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They have a permanent place next to the front door of your house or apartment and they greet you every time you walk in from the outside world. Most likely fleece lined, you’ve worn them with and without socks for years now, the logo on the inside now faded or gone altogether.
They are creased in every area imaginable. If you have a dog, they’re chewed up in the best way possible and probably a bit smelly. They may look ridiculous. They may be from the bargain bin at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They are more than likely the furthest thing from aesthetically pleasing, but the ugliness makes them all the more enjoyable.
They are the go-to when you need to take the trash out and they are a source of comfort on a rainy day as you sit on the couch, feet up on an ottoman or coffee table watching television with a blanket covering your person.
They are known as house shoes, and they are there when you get home from work and waiting for you on the weekend when you don’t have a care in the world, with nowhere to be and no one to see.
We all have different names for this wondrous footwear – slippers, mules, moccasins – I prefer the term house shoe, though. My current house shoes are a pair of slip on Merrell’s, ugly as all hell but far and away the most comfortable thing I have in my wardrobe right now. They’re leather clogs, and they look absolutely ridiculous paired with anything I’m wearing.
Other than when I am taking the trash out, these things do not under any circumstances touch pavement. They are exclusively used indoors, beat up not by the elements outside but rather by visiting canines (most of my friends have dogs and I allow them to visit on occasion), a scuff from a corner of my bed while I’m vacuuming, or small stains from the food that I’m cooking while wearing them.
House shoes are most often times a gift that we receive on Christmas, in an Easter basket, or on a birthday. They stay with us longer than any other pair of shoes as they seem to get better with age, much like a fine wine.
They gain character with each passing day, a tribute to time spent indoors. I have a personal connection with my house shoes. They are an extension of my person, something I seek out the second I walk into my apartment.
There isn’t any particular brand or style of slipper that one needs to own – it’s all personal preference. Some like a moccasin, the type of house shoe that actually has an ankle on it. I prefer the slip on or a clog that allows me to slide my feet in without having to use my hands to get the things on. I also don’t like wearing my actual shoes in my apartment. I’m a bit of neat freak. I’m also quite sensitive to smells, which means that I prefer to keep my shoes in the hallway, away from the pristine wood floors and meticulously curated aroma of my home.
When you put a pair of house shoes on, you’re leaving (quite literally) your dirt at the entrance of the door. But you’re also leaving the worries behind. You’re separating the hustle and bustle of the outdoors with the serenity and calm of your home. I feel like I’m home when I slide into my house shoes, and that, my friends, is a feeling that you will never be able to put a price on. Enjoy the day..
Image via Shutterstock
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jduda@grandex.co
Yer goddamn right they’re essential. Re-up a new pair from LL Bean every Christmas and wear them for 365 days.
I hear ya. Ive been going with the sheepskin clogs from Costco every fall for at least the last decade. Thick rubber bottom so I rotate the last years one into “outdoor slippers” to take out the trash/compost, grab the mail etc.
I don’t hate this take, but I never understood the appeal of House shoes/slippers. My feet are most comfortable when I’m barefoot, but I put socks on when I have company.
Barefoot on non carpeted areas is gonna be a no from me dog
Where is it cold enough to bust out the slippers? Still sweating through my ass on the east coast.
High of 75, low of 58 here in NYC. It doesn’t get any better than this.
I came here to say this… We don’t even turn the heat on until Thanksgiving
Congrats. This isn’t a cold or warm weather issue. Slippers can and should be used year around
Slippers don’t have a back to them and have a soft sole. House shoes are slippers with a back and a hard sole. You are right though, house shoes do not go beyond the trashcan outside…
The article’s picture is probably of Duda’s actual slippers.
Camo crocs – also have a pair of fleece lined for when it’s cold
Crocs are my go to house shoe as well.