sandals from getting all sweat-stinky.
Or, you don’t want to get blisters walking around in your new sandals or even your old sandals that you haven’t worn for 10 months. Add the protective layer of a fine pair of socks and you can walk in comfort.
Okay, so there are some practical reasons for wearing socks with sandals, but is it at all attractive, even acceptable from a fashion standpoint? There are surely many worse fashion crimes? I mean… look around! (orange hair, sweatpants, Crocs, Speedos,short shorts/old person, giant bling…)
There’s a whole website devoted to Socks & Sandals. It features lots of photos sent in by real people. And, ya, some of them look really goofy. But this guy in the kilt with his S&S look is kind of hot, dontcha think?
The kilt thing works, but how about S&S as business attire?
Or a beachwear?
Or as the only thing you wear?
Why is this man shopping naked?
XUP 
Oh no. No socks and sandals…please! And, it sure must be inconvenient when laundry day and grocery day fall on the same day. 😉
No S&S I’m into S&M sandals and mitts. I like my feet cool but my hands warm.
Found you! I wondered who XUP was…your profile doesn’t link you here. But after some investigative work (checking stats) I was happy to see your url!
That kilt guy is hot…I wonder if it’s a subconscious phallic thing?
I wear socks inside all the time, and I need to zip out to get the mail or something I’ll sip on sandles. That’s about it for me.
Notice it is only men whose pics you posted. They are the ones most likey to commit this enduring crime.
Ohhhh no S&S for moi please! muahhhhh there’s no reason why one cannot slip on a pair of shoes when one goes out instead of sandals. The look never looked good and Prada can try as much as she wants, it’s not going to change my mind.
The only acceptable exception is in the first photograph. But then the socks have to be just so 😉 I agree he’s hot but I don’t think he plays with my group.
The other ones are… words fail me lol
The look of joy on that man straddling the cannon is priceless. The fact that I used the term “straddling the cannon” in a sentence before I die is even better.
I only wear S&S when I wear jeans. I feel goofy if I wear them with shorts (goofier than usual).
S&S? please no!!!!!!! I always made a lot of fun (of course in my own head) of people wearing socks and sandals. Sandal and tights is ok and sometimes is even fashionable and cool, but socks and sandals please no. I am a freak about socks on men and men wearing white socks already have some point less. If they wear sporty white socks with sandals….it is so unattractive!!! I can be more tolerant with women, but absolutely not for men. The Japanese, the one with the suit…If I would have had a meeting with him, I am sure I would have spent 40% of the time looking at his feet….
I cannot bear socks with sandals. But I must admit, Kilt Guy is making it work…
UGH!
CP – har-har-har, inconvenient indeed. What a very odd photo.
Bandobras – I think there’s a pic on that site of a guy in toque, parka, lederhosen and S&S. Maybe it’s you?
Christine – Glad you found me, I think I have that link thing sorted out now.
Violetsky – Ya, there seem to be only men on the S&S site, although I have seen plenty of women with socks and sandals and even socks and heeled sandals which is really strange.
UA- But shoes in summer make feet sweat and uncomfortable. And there are some good, practical reasons for wearing socks with sandals, aren’t there?
Brad – Kilt guy IS a happy dude. Maybe all men would be happier wearing skirts and straddling cannons? I don’t know.
Fromtheworld – Yes the business suit guy DOES look peculiar with his matching socks and sandals that are almost shoes anyway.
Debra- Another vote for kilt guy!! Go kilt-guy!!
Bob – Come on Bob, I think I remember a photo of you in Dubai with shorts and S&S. Or where you wearing real shoes?
As I review these photos, I’m thinking along with kilt-guy, naked guy shopping is actually doing a pretty good job of pulling off the S&S look, too. Somehow, he doesn’t look goofy at all.
I have to say, the kilt, socks and sandals was kinda sexy. But Argyles and Birkinstocks. Nope.
I must confess, in early spring I sometimes wear socks with sandals, but only with long pants, never shorts. It’s sort of my “transition” look from winter to summer.
However, I think the kilt-guy could wear a toga and logging boots and somehow make it work. 🙂
Josie – What is it about that kilt guy?
I wear socks and sandals ALL the time in the summer. I really don’t care if it’s considered a fashion offense. I do it because, as a Muslim, I need to pray five times a day and before prayer I need to do ablution. If your feet are bare, then while you do ablution, you need to wash them as well, and I don’t think anyone at work or anywhere public would appreciate my feet in the sink. If you’re wearing socks, however, you can just wipe on them… So that’s why I wear socks and sandals… it may seem like a fashion crime, but it’s actually out of courtesy to the world.
Noha – Another excellent reason for wearing socks with sandals — dirty feet. You know what I find gross? When you’ve been wearing sandals and bare feet all day and then you go home and have a bath — eewww. You’re sitting in the same water as your feet that have picked up who knows what.
I am from Jersey it is requirement that we wear socks with our sandals, but they socks must be black and the sandals brown. It’s written into our state law some where. I think it is right under the law where we are required to greet everyone by saying : Yo, how you doin?
Cedar – I really want to go to Jersey. It sounds fun, like being in a movie only it’s real life. When I wear socks with my Birks I try to stick to flesh-coloured socks. I find it fools a lot of people.
WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!
OMG i wonder how i missed this post? these ARE MY PEOPLE. my feet sweat a LOT and i have suffered lots of ridicule over it but my comfort is way more of a priority than being ridiculed. even from a very young age.
xup, has anyone told you today how awesome you are? let me be the hundredth, you are awesome!
There’s a lot to be said for wearing socks with sandals, but I’m not saying it here. You could visit my site http://www.sandalandsoxer.co.uk/home.htm and if you like what you see, could submit your own picture.
Keith
I’d like to know about this man who walking the walkway completely naked while everyone else was fully clothed. Where and when did this picture take place. I’m not gay, but this man could be in his 30s or 40s, but either way, he has a nice bod. Was it legal for him to walk naked in public. It’s too bad you can’t show the front side of his naked body, but it would be nice. You see a naked man in public before you know it. That’s not sex talk, that’s natural talk.
It’s me again, I checked all the photos of people wearing sandals with socks. As a sandals with socks guy, I find it enjoyable, but the only time I don’t wear sandals with socks is in the summer, even sandals without socks. I only photo I want to know is why there were people walking fully clothes and this man who only wore sandals with socks, but no clothes. I’m not gay, but I’d still like to know about this man, where’s he from, and when and where it took place. Like I said before, he may be over 30, but he still has a beautiful bod. That;s not gay talk, that’s natural talk. I’m not against male nudity, but I’d like to know every detail about this man who walked naked in public. Thanks.
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