Fashion’s Latest Footwear Fetish? Open-Toe Socks

Pilates socks are having a moment, but not in the way you think. The toe-less pieces are stepping off the reformer and into the fashion world, commandeered by the cool-girls and repurposed into something entirely new. Almost sister to the leg warmer, the open-toe, open-heel sock is unlocking a fresh way for you to style yourself from the knee down.

Because of this, our very idea of what makes a sock has been flipped upside down. No heel, no toe, is it even still a sock? Where do we draw the line between sock, leg warmer, stirrup and studio gear? With inventive hosiery styling taking over feeds and runways alike, it's clear that socks, or whatever these are, just got a major rebrand.

The emergence of the silhouette into mainstream fashion could be down to the current fixation with hyperfeminine sportswear, think ballet, yoga and Pilates with delicate wrap tops, layered tanks and lace-up footwear. Easily transitioning from studio floors to city streets, the workout essentials are doubling as style items. Add in the 2000s nostalgia wave that the industry is still riding (hello leg warmers), and it makes total sense that the Pilates sock is the next evolution.

The look isn't just confined to Pilates either, with the items taking inspiration from traditional Baseball uniforms that once featured stirrup styles with open arches. Designers are clearly taking notes, as they were first spotted back in 2024 during Miu Miu's Spring/Summer 2025 show, where gray sports-inspired stirrups were paired with sandal heels and midi skirts. They've since trickled into the styling of indie brand campaigns such as London-based labels Fruity Booty and Peachy Den, alongside the feed of model and influencer Iris Law, adding the toe-less accessories to her quirky ensembles.

 

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