Why it’s time to add a pair of playful slippers to your working-from-home wardrobe

No longer wedded to skyscraper heels and blister-inducing brogues, Sarah Young says now is the time to treat your feet

(Molly Goddard x UGG)

During the first lockdown, many of us happily furloughed our bras, jeans and handbags from sartorial rotation as we were asked to stay home as much as possible, prompting loungewear to sit right at the top of our online shopping wish lists.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we dress so much that even Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, who once declared she would never be seen wearing tracksuit bottoms, posted a photo of her decidedly casual working-from-home outfit, which consisted of a Breton striped top and, you guessed it, a pair of joggers back in April.

Over the last eight months, sales of loungewear pieces have rocketed, with retailers such as Vestiaire and Net-A-Porter reporting a surge in the category of up to 70 per cent, while Asos witnessed a 329 per cent rise in annual profits, much of which was largely due to demand for casual clothing during lockdown. And it is a trend that has trickled down from top-to-toe, quite literally.

With the majority of us trading in our trouser suits for cashmere jumpers and knitted co-ords, the high heels and patent brogues we once wore to the office are no longer relevant in this new normal. To wear shoes, or not to wear shoes? That is the question. Appealing as it might seem, there’s a strong argument against not wearing anything on your feet at all, with numerous studies suggesting that getting dressed, even if it is in comfy loungewear, prepares your mind and body for work and can help provide structure to your day at a time when you’re struggling to keep grip of a routine.

So, if we want to avoid cold toes – which are an inevitable side effect of frosty winter mornings in Blighty – but we don’t want to wear “proper” shoes, what is the solution?

At a time when comfort is key, the best way to find delight in footwear is by embracing the old-fashioned comfort of a cosy pair of slippers. But we’re not talking about the tired kind so many of us hold on to in the hopes that someone will buy us a new pair for Christmas. Oh no, this is a new wave of slippers that guarantee to take your loungewear to the next level and are almost too attractive to wear solely in the confines of your home.

Gucci debuted its fur-trimmed Princetown slippers for autumn/winter 2015 (Getty)

Ever since the Gucci Princetown furry slipper (£770) became the fashion totem of 2015, comfort-seekers have witnessed a blurring of lines between outside and indoor shoes but it is only now, as we begin to rely on a certain level of cosiness to get us through the monotony of lockdown, that slippers have enjoyed a prolonged period of high demand.

Consumer shopping site, LikeToKnow.it has seen sales in slippers increase by more than 200 per cent since the start of the first lockdown, while market intelligence platform Edited reports that spending on slippers in the UK surged by 46 per cent to £36.8m in the 12 weeks to 20 September. Similarly, the number of slipper styles selling out online increased by 24 per cent in the three months to 19 October, compared with the same period in 2019.

The category is a hit with male consumers too, with two slipper styles making it into fashion search engine Lyst’s quarterly round-up of products most in demand by consumers. Birkenstock’s Boston Clogs (£135), which can be worn inside and outdoors, came in second, while Ugg’s Scuff Deco Slippers (£80) followed closely behind in fourth place.

Much of Ugg’s success has come from its mission to reposition itself within the world of high fashion, with the likes of Bella and Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajowski and Joan Smalls among a host of celebrity figures that have been spotted wearing the brand’s fake fur Fluff Yeah Slides (£100), Scuffette II Slippers (£80) and, Marmite of the fashion world, Mini Sheepskin Boots (£145). And it seems as though the Australian label’s efforts have paid off, with John Lewis revealing that sales of Uggs are up 29 per cent compared with last year, while Vogue recently dubbed them “The Supermodel Shoe Of Lockdown”.

In case you needed further convincing, the brand won the hearts of fashion fans everywhere in September when Molly Goddard, the designer famous for creating Villanelle’s frou-frou pink tulle gown in Killing Eve, designed a capsule collection of cosy-looking platforms and slippers in her signature eye-popping shades. Goddard applied her typical frothy, fun aesthetic to three classic Ugg styles including the boot, to which she added floral applique; the slipper, which she reimagined in a hot pink fluff with a pointed toe; and the platform, which comes in a range of valiant hues, from Kermit green to fuchsia.

Molly Goddard collaborated with UGG for spring/summer 2021 (UGG)

The humble slipper is quickly rising in the fashion ranks but if you can’t afford to invest in designer pairs like Gucci’s fur-lined versions (£770) or The Row’s Friulane Velvet shoes (£525) there are countless high-street labels you can turn to.

For a pair of house shoes that will shake up your working-from-home wardrobe, consider these Ribbed Cashmere Slippers (£55) from Cos, which offer an affordable way to tap into the notoriously expensive fabric, or these Velvet Bow Sliders (£39) from The White Company.

Pink Check Open Slippers, £65, & Other Stories (& Other Stories)

Elsewhere, Jigsaw is selling a set of cosy Shearling Slippers (£75) that make a great dupe for cult loungewear brand Sleeper’s £220 versions, while those with a penchant for print should look to & Other Stories’ Pink Check Open Slippers (£65) which are made from dark burgundy suede and finished with pink check embroidery.

A category that was once vilified for having zero aesthetic appeal, slippers have received a luxury makeover at just the right time. With long winter evenings on the horizon and lockdown life beginning to take a toll, the ability to hang up our heels and treat our feet to hotel-like levels of comfort has yet to get old.