Hi! I'm Lindsay Ferrier. You might remember me from a blog called Suburban Turmoil. Well, a lot has changed since I started that blog in 2005. My kids grew up, I got a divorce, and I finally left the suburbs for the heart of Nashville, where I feel like I truly belong. I have no idea what the future will hold and you know what? I'm okay with that. Thrilled, actually. It was time for something totally different.
April 20, 2010
>This post originally appeared on HerNashville.com.
… and they also were a staple at Christian Dior.
Yes, socks with sandals, once the exclusive domain of Clark Griswold in National Lampoon’s Vacation (there’s even a website devoted to real life “offenders”), now are all the rage among fashion designers. But does this runway trend translate to real life? A few weeks ago, I put the question to readers of my style blog. Here are some of the answers I got:
“No, no, no, a thousand times no!!!”
“I wore ankle socks with pumps in the 80s. I don’t think I’m doing it again.”
“Not feeling it. It’s something that screams either total high school pariah or bag lady to me.”
“Somehow I am afraid that the bullies from middle school will jump out of the bushes and beat the bejesus out of me … I am truly frightened … “
And so on. After reading more than two dozen responses and not finding one thumbs up, I knew that this was a style dare if ever I saw one. Why?
Because I sort of like the look.
I mean, we weren’t talking about tube socks here. The socks featured on the runways were sheer, barely there, flimsy little socklettes, really. Also? This trend would mean that for the first time ever, sandals could finally be an option for women who suffer from bunions and corns. Or toenails yellowed with fungus. Or callused, cracked heels. Or monkey toes.
Not that I know anything about monkey toes.
So, with the good of womankind as my motivation, I ordered a three-pack of fishnet anklets in nude, gray, and black from J. Crew. Ordinarily conservative, J. Crew has been pushing the socks-with-sandals look harder than just about any other mainstream retailer out there. I figured if the J. Crew models could do it, so could I.
The day my “socklettes” arrived, I paired the nude pair with a date night outfit. Here’s the result:
Need a close-up? OF COURSE YOU DO!
What’s this for, anyway?” my husband asked, after he’d snapped these pictures.
“Socks with sandals,” I said airily. “It’s the latest thing.”
Hubs did a double take of my feet. “I knew there was something wrong!” he exclaimed. “I just didn’t know what it was!”
I frowned at him. “It’s fashion,” I said. “And you wouldn’t know the first thing about it.”
“I know it doesn’t look good,” he responded.
Strike one.
Before going out to eat, we stopped by the mall for an errand, and that’s when I discovered that Green Hills Mall is the best place to try out a new trend. Every woman there is clearly style conscious, and every woman there seemed to be staring at my feet. They didn’t look pleased, either, to be honest. Or even envious. They looked … flummoxed.
Strike two.
Fortunately, I guess, the restaurant where we ended the night was too dark for anyone to fully appreciate my socksy, socksy sandaled feet. But I certainly wasn’t done road testing this trend. A few nights later, we took the in-laws to the Loveless CafĂ© for dinner. And that’s when I pulled out the black fishnet anklets.
Bam.
You’d think that black socks-with-sandals would attract far more negative attention than the nude socks did. But you’d be wrong. The black socks, honestly, completed the look. The sandals blended right in with the socks and the whole thing looked sort of badass. I got looks at the Loveless, and they were looks of sheer, unadulterated jealousy.
“Fishnet anklets with strappy sandals? Why didn’t I think of that?” I could almost see the thought bubble over our waitress’s head as she eyed my feet. Oh yeah. She totally wanted my socks.
And my MIL was giving me a look like, “How ever did my son manage to land this paragon of fashion sense? If I had known when I gave birth to him that his wife would one day think to put fishnet anklets with strappy sandals, I would have sent him to private school!” In fact, the woman was so overcome with awe that she couldn’t say a word about my anklets. Not one. Single. Word.
You see? There was no strike three. Which means that, despite all you naysayers out there, I’ll probably wear my socks-with-sandals again. I’ll do it for all the women out there who have ingrown toenails. And gout. And hammer toes. They deserve to wear a nude wedge this spring too, dammit!
And now, thanks to me, J. Crew, Christian Dior, and Burberry Prosrum, they can.
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