Here’s Why The Slouch Sock Is Going Viral On Amazon

It seems like for some, the early-aughts Y2K fashion trends aren’t throwing back far enough. For many yesteryear style chasers, the ‘80s slouch sock is moreso hitting the mark. Amazon has astronomical numbers and reviews from customers to prove that this trend is sought-after and skyrocketing. But what’s up with slouch socks — and why are they coming back now? 

There are a few factors going on. First, as with all fashion trends, anything old is cool again — and celebs like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin are seriously leaning into the dorky-but-chic aesthetic of wearing socks that intentionally gather at the ankles. While the most on-the-nose look would have to be slouch socks over leggings (just like ‘80s-era women in jazzercise and step aerobics classes used to do), these days the slouch sock is also charming with, say, a pair of chunky loafers or dad sneakers (a la off-duty Princess Diana, who continues to resurface as a forever style icon).

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A post shared by Hailey Rhode Baldwin Bieber (@haileybieber)

Secondly, as the sock blog Sock.co astutely points out, slouch socks are “gaining popularity […] especially in Cosplay and Manga culture,” in which kawaii fans like to emulate their beloved cartoons of school-uniform girlies who can’t keep their knee-highs up. And if I can also make a third hypothesis on why slouch socks are in a viral spiral, I’d say these are the exact kind of affordable comfort buy that’s soothing for these still-in-a-pandemic times. Plus, they’re ever so fitting for the forthcoming shut-in winter days, which you may as well prepare for now.

But why not just wear regular socks and push them down, you may ask? While no one’s stopping you from hacking the system with your high school soccer socks, the main difference here lies in the level of elasticity. Slouch socks are purposely designed to droop so you can expect these to be softer, plushier, and not as grippy on the calves. If compression socks are on one end of the sock-o-meter spectrum in terms of tightness, slouch socks are on the opposite end.

Down to try this ’80s sock trend for yourself? Ahead, here are the best slouch socks (according to actual reviewers who bought them) that you can score on Amazon right now.

AWS/American Made Extra Long Heavy Slouch Socks, $10.99

Product Breakdown: Available as individual pairs ($10.99) or 3-packs ($21.99) in an assortment of colors
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars and 6,736 reviews on amazon.com
Best For: People who wear women’s shoe sizes 9 through 11
What They’re Saying: “Thick, warm and great quality! Perfect for winter. I love the versatility of wearing them up or down. Also, so hard to find nice thick white socks that are knee-high! Looked for weeks. These are so comfortable and stylish.” – Amazon reviewer Graphic Designer (pictured above)

Yacht & Smith 6-Pack Scrunch Socks for Women, $23.82

Product Breakdown: Sold as 6-packs in 10 color options
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars and 2,756 reviews on amazon.com
Best For: People who wear women’s shoe sizes 5 through 10
What They’re Saying: “So cute! So pastel! Perfect for white sneakers. I love these socks; I’m going to buy another pair right after this review. I’m a size 7 and they fit perfect. Not too thick and perfect for summer. I was worried that they would be too warm but they are comfy and thin without sacrificing the cuteness of the slouch sock. They are going to look so good with all my kawaii stuff.” – Amazon reviewer Chelsea (pictured above)

STYLEGAGA Women’s Fall Winter Slouch Knit Socks, $12.90

Product Breakdown: Sold as 2-packs ($12.90) and 4-packs ($22.90) in 4 color options
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars and 2,202 reviews on amazon.com
Best For: People who wear women’s shoe sizes 5 through 9
What They’re Saying: “I like to hide my skinny ankles at the gym lol so these socks are perfect. The material isn’t thick or thin. I think it’s a perfect blend. Thin enough to wear them with your leg boots in the spring without making your feet sweat but thick enough to wear them in the winter with ugg boots. Don’t expect these to be like thick thermal socks because they aren’t. They are cute fashionable socks. The material is soft — not cheaply thin but soft. I got them in grey, white, and black and love them. They are long as well. I’ve washed and dried them once…no wear and tear so far.” – Amazon reviewer Sabhia (pictured above)

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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Sorry To Report: High-Low Hemlines Are Back

Giambattista Valli, Summer 2022, women, pret a porter

The spring 2022 runways signaled the return of many trends from the 2010s. From peplum to saturated colorblocking, it seems that — following the Y2K trend boom this year — the Twilight-era styles are now finding their way out of Tumblr posts. This includes high-low hemlines, or “mullet skirts,” as they’ve come to be called by those who’ve since sworn off the infamous silhouette. 

