For a lot of folks in today’s world, the lines between work and home are often blurred. Maybe you telecommute from a home office, have kids enrolled in remote learning, are stuck inside due to stormy weather, or are just spending more time in your humble abode to practice social distancing, you’re probably finding yourself in your comfies more often than not.
Rocking more loungewear and athleisure clothes might be a welcome change. And yet, spending most of your day shoeless while walking around on hard floors can be detrimental to your foot health and comfort. Whether you’re at home or on the go, supportive footwear is crucial.
When you think of supportive shoes, you might think of athletic sneakers or walking shoes. But with Vionic, you can get any style of orthotic footwear, including many types of slippers like outdoor and home slippers. This solves the problem of arch support and stability while inside your home, but what about when you step out the door? There are lots of women and men’s house slippers you can wear outside, including all the styles we carry at Vionic. Here’s what you should know.
What Slippers Can You Wear Outside?
Indoor/outdoor slippers aren’t a new concept, but they’re currently having a moment. If you want to wear slippers outside, you should look for a pair with durable, weather-resistant outsoles. This protects the upper material from the outdoor elements while safeguarding your feet from scrapes, pokes, and bacteria.¹ In a perfect world, they’d all be designed this way. But as you know, not all house shoes are created equal.
With that said, the best outdoor-friendly slippers include moccasins, clogs, mules, sandal-style slippers, and slides. Read on for a breakdown of each style and what to look for if you plan to wear them outside.
Moccasin Slippers
Typically made of suede or soft leather with stitching around the top, the moccasin slipper is inspired by authentic Native American footwear. Modern moccasin slippers are sophisticated and dapper, with a silhouette similar to loafers. They often have faux-sheepskin or shearling lining for added warmth and pair seamlessly with loungewear and street clothes alike.
If you’re going to be wearing today’s slipper moccasins outside, a sturdy rubber sole with a patterned tread is key. This ensures they’ll hold up on concrete, asphalt, gravel, and other outdoor terrains while providing traction and stability.
Clog Slippers
Clog slippers with a closed-back design are ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Look for a pair with rubber outsoles and a heel height of at least an inch. This way, you’ll have peace of mind about walking around outside, even if the ground is wet.
The clog slippers from Vionic have dense yet flexible rubber soles with 1.3-inch heels and textile-wrapped EVA footbeds. Your feet will stay cozy and warm, thanks to the flannel uppers and soft terrycloth lining.
Mule Slippers
Dating back to 18th-century Europe, mules are a timeless house slipper. The backless slip-on style is classic, cool, and perfect for year-round wear. Today’s mules are often designed with the same rubber outsoles you’d get with regular street shoes. However, some have flimsy pad-like soles surrounded by fabric, so make sure you check before buying a pair.
To make the search for the perfect indoor/outdoor style easy on you, we design all our comfortable slippers with dependable rubber outsoles and shock-absorbent EVA midsoles. With terry or faux fur lining and pain-relieving arch support built right into the footbeds, Vionic’s mules feel like a spa day on your feet.¹
Sandal-Style Slippers
Whether you’re at home or on vacation, it’s nice to wake up in the morning, make a cup of coffee, and walk out onto your deck to enjoy it in the fresh air. The right pair of slippers can make this experience even more seamless and delightful, as you can slip into them as soon as you get out of bed without having to put something else on when you head outside.³
Enter the sandal-style house shoe, one of our favorite indoor/outdoor shoe designs. This type of comfy slipper can have either toe-post straps like thong sandals or an adjustable hook-and-loop closure across the top of the foot. They’re easy to get on and off and not too hot but also plenty cozy. With the breeziness of a sandal and the plushness of a slipper, they’re the best of both worlds.⁴
If you’re going to be wearing your slippers outside, be sure to look for a pair with outdoor-friendly outsoles, like the styles from Vionic. Not only are the soles weather-resistant, but they also have a wave-patterned tread on the bottom for added traction. What’s more, since they’re meant to be worn without socks, we treat our open-toe slippers with Ecofresh to keep foot odors at bay.
