Slippers!

There’s nothing like coming home from a long day of work and slipping into a pair of slippers. Most of my friends, and even my staff, know me to be in slippers on a regular basis. I keep a pair at the office and at home. As much as a fashionable pair of shoes is the killer icing on the cake to a great outfit, there is no feeling so plush as a cushy pair of slippers to sink into at the end of the day.

A bit about the history of slippers…as far as we know, women in harems in Asia first wore slippers. Some say that they were a sign of enslavement because they discouraged running away. As anyone who wears slippers knows, it is much easier to sit on the floor (which I happen to be a fan of), especially cross legged, in slippers and in cultures where sitting on rugs or mats is customary, it makes a big difference. This might be a reason why they have been so common throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

For centuries, slippers have been worn and adorned in Japan. There is usually a special entrance area where you take off and leave your shoes and the host gives you a pair of slippers to wear inside. Piety towards one’s home is the main reason but so is cleanliness.

Starting in the 1500’s, the European nobility adopted slippers as part of formal ware. They were part of the evening outfit and great care was made to find a pair that matched the rest of the attire. Women’s slippers were made from silk, satin or velvet fabrics and sometimes were patterned. “Chopine” slippers, an elevated platform version, were en vogue among the ladies of Venice. Apparently, they were anything but comfortable but looked great.

Men also wore slippers during this time. They were usually made from black leather but then as today, some of the men added a little more flare to their outfits with embroidery. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, set off a new trend for men in England in the 19th century with a loafer-like slipper made velvet with a silk lining and leather sole. These were the forerunners to “smoking slippers” which to this day are a favorite among slipper lovers.  A favorite male shoe of mine, is the Alexander Mcqueen slip on shoe that very much resembles a slipper.

Even though most people I know sport slippers because they are so comfortable, they had and still have other functions and, as someone who loves fashion, I think this is pretty interesting. But as far as I’m concerned, if you’ve never attempted the slipper “thang” you don’t know what you are missing. And once you sink in, they become hard to take off.