Should Men Wear Mules Outside the House?
January 13 2021 - 2:25PM
Dow Jones News
By Jacob Gallagher and Jason Gay
OVER THE past year, as many Americans began working from home --
and letting their style standards dip -- fashion and footwear
brands from Nike to Gucci began pumping out inviting, slide-on
shoes. Many were peculiar, backless models. These "you don't even
need to lift your heel" mules might suit a life of slovenly at-home
shuffling. But are any stylish enough to wear outside? Men's
fashion editor Jacob Gallagher and sports columnist Jason Gay
debate the issue.
Jason: Can we talk about slippers? Sweatpants and hoodies
dominated spring quarantine-chic, but now that it's winter, it's
all about slippers. Slippers are the new sweatpants. Discuss.
Jacob: Slippers keep you warm. That's the practical
justification but here's the truth: We've all become lazy. Tying
laces? That's a chore. And no one's going anywhere fancy. So
slippers carry the day. Shuffle out in them to the store. No one
will judge you.
Jason: Slippers are a blissfully lazy option. And I was
perfectly capable of being lazy before the pandemic -- I was lazy
before it was cool. However, to me, a slipper is strictly a
stay-at-home option. You can wear slides outside, but a slipper is
never-touches-pavement footwear. Once a slipper goes outside, it's
ruined. Jacob, are you wandering around the supermarket in
slippers?
Jacob: Never in true slippers, but in summer I did wear pool
slides inside and out. I've since moved on to closed-toed, backless
rubber Birkenstocks, which have proved warmer. They're enticingly
lazy, but if your vision is bad enough they kinda look like
loafers. At least, that's what I tell myself. Where do you fall on
mules like that?
Jason: Men in Mules -- it sounds like a new Monty Python movie.
I was aghast when I saw backless sneakers -- I want to know who at
Adidas thought it was a good idea to make a mule out of the Stan
Smith. More recent ones like the Nike Offline work better --
they're designed to be mules, not some mutant. GQ called them one
of the Best Sneakers of the Year for 2020. I've yet to try them,
but the Offline comes with "massage" inserts -- they're the optimal
lazy person's shoe for 2021.
Jacob: I think that's the dividing line here. The shoes are
intended to make the wearer feel lazy, but the design shouldn't be.
I'd say New Balance's backless 990, Converse's shaved Chuck Taylor
and even Gucci's front-only loafer are as bad as the ho-hum severed
Stan Smith. If you're just chopping half the shoe off, it's not
interesting. However, Nike's Offline and Reebok's retro Beatnik are
the right calibration of sloth and creativity.
Jason: I should say I recently fell prey to fashion and bought
slippers. Instagram got to me, Jacob, and I went for the fuzzy
white Allbirds slippers. They look like baby sheep on my feet. For
three days, they were pristine, my favorite shoes ever, until I
forgetfully stepped outside onto the gritty New York City pavement
and walked to the...well, Jacob, I won't lie. I walked to the
liquor store in my fuzzy slippers. If that doesn't scream 2021, I
don't know what does.
The Wall Street Journal is not compensated by retailers listed
in its articles as outlets for products. Listed retailers
frequently are not the sole retail outlets.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 13, 2021 14:10 ET (19:10 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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