Wearing your slippers outside is now acceptable – and fashionable
Wearing slippers outside of the house is no longer seen as a symptom of winter delirium. Multiple celebrity sightings have validated the trend; Mary-Kate Olsen wore a pair of black backless slippers for a recent stroll around Paris, while Sienna Miller was spotted wearing slip-on black mules that look like something you’d find in the men’s department at M&S.
Justin Bieber – ever the fashion maverick – was perhaps an early adopter when he wore free hotel slippers to roam around New York city as far back as 2018.
That particular kind of slipper – the towel types found in spa facilities around the world – played a starring role in The Row’s catwalk show back in September. During Paris Fashion Week, the brand founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen offered a lesson in effortless throw-on styling, with wide-leg trousers and belted trench coats styled with simple spa slippers. It’s the epitome of the rushed-out-the door, artfully dishevelled luxury that has become the Olsens’ signature.
At first glance, this appears like just another clickbait runway trend – akin to when Balenciaga released a £695 towel skirt in November. But The Row is famed for its ability to make the mundane feel new and cool and, crucially, it’s a brand that many on the high street seek to follow.
“What the Olsen girls say usually goes,” says Gemma Rose Breger, a stylist and the co-founder of This Is Mothership. “If they’ve decided that it’s cool to wear slippers with our slouchy tailored trousers and satin skirts, then we take their word for it. Just think of them as an even comfier, softer extension of the Birkenstock Boston clogs that you’ve seen all over your Instagram feed.”
We can all imagine how an outfit would look with slippers – the type you typically wear to pad around the house in. But to take them into an outdoor context takes a more conscious approach.
So that you don’t look like you’ve got lost on the way to the jacuzzi, slip-on mules in particular need to be styled in an elevated way. Laura Gabriele, the co-founder of the French styling service Prête, advises sticking to a neutral colour palette and minimalist basics, pairing them with silk cream trousers, white T-shirts and cashmere jumpers, or a mix of brown and black separates to really hone in on The Row’s aesthetic.
“There’s something extra decadent and indulgent about wearing something so obviously intended for home use outdoors – a hotel-inspired slipper, for example, has a delicate, comforting feel to it,” she adds.
If dressing like you’re about to enter a sauna after an exfoliating body wrap is a step too far, then opt for sturdier backless leather and suede slippers. As Breger points out, this style of slipper reads on a first glance like any other Birkenstock or ballet flat style. People wouldn’t bat an eyelid if you wore those in your local Waitrose.
The Row’s new shoe collection is filled with several spins on a classic house slipper, including the £1,100 Franco suede slip-ons, which have a lightly padded sole to make them a little more durable. It is only a matter of time until The Hugo (£1,060) suede slip-on mules, which resemble well-worn grandad slippers, become a cult celebrity shoe. On the high street there are classic black velvets and supple leather pumps – soft yet intentional footwear choices, some of which even look smart enough for the office.
Franco suede slip-ons, £1,100, The Row; The Hugo, £1,060, The Row
Kendall Jenner and Eva Chen, two more famous converts to the outdoor slipper movement, have enthusiastically shared pictures of themselves wearing North Face quilted flats. These are slippers so padded, and so warm, that they look like puffer coats for your feet. A good option for anyone considering trialling the trend in the UK this week.
Get the look...
Velvet, £47, Arket; Loro Piana Cashmere blend flannel, £515, Net-a-Porter
Leather ballet flats, £215, St. Agni; Le Monde Beryl Leather, £350, Matches Fashion
Padded, £55, The North Face; Leather clog, £195, Russell & Bromley
