Can You Wear Espadrilles With Socks? Three Options

Yes, but the classic look is without visible socks. The Zalora style guide calls going sockless one of the signature ways to wear espadrilles, and suggests invisible no-show socks if you want extra comfort while keeping the same clean look. Visible socks are possible, but they become a statement rather than a default.

Your three options

Going bare

Both style guides we read prefer bare ankles. DMARGE's author says so plainly. The trade-off is moisture: Naguisa explains that jute absorbs sweat and that fibres which stay damp can rot and smell. If you go sockless, let the pair dry fully between wears, as our page on smelly espadrilles explains.

No-show socks

This is the practical middle ground. Zalora recommends them for comfort without changing the look. Choose a pair that sits fully below the edge of the canvas, so nothing peeks out at the heel or the sides when you walk.

Visible socks, done on purpose

DMARGE gives one example that works: thin black socks with black espadrilles under a tailored suit, keeping everything simple. It is an old idea, too. The TOAST espadrille history recalls Salvador Dalí wearing lace-up espadrilles with red socks and a skull cap, playing up his Catalan heritage.

If you go this way:

• keep the sock thin, so the shoe still fits;
• match the sock to the shoe or the trousers, as in DMARGE's all-black example;
• avoid thick sports socks, which fight with the light canvas.

Socks and sizing

If you plan to wear socks, measure your feet with them on. Morjas tells customers to wear the socks they normally wear with espadrilles when they trace their foot for its size chart. A thin no-show sock changes little; a thicker visible one can turn a snug fit into a tight one. More on fit in our size chart.

For outfits to go with each option, see how to wear espadrilles for men and what to wear with espadrilles.