Vionic’s spa-like wrap slippers feature our podiatrist-designed orthotic technology. They even received an APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) Seal of Acceptance, meaning they offer sufficient arch support and benefit foot health by reducing stress on the feet and ankles. No wonder Oprah said her feet have never been happier after wearing our slippers!
Slides
For some, slippers and slides are synonymous. This backless slip-on sandal style is sporty, casual, versatile, and practical. Plus, the laid-back, on-the-go design is just right for indoor/outdoor use. From padding around your kitchen and checking the mail to hanging out poolside and running errands, slides can be worn anywhere, anytime.
Vionic’s unisex Kiwi Slide is a truly standout option. These slipper sandals have extra-sturdy TPR (thermoplastic rubber) outsoles with a wavy tread pattern underneath for added traction and grip. The soft, padded uppers wrap around your feet with hook-and-loop closures and can be adjusted to the width of your foot.
As if these shoes aren’t impressive enough already, they also have an APMA Seal of Acceptance. Vionic’s expertly designed biomechanic technology ensures ample arch support and shock absorption while promoting natural alignment. The Kiwi Slide comes in a medium width and is available in women’s and men’s whole sizes. Choose from muted sky blue, soft purple, or a rich camel color.
How to Make Your Slippers Weather-Resistant
Vionic’s Rain & Stain treatment can help protect your suede or leather slippers from the outdoor elements. Make sure they’re clean and dry before applying the solution, and test it out on a small, discreet area first.
Holding the bottle about 6 inches away from your slippers, spray it up and down and back and forth to coat them with an even layer. You’ll want to cover every inch of the uppers and all around the seams without saturating the material. Once your slippers are evenly coated, let them dry for 24 hours in a ventilated area away from direct sunlight.
How to Wash Dirty Slippers
The rubber soles of your slippers can usually be wiped or rinsed clean to remove dirt, mud, and sticky residues. Cleaning cloth uppers is a little trickier but totally doable.
While machine-washing slippers isn’t recommended, you can wash them by hand.⁵ Fill your sink or a large bowl with warm water and about a teaspoon of dish soap. Immerse your slippers and let them soak for 15 to 30 minutes until the soil is lifted. However, some of our slippers are available in machine washable styles, such as our Lydia Slipper.
Rinse your slippers off with clean water until all the soap is gone and no bubbles appear when you squeeze the material. After that, wrap them in a towel and press down gently to absorb the water. Then allow your slippers to air-dry the rest of the way.
Where to Buy the Best Indoor/Outdoor Slippers
If you’re in the market for a pair of indoor/outdoor slippers, you’ve come to the right place. Vionic is proud to carry a wide range of comfortable, supportive styles with durable, grippy soles.
When you browse our collections, you’ll find contemporary moccasins, practical clogs, classic mules, luxuriously soft sandal-style slippers, and of course, the wear-anywhere Kiwi Slide. Every pair has built-in orthotics with arch support you can count on at home and on the go. Order yours today!
External sources:
1. Marissa Miller. “10 best slippers to wear at home in 2021”. NBC News. Updated Feb. 9, 2021, https://www.nbcnews.com/shopping/footwear/best-slippers-n1241949
2. Laura Snelgrove. “Most Comfortable Women’s Slippers”. Travel Fashion Girl. https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/best-womens-slippers/
3. Rebecca Carhart . “Thousands of Customers Are Obsessed With This Podiatrist-designed Line of Slippers (Video)”. Travel and Leisure. May 18, 2020, https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/shoes/vionic-slippers
4. Eva Thomas. “These Podiatrist-Recommended Slippers Are Like a Hug for Your Feet”. People. April 10, 2020, https://people.com/style/comfortable-podiatrist-recommended-slippers/
5. Mary Marlowe Leverette. “How to Wash Slippers”. The Spruce. Jan 05, 2021, https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-slippers-4779944