Between 2010 and 2015, part-mini, party-ball gown skirts — that, as the nickname suggests, bear resemblance to the questionable hairstyle sported by the likes of Joe Exotic and Hulk Hogan — reigned. Celebs like Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Lily Collins sported the trend on the red carpet. Meanwhile, on social media, bloggers paraded the skirts everywhere from Coachella to their favorite coffee shop. 

Although the mullet skirt was the It-trend of the early 2010s, the silhouette was endlessly mocked for its perceived identity crisis: It was too formal to be a dance floor-appropriate mini, but it wasn’t long enough to be considered a black-tie style. Whenever the wind hit the skirt, the train would pop back like a superhero’s cape making anyone look like they were about to jet-set off to save the world. Regardless, I, like many at the time, was obsessed with the trend. I even bought a high-low dress for my high school graduation.

Sometime in the mid-2010s, the mullet skirt was exposed for what it really was: a questionable and cringe-y fad. Skirt symmetry was soon restored, Tumblr was ditched for Instagram, and other relics of the era (Jeffrey Campbell Litas, American Apparel Disco dress, etc.) were shelved. My graduation dress seemed like an unfortunate relic of a time of poor judgment. So I donated it, figuring the trend would never come back.

But I was wrong.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 29: Gigi Hadid is seen out and about on June 29, 2016 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Michael King/BuzzFoto via Getty Images)

The return has been some time in the making. Designers like Mugler and Zuhair Murad included high-low skirts in their spring and fall 2021 lineups, while others like Christian Siriano, Rochas, Cynthia Rowley, Giambattista Valli, and Rodarte solidified the comeback by adding the trend to their spring 2022 offerings. Even at the 2021 Met Gala, high-low skirts had a moment. Donatella Versace wore a white corseted Versace dress with a ruffled high-low skirt, while Diane Kruger donned a neon green frock with a mini balloon-shaped front and a long hemline in the back. For the after-party, Kendall Jenner sported a red Givenchy dress that included an embellished mini with a long train bow attached. 

The good news is, the high-low skirts of today are nothing like their mullet-like predecessors. Instead, they embrace asymmetry without being gimmicky. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 07: A model walks the runway for the Christian Siriano SS2022 Fashion Show at Gotham Hall on September 07, 2021 in New York City (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Christian Siriano)

Christian Siriano showcased the elegant side of the trend with a black skirt featuring a ruffled asymmetrical slit and a neon orange mini dress with a lopsided hem. Meanwhile, Cynthia Rowley showed a black long-sleeved mini dress that flourished into a feathered ball gown skirt more fit for an Oscars after-party than a night at Coachella. At Rochas, high-low skirts offered drama, with a black black-and-white printed mini dress opening up into a full-blow ruffled train. This time around, the high-low skirt is not trying so hard to grab attention for the sake of attention; instead, the hemlines seamlessly ascend from top to bottom, rather than make abrupt drops from the penthouse to the lobby like a sartorial version of Disney’s Tower of Terror. 

It’s worth noting that high-low hemlines are emerging at a time when mini dresses and mini skirts are taking over fashion. For people who are not into skirts so short that they might as well be belts — see: the recent Miu Miu micro-mini skirts — high-low hemlines offer a way to be on-trend without completely exposing, well, everything.

Then there is the influence of TikTok. While Y2K trends synonymous with the pop-punk and Hollywood’s paparazzi eras have been experiencing popularity for a while, recently, the hashtags #2010sfashion and #2010snostalgia popped up on the app, where people shared thrift hauls featuring items from the last decade that are now fashionable again. Yes, high-low skirts are among the mix.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 10: A model walks the runway at designer Cynthia Rowley’s show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows, at Robert F. Wagner Park on September 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images)

Still, high-low skirts are more than just a nostalgia trend — they’re a fit for our unprecedented, chaotic times. The past year has prompted trends like extreme cutouts that exemplified just how many layers we’ve wanted to shed during this pandemic that refuses to let up. Then there were the subversive basics that saw people ditch symmetry and old-fashioned basics as a way to rebel against the status quo.

Maybe high-low hemlines are yet another reminder that the balance is all off. Good thing, this time around, we’re onboard with the trend.

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