Stylish Italian and French dudes have been baring their ankles for years, and now the sockless trend has reached the fashion mainstream for men. But if you're thinking about rocking a pair of loafers sans socks, medical professionals want you to know that you could be putting your feet at risk.
Dr. John Chisholm is a podiatrist in Chula Vista, California, and president of the California Podiatric Medical Association. Chisholm, like most foot doctors, is a big fan of socks. He says that socks serve two important functions: they reduce friction between the shoe and the skin, which prevents blisters and abrasions; and they provide a physical barrier between the foot and the microbial petri dish that is a sweaty shoe.
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Of course, from the standpoint of style, the debate will continue to rage as to whether socks with sandals is the ultimate in cool or the very ultimate in nerdy dad no-nos. For our purposes, sandals, flip-flops and any open-toed shoe that allows for air circulation can be worn without socks, causing no damage to the feet, aside from issues with shoe structure itself. Rule of thumb: If it’s warm enough to wear sandals or flip-flops, then it's too hot to wear socks. And if it's cold enough that you need socks to keep your feet warm, then it’s too cold to be wearing sandals.