Honorable Mentions
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Photograph: Rothy’s
Rothy’s the Men Slipper for $149: Made with a mix of three plastic bottles and Responsible Wool Standard-certified merino wool, Rothy’s slippers are delightfully warm while offering enough traction in the gum outsole to Get Stuff Done™. They’re a snug fit, and I like the fluffy sherpa lining to protect the back of my heel. I wouldn’t wear these outside, but if you do accidentally step out because they just feel so dang nice (as I have), you can toss them in the wash to clean them (just let them air dry). —Julian Chokkattu
Target Women’s Cozy Fleece High-Cut Pull-On Slipper Socks with Grippers for $9: After discovering these from Target, I refuse to wear any other slippers. They’re lightweight, cover my feet entirely (like socks), and have grips at the bottom to prevent accidental slipping and sliding on hard surfaces. Since they’re also super affordable, I own multiple pairs—I keep a pair at my apartment, my boyfriend’s, and my parent’s house. Depending on how often you wear them, they can get dirty fairly quickly (mainly because everything sticks to the fleece), but all you have to do is throw them in the washing machine and they’ll look as good as new. —Brenda Stolyar
Manitobah Faux Fur Street Suede Moccasins for $100: As a kid, I was seldom without a pair of moccasins. My grandma got them for all the grandkids every year at Christmas, and I wore them everywhere. The soft, comfortable indoor-outdoor shoe was just an everyday part of life. As I got to middle school I gave in to social pressure and my desire to be as incognito as possible, and gradually moved away from wearing or doing anything visibly Indigenous, anything visibly Mexican.
After my grandma’s death, I set out to find a new pair of moccasins similar in style to the ones she got us as kids, and I stumbled on to Manitobah. This is an Indigenous-owned brand staffed with Indigenous designers, and its slippers, cabin clogs, boots, and moccasins are all of impeccable quality. The street moccasins are like little clouds you can slip your feet into and wear anywhere, decorated with beaded designs just like the ones my grandma used to get us. Manitobah also has a small market page with unique designs. —Jaina Rodriguez Grey