Travel -- 1 hour ago
The Best Slippers for Men for Comfort, Support and Style
The finest slippers are chosen the way one chooses a good chair: for support, ease and the way they settle into daily life. A pair that feels properly made can turn a simple evening at home into a small luxury.
- Words: Rupert Taylor
I have a confession to make. For a long time, I thought slippers were a moral failing. Trainers, I understood. Loafers, obviously. Winter boots, essential. But slippers? Those were things you were handed for Christmas by a well-meaning relative who believed you had "given up" and would quite like to look like an off-duty geography teacher.
Then the world went indoors. Tailoring went on furlough, trainers became emotional support animals, and suddenly the thing between you and the cold kitchen tiles felt very, very important. Somewhere around week four of working from the kitchen table, I realised that bad slippers have the power to break a man, while good ones are quietly transformative.
So, I decided to take slippers seriously. Perhaps too seriously. The result is this, my personal field report on the best luxury slippers for men right now, written from the trenches of cashmere linings, velvet uppers and the sort of Italian leather that makes you question your life choices so far.
This is not an exhaustive list of every slipper in existence. It is, instead, a very curated selection of what I think a Gentleman’s Journal reader might realistically wear without feeling like they have joined a yoga retreat against their will.
Let us start where all good things begin, with old-school velvet and the faint smell of cigar smoke.
The Velvet House Shoe | Dressing For Your Own Drawing Room
There is a particular British fantasy that revolves around velvet slippers. You know the one. A townhouse with unreliable heating, a bar trolley with decanters, a dog that answers only to French commands, and you, gliding across polished floors in a smoking jacket and embroidered house shoes, looking as if you have never known the indignity of a day rate.
Velvet slippers are not always practical, but that is very much the point. They are theatre for your feet, an assertion that you are the sort of man who owns at least one chair that nobody is allowed to sit in.
Bowhill & Elliott - the Full Clubland Fantasy
If you want to do the velvet thing properly, you go to Bowhill & Elliott. The Norwich maker has been producing classic "Albert" slippers since the 19th century and the DNA shows in the leather soles, quilted linings, a slightly formal last and the sort of embroidery that makes you want to acquire a family crest immediately, purely so you can have it stitched across your toes.
These are not "nipping out to the shops" slippers. They are "strolling from drawing room to dining room" slippers, even if the drawing room is technically your living room and the dining room is whatever part of the kitchen is not covered in Deliveroo receipts.
What I love about Bowhill & Elliott is that they feel unapologetically old-world, but never costumey. Wear them with a shawl-collar cardigan, an open-neck shirt and tailored trousers and they look less like fancy dress and more like quiet, inherited taste. They photograph beautifully too, if you are the sort of person who occasionally appears in a lifestyle shoot with a glass of whisky and a book you may or may not have read.
Crockett & Jones Plain Albert - the One Slipper to Rule Them All
If Bowhill & Elliott are the theatre, Crockett & Jones are the House of Lords. The Plain Albert velvet slipper is the one I would recommend to any man who wants to own exactly one pair of "proper" house shoes and never think about the category again.
They are black. They are velvet. They are lined in quilted satin. They are made in England. They have the sort of clean lines and confident minimalism that make them work with everything from a tuxedo at home to flannel trousers and a cashmere jumper. Many luxury round-ups quietly concede that if you buy one classic velvet slipper, it should probably be this one.
I tend to wear mine on evenings when guests are coming over and I want to look like I tried, but not in the tragic way of someone who has just discovered Pinterest. They are smart, but not shouty. Elegant, but not fussy. The slipper equivalent of a navy double-breasted blazer that fits you properly.
If you are the type who enjoys a black-tie event in your own house, these are non-negotiable.
Leather Mules and House Loafers | Luxury Under The Radar
Not every man wants velvet. Some would like their slippers to look less like "eccentric baron" and more like "off-duty CEO who owns a very good stereo". This is where leather house shoes and mules come in.
