Socks in sandals – YES, or NO?
In a recent survey among people on the streets of Prague, Ornella discovered that Czech keep up with Czech designers and care about fashion. And when she trilled with joy that we “won’t end up flooded by socks and sandals”, a wave of criticism arose and started defending this fashion fad! What happened? Until recently, socks in sandals were considered to be the fashion of Czech yokels… Yet now we can see them on the runways of brands like Prada, Dior, Gucci and Versace!
Times change continuously. What used to be revered is now maligned, and vice versa. Socks in sandals can now be considered an acceptable fashion, and if the combination is interesting, this bold item can garner admiration even from the greatest detractors.
Some people aren’t interest in fashion at all and don’t care what they or others wear. And why not? Everybody has that right! But we got caught up in this “fashion fad” and put together 5 PROS and 5 CONS. And to make sure it’s not just our view, we also asked famous Czech fashion designers, fashion-loving moderators and a traditional Czech sock manufacturer for their opinions.
5 PROS of socks in sandals
1. Than can help create an extravagant and original outfit.
2. They are handy on outdoor hikes if the weather worsens suddenly. You don’t need to bring along an extra pair of closed shoes.
3. They serve as a good source of provocation and humour. Guys, are you going on a first date? Wear socks with your sports sandals to instantly determine the level of superficiality of your new crush.
4. If somebody just loves sandals but doesn’t have the prettiest feet, socks are the right choice.
5. If somebody has no other shoes and has absolutely no chance of buying any, and it gets cold suddenly, then they can’t really do anything except wear socks in their sandals.
5 CONS of socks in sandals
1. According to fashion loggers, sports sandals don’t belong in the city at all, and in this case neither do the socks in them.
2. If you don’t fine tune this combination sufficiently, it unfortunately still looks like the overplayed “fashion hell”.
3. Sandals were made to be open shoes, meaning that socks have nothing to do in them and they defeat the purpose of sandals. If you want to wear socks, wear shoes!
4. Your socks will get unnecessarily dirty!
5. And unless the socks are truly high-quality, new or designer socks, then they don’t represent a nice piece of clothing. And nobody wants to look at sandals with frayed, baggy socks sticking out of them, not even the wearer!
We asked moderator Sandra Parmová, fashion designer Petra Pilařová and a representative of traditional Czech sock manufacturer Novadotex for their opinions and asked them the following questions:
1. Socks in sandals: YES or NO?
2. Under what circumstances is it acceptable?
3. What combination of socks and sandals might your recommend?
4. Do you have the same opinion as concerns men’s and women’s fashion?
Sandra Parmová, popular moderator and fashion lover:
1.-2. Everybody should be able to wear what they want. It’s their visiting card. I think everybody dresses as best they can, or within their possibilities. So although I’m not a fan of this popular Czech combination, I don’t presume to judge.
3. I recently attended Prague Fashion Week and I think it would pass off without problems there. In fact, the crazier the combination, the better. For instance, red socks in leopard-print sandals would surely appeal to the attendees.
4. I don’t know about you, but I always imagine the combination of socks and sandals on men. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this combination on a woman. For me it is definitely more acceptable among men, if only because it is so typical for some individuals.
Petra Pilařová, Czech fashion designer:
1. Whenever somebody asks me about this, I think of Czech men in sports sandals and crazy socks. In this case, socks in sandals are a big no. But socks in sandals with style and charm – why not. Although it’s not my cup of tea.
2. I’ve actually answered that already. In my view, it is acceptable among women, but it requires good taste, a sense of colour and styling.
3. If women are partial to extravagance, why not. A black and white combination looks good in open sandals, or the colours should match the entire outfit.
4. Among women I find it to be more of a fashion trend. That applies to men as well, but I don’t know many men who are capable of matching and styling it well enough to look like a deliberate choice, and not an accident.
Czech sock manufacturer Novadotex with 25 years of tradition:
1. Why not? Nowadays, socks are an essential part of every outfit and often a very interesting fashion accessory. In our view, the most important thing is to feel good – with or without socks in sandals.
2. If we overlook the health perspective, where comfort and a certain level of convenience come first, we consider socks in sandals to be perfectly acceptable, especially in an informal environment, during recreational activities when there is no need for etiquette or a prescribed dress code.
3. We definitely recommend beautiful and high-quality socks, with an interesting pattern, which match the other accessories or clothing. Socks can also feature various labels and logos, and the wearer can thus express their opinions and attitudes in a very original way.
4. Both men and women can definitely wear socks in sandals, but we think women have many other opportunities for self-expression through fashion, which is why this trend suits men better. What’s more, if a woman decides to set aside her closed shoes and show off her pretty feet, it would be a pity to hide them in socks.
What about our fashion editors?
“Socks in sandals belong exclusively on the runways at fashion week. In real life, they deserve a big fat NO. The only exceptions are pumps or high-heeled sandals. In that case, it looks stylish and at least the feet stay warm.” :)
How to conclude? Bans and orders attack us from all sides. We can’t do this, we must do this, ignorance of the law is no excuse. But fashion is entirely liberal. Everybody can wear whatever they want, even a potato sack or socks in sandals. And others should tolerate it. After all, it’s none of their business. In short, there is no final answer to the question of socks in sandals: YES or NO. What is your opinion of this “freak fad”? Write us on Facebook under the post.
