Arguably, footwear is the most important aspect of a person’s outfit. However, too often are we caught up in the enigma of what to wear on one’s feet. One of the myriad possible answers to this is the humble, yet incredibly versatile sandal. Popularised by the Romans and perpetuated by the holidaying dad, the sandal should be a staple of every fashionista’s shoe shelf. But as all fashion gods and goddesses say, it’s not what you wear but how you wear it. Thus, the question arises: to sock or not to sock?

Agree?

Dear Maeve,

Some things in the world are never meant to be together. T-Swizzle and John Mayer? Rachel and Gunther? Socks and sandals, in my opinion, are up there too. Frankly, if you are wearing sandals to begin with, whether you’re a girl or a guy, you need to question your wardrobe choices.

Nevertheless, even if you do choose to tumble down that path, the one rule of fashion that you must remember is this: do not draw attention to your disastrous choice. By pairing socks with sandals, you are doing exactly this. Leaving socks out will let your toes twinkle freely and the visibility of skin will deter attraction. And for the sake of any passer-by’s eyes, please stay away from patterned and/or colourful socks.

Going back to the very beginning, the reason people started wearing socks was to act as a disposable layer between the shoe and the skin to prevent sweat build-up in the shoe itself. However, this was done for closed shoes where the foot could not breathe. Where the sandal is open and the toes are open to the elements, what need is there for further abomination?

Maeve, don’t even try and tell me I’m wrong.

Regards, Paroksh.

Disagree?

Dear Paroksh,

“Good for you! Not for me!” Amy Poehler exclaims in her Yes Please, explaining that sometimes people make choices for themselves that aren’t hurting anyone else. And, even if you don’t agree with that choice, you should at least try to accept their decision. Easier said than done, of course.

When it comes to socks and sandals, most people would probably gasp in horror. But, why does someone else’s footwear have an impact on you whatsoever? It’s not as though avid socks-and-sandals wearers are forcing you to share their enthusiasm for the trend.

Socks and sandals also provide the perfect footwear for those pesky “in between” seasons. You know those few weeks a year where it’s too cold to wear sandals, but not quite hot enough to go for a closed-toe shoe? Putting socks under your sandals in the morning means you have the option of taking the socks off in the afternoon, if the weather warms up. Not to mention the comfort factor. Also, if you know anything about fashion, you’ll know that socks + Birkenstock’s were the footwear of choice for many a runway model during New York Fashion Week.

My dearest Paroksh, I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

Regards, Maeve.