Church’s Arran 03 Nappa Mule - Stealth Wealth for The Kitchen Floor
Church’s, being Church’s, has managed to make a pair of slippers that look like they might file their own accounts. The Arran 03 mule is a backless house shoe in incredibly soft Nappa leather, with a clean silhouette and just enough structure to stop your feet feeling as if they have gone on holiday to a yoga retreat.
This is the slipper for men who want something that feels luxurious, but does not scream "I am wearing slippers" quite so loudly. They look, at first glance, like pared-back dress shoes that have decided to relax a little. Wear them with cashmere joggers, or with proper trousers and a polo, and they quietly elevate everything.
They are also ideal if you have a firm "no furry things" policy. Not everyone wants their slippers to look like they have just emerged from a log cabin in Aspen.
Shearling, Cashmere and the Hotel-At-Home Fantasy
At some point, possibly during a depressing winter, someone realised that the only truly perfect temperature is the one you experience in a five-star hotel suite at about 11.30 in the morning, in the complimentary robe. Many of the best slippers now are essentially attempts to reproduce that feeling indefinitely.
Loro Piana Maurice - the Money-No-Object Option
Loro Piana is the answer to the question:
"What if a slipper were also a financial commitment?"
The Maurice model is cashmere-lined, immaculately constructed, and priced at the upper reaches of what a sane person would spend on something that never leaves the house.
And yet. Slide your foot into one and your brain will immediately start making outrageous justifications. The lining is cashmere. The construction is Italian. The whole thing feels less like footwear and more like a wellness retreat for your toes. If you are putting together a "money no object" section, this is the one that sits there quietly, smugly, fully aware that it has already won.
Would I wear them to collect a Deliveroo? Yes. Would I feel faintly guilty doing so? Also yes. They are slippers that make your own house seem slightly unworthy, which is a bold move.
Derek Rose Crawford 2 Harris - the Robe’s Natural Companion
Derek Rose understands that many men secretly want to live inside a luxury hotel, ideally without the bill. The Crawford and Morgan shearling slippers are very much designed to be worn with matching pyjamas, dressing gown and the distant murmur of room service.
They are made in the UK, with suede or leather uppers and deep, cosy shearling linings. They are not shy. This is full "I own a library and I use it" footwear. Put them on and you instantly feel more justified in making a classic Negroni at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday.
Where some slippers can feel cheapened by the rest of your loungewear, Derek Rose feels like an ecosystem. Pyjamas, robe, slippers, perhaps a cashmere throw that costs more than your first car. It all makes sense.
Inabo Fritz- Scandinavian Calm for People Who Recycle Properly
If Bowhill & Elliott represent British clubland, Inabo is firmly in the "Nordic couple with a ceramics brand" category. The Swedish label produces two styles that matter here. The Slider is a suede and shearling open-toe slipper, and the Slowfer is a loafer-style house shoe.
Both are made in Portugal, with a focus on sustainability and considered design. If your house contains more Muji than mahogany, these will make more aesthetic sense than an embroidered crest.
I like Inabo because they prove that slippers can be minimal and modern without looking like something from a tech company's relaxation pod. They are beautifully made, subtly luxurious, and look entirely at home next to neatly stacked magazines and potted plants that have definitely not been forgotten.
The Big Logo Slipper | Because Sometimes Subtlety Is Overrated
There is a certain school of thought that says if you are going to wear slippers, you might as well lean into the absurdity. If you have spent the last decade politely suppressing the urge to buy something unreasonably branded, this is your moment.
Gucci Leather Horsebit Slippers - the Indoor Loafer
Gucci’s Horsebit loafer is already a cultural object. The slipper version takes that symbolism, removes some of the structure, and offers you a shoe that looks as comfortable in a Mayfair living room as it does in an airport lounge.
In leather, with the iconic Horsebit hardware gleaming on top, they are technically slippers but feel more like indoor loafers. They read as "I like nice things" rather than "I have joined a yacht cult."
They are ideal if you want a slipper that you could, at a push, wear outside without feeling like you have gone shopping in your pyjamas. They also have immediate recognition, which may or may not appeal, depending on how much of your personality is already expressed in logos.
