Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
There is nothing better than putting on a warm pair of slippers in the morning or after a long day of work. And while inexpensive slippers are definitely an option, we appreciate the longevity that comes from higher quality products as well as the effort that goes into making them.
There are many varieties of slipper, from moc-toes to mukluks, but nearly all of them are made from some sort of wool or sheepskin. Have a look at our favorite ovine options below.
1) Glerups: Open Heel Slippers
Glerups’ Open Heel Slippers are an excellent option for a warm pair of slippers. They are constructed from a felted wool upper, and featured a soft, vegetable tanned calfskin outsole. While such a sole would be far from ideal for outdoor shoes, it is a comfortable and attractive options for exclusively indoor footwear such as slippers.
Available in Brown and Grey for £59 from Oi Polloi.
2) L.L. Bean: Wicked Good Slippers
L.L. Bean is mostly known for their durable, outdoorsy clothing, and their Wicked Good Slippers, while intended to be worn inside, offer quite a bit more traction and substance than most other soft soled shoes. They are constructed from lambskin, which results in a soft shearling interior and a durable leather exterior. The uppers are attached to a low profile rubber outsole that makes these slippers functional without sacrificing aesthetics. [I’ve bought a new pair of these slippers every five years for the past fifteen years and will continue to do so until I die -Ed]
Available for $69 from L.L. Bean.
3) Rancourt: Bison Slipper
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Rancourt’s Bison Slippers are the option for those of you who want the ultimate slippers and don’t mind paying for them. They are made in Maine our of a shrunken bison leather that is fully lined with shearling, making they attractive, durable, and incredibly warm. They are made using traditional moccasin construction, and feature another layer of bison for the outsole. These are another pair of slippers that you shouldn’t wear outside, but they’ll treat you very well around the house.
Available for $129 from Rancourt.
4) Pia Wallén – Wool Slipper
Pia Wallén‘s Wool Slippers are another take on boiled wool. They are constructed in Sweden from a thick, 100% wool fabric using stitchdown construction. The wool uppers are directly sewn to a thin piece of rubber, and a rubber outsole is then cemented to the bottom. This allows them to be resoled easily by removing the outsole and adhering a new one in its place.
Available in Grey, White, and Red for $68 from Unionmade Goods.
5) Allen Edmonds: Sandman Shearling Slipper
Allen Edmonds’ Sandman Shearling Slippers are another great option for shearling slippers. These are constructed with the shearling fur the inside and the sheep-suede on the exterior, without a second layer of leather. They are placed on a flexible but functional rubber outsole, so they are certainly capable of a quick jog down the mailbox if you don’t want to put a proper pair of shoes.
Available for $57 from Allen Edmonds.
Plus One – Hiro Yanagimachi: Room Slipper
Hiro Yanagimachi is a well renowned bespoke shoemaker in Japan, offering boots that start at seventeen hundred dollars. Given that, their Room Slippers are surprisingly affordable. Their materials and attention to detail are all but unmatched in the high end slipper game, and only marginally more expensive than made-in-Maine handsewn slippers.
Available for 25,000 JPY (~$218 USD) from Hiro Yanagimachi.
