TIPS FOR STYLING SOCKS & SANDALS

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you've had a gorgeous weekend whatever you've been up to.
Today's post is a post that I've been wanting to create for a few months now as I've been getting quite a few messages about styling socks and sandals. This little styling touch is something I've championed for years upon years, I've rocked socks with heels, loafers, trainers the works since I was in college and it's never really been anything to me other than a styling saviour that I love playing around with.
However, since receiving messages from you guys asking for some tips to make it work, it occurred to me that it's perhaps not as easy as I thought. It is classed as a "fashion faux pas" after all.
So I thought I'd share some of my tips, using the questions you kindly sent in on Instagram Stories, for how to successfully pull off the whole socks and sandals vibe so let's get started.

SHOES- ROCHAS, SOCKS- ACCESORIZE

SHOES- ZARA (SIMILAR), SOCKS- HYSTERIA BY HAPPY SOCKS

So first of all let's address this "fashion faux pas" lark shall we.
In my opinion there is no such thing as a fashion faux pas, generally speaking. There's things that work for you and for me and not for others, that's just personal preference it doesn't make it a faux pas. I personally LOVE rocking socks and sandals and always have done but I appreciate this styling technique isn't for everyone. I've had a number of questions about how I find the confidence to rocks socks with sandals and the answer is to just do it. It's a trend that I feel really great in and I love seeing other people rocking too, which always gives me the confidence and the inspiration to style them up myself. Just bloody well do you, if you like the look, try it out, don't worry what others may think, as long as you feel fabulous that is all that matters isn't it!

I've also been asked about slipping around in your socks and sandals combination and in all honestly I haven't had any issues with this. I think it depends on the kind of heels you choose to pair with your socks and as you can see from these shots, I tend to use shoes that involve a closed back OR a pair that involve lots of straps and a buckle so you're secure. I LOVE how styling socks with stilettos looks too (see some inspiration here), but as I can't walk in stilettos for the life of me, it's not something I've ever tried before but can imagine it's this style of shoe which has you slipping and sliding in your socks.

SHOES- GUCCI, SHOCKS- HAPPY SOCKS

When it comes to which socks to pair with your fave shoes it isn't really a case of anything goes. There is some method to the madness.
Think about the colours of your look, are you needing a coloured sock to tie the whole look together? Do you want to clash your socks and shoes entirely? Are you hoping to inject some fun through a printed sock? Whilst your plain black and white socks do have their place to be styled with heels, I personally like to opt for something a little more statement from time to time. With platforms, I prefer to go with a thinner sock, often with a touch of sparkle, you can't beat showing off a lurex sock. Or perhaps something a little silkier or made from nylon like your tights; Hysteria by Happy Socks are my go-to for this style of sock. Going for something a little thinner and slinkier means they slot into all kinds of shoes and heels and don't bulk up too much.
However, saying that and as you can see from my black and white checkered socks paired with my red Gucci platforms, sometimes a good ole classic sock that has been lovingly stolen from your boyfriends sock drawer can work wonders too for a really awesome geek chic look.

In addition to Hysteria by Happy Socks, some of my favourite places to purchase socks are also some of my favourite high street stores including Topshop, Monki, Accesorize, COS and Uniqlo, I'm a sucker for those 3for2 sock deals...

SHOES- AQUAZZURA, SHOCKS- ACCESORIZE

I personally find that open toe platform heels work best with socks and this is always my go-to style of shoe for rocking with my trusty statement socks. There's something nostalgic yet extremely modern about this kind of look and it leaves me feeling like the best version of myself whenever I do it. This type of shoe and sock works really amazingly with all kinds of outfits in my opinion, whether that involves a skirt or a dress but my fave look is with jeans or trousers, especially a good ole pair of jeans.
Paired with jeans, it creates a really great juxtaposition and a truly fun smart casual look. My go-to look for an evening out with pals is jeans, a cracking pair of heeled platforms and my trusty socks. Similarly with a well tailored suit, throw on a pair of socks whether they be brightly coloured, printed or a little bit sexier with a lace or fishnet finish, it's the perfect way to add some serious personality to the look. And if you're still not convinced, take a look at mens styling for this particular look. Men often wear a statement sock with a tailored suit and it works beautifully, it certainly shouldn't be any different for us ladies.

Whether you're rocking socks with heels or socks with flats I feel there is certainly a place for letting your socks shine! Dress em up, or dress em down your fabulous sock collection deserves the limelight and I hope I've persuaded you to find the confidence to give it a go. And if you're still not convinced, here's a little mood board of some of my fave socks and sandals examples.
Any more questions about this little styling sensation then do let me know in the comments below.

x M