Dolce & Gabbana Embroidered Velvet - Full Operatic Drama
At the more theatrical end of the spectrum sits Dolce & Gabbana. Their take on the velvet slipper is less Pall Mall club and more Sicilian opera. Think black velvet, elaborate embroidered coat-of-arms, satin-quilted interior, and the general impression that you may own a palazzo.
These are not for the shy. Wear them with a house coat and you look like a glamorous antagonist in a Netflix period drama. Wear them with jeans and a cashmere jumper and you still look like the sort of man who refers to his holidays as "the season".
They are fantastic for shoots, parties, villa rentals and any situation where subtlety is neither expected nor required.
Versace Baroque Terry Slippers - for The Hotel Suite and Beyond
If Dolce is theatrical, Versace is full stadium tour. The Baroque print terry slippers are covered, unapologetically, in gold baroque patterns and Medusa branding. They are made of cotton terry, so they are technically just very fancy towel-material slippers, but visually they are pure "private spa in a Mediterranean villa".
They are perfect for poolside, for hotel suites, for holiday photos that make your friends question whether you have joined a pop group. Wearing them around a small London flat is an aggressive act, but not necessarily a wrong one.
If you like your slippers loud, these are the ones that shout in Italian.
Prada Patent Leather Slippers | Evening Footwear for The Home Front
Most slippers are designed for lounging. Prada, being Prada, decided that yours should be capable of attending a cocktail party in your own dining room. Their patent leather slippers are sleek, glossy, structured and very much not built for padding around the house wondering where you left your mug.
They are, in effect, dress slippers. Perfect for "dinner at home" where home is lit by candles and your guests are wearing proper clothes. Patent leather, simple lines, a kind of quiet severity that works beautifully with a tuxedo or a dark roll-neck and tailored trousers.
These are not what you wear to make a cup of tea at midnight. These are what you wear when you have decided that yes, you will turn your domestic space into a set from a magazine, even if there is a supermarket bag lurking just out of frame.
How To Actually Choose | Practical Considerations From A Man Who Has Overthought Slippers
After trying, wearing, admiring and occasionally tripping over most of these, a few practical truths emerge.
You need to decide first what role your slippers will play. If you want something that feels like a treat every time you put it on, the Loro Piana or Derek Rose options are hard to beat. If you want something that aligns with the imagined life you tell people you live, Bowhill & Elliott or Crockett & Jones have that clubland fantasy covered.
If you live in a flat where the heating is mainly theoretical, shearling is your friend. If your interiors lean modern and minimal, Inabo makes more sense than crest embroidery. If you frequently host people and enjoy leaning into the theatre of it all, Dolce, Versace or Prada will provide endless entertainment.
Personally, I found that having two pairs works best. One "everyday" slipper that I am not afraid to abuse slightly is something shearling-lined and reliable, Derek Rose or Inabo, the loyal daily driver. And one "occasion" slipper for evenings, dinners, parties and nights when the playlist is jazz and the glassware is not dishwasher-safe. For that, velvet wins every time.
The Hero Pair | If You Only Buy One
If, after all this, you decide you would like to own exactly one serious pair of slippers that feel worthy of a Gentleman’s Journal reader, my hero pick is the Crockett & Jones Plain Albert velvet slipper.
Here is why.
It is undeniably luxurious, but not ridiculous. It can be worn with a tuxedo at home without irony, but it also works with pyjama trousers and a cashmere jumper without making you look like you are in costume. It has heritage without feeling stuck in the past. It is English-made, properly constructed, and will last long enough to become part of your domestic character.
Most importantly, it does what all good menswear should do. It makes you feel slightly more like the best version of yourself, without trying too hard. Put them on and your own living room feels a little more like a private club, even if the "club" is currently serving pasta from a supermarket packet.
You can flirt with logo terry and cashmere linings and patent leather peacockery, and you absolutely should, if it makes you happy. But if you want to start with a single, unimpeachable, timeless slipper that will not embarrass you in five years, it is the Plain Albert in black velvet.
After that, of course, you are on your own. Which is how all the best obsessions begin.
