Slippers
Fashion Influence — how style shapes, and is shaped by, the people who wear it
Slippers are comfortable slip-on shoes typically worn indoors, built for comfort and ease of use and intended to be easy to put on and take off while protecting the feet around the home. This short guide is expanded below with the main slipper variations and the case for changing into slippers at the door.
Slippers are often thought of as casual shoes, but we wouldn't consider ruby slippers or glass slippers to be very casual.
Slippers are comfortable slip-on shoes that are typically worn indoors. The goal is comfort and ease of use. They are intended to be easy to put on and take off. They offer protection for the wearers feet when walking indoors (typically in the home).
Slippers come in various colors, shapes, and sizes. Although they are often made in a one-size-fits-all version, you can also find slippers that fit a specific size foot (same concept as other footwear).
Variations include open-heel, closed heel, sandal slippers, evening slippers, etc. You can even find the category of "soft adorable super comfy slippers". OK, that might not technically be an official footwear category.
Why wear slippers?
What if you step in gum or dog poop on your daily adventures outside your home? Wouldn't it be better to take off your shoes at the entrance of our house and put on a nice comfortable pair of slippers? Probably better than wearing dirty sneakers or high heels around the house.
Slipper brands to consider:
- UGG
- Dearfoams
- Crocs
Stores selling slippers:
- Target
- Walmart
- Kohls
- ASOS
- Macy's
You may want to also learn about moccasins.
Slipper Types and Fit
The slipper family is wider than its casual reputation suggests. Open-heel slippers, the mule form, are the fastest to step into and out of, and the natural choice for short trips around the house. Closed-heel slippers hold the foot more securely and suit wearers who spend long stretches on their feet indoors. Sandal slippers open the top of the foot for warm rooms and warm climates, and evening slippers are the dressier branch of the family, a reminder that not every slipper is casual footwear: the ruby slippers and glass slippers linked from this page are evening footwear in slipper form.
Fit works two ways in this category. One-size-fits-all slippers trade precision for convenience and are common in soft, unstructured styles that mold to a range of feet. Sized slippers follow ordinary footwear sizing and give a closer, more supportive fit, which matters for anyone wearing them for hours at a time. Either way, the slipper's purpose stays the same: a clean, comfortable indoor shoe that goes on and off without effort, so outdoor shoes can stay at the entrance where their dirt belongs.
Common Questions
What variations of slippers are there?
Open-heel, closed heel, sandal slippers and evening slippers, among others. Some slippers are made in a one-size-fits-all version, and others are made to fit a specific size foot, the same concept as other footwear.
Why wear slippers indoors?
Comfort and ease of use are the goals: slippers protect the wearer's feet when walking indoors, typically in the home. Changing out of outdoor shoes at the entrance also keeps whatever the shoes picked up outside, gum or worse, off the floors, instead of wearing dirty sneakers or high heels around the house.
Which slipper brands does this guide name?
UGG, Dearfoams and Crocs are the brands to consider named here, sold at stores including Target, Walmart, Kohls, ASOS and Macy's.