It started in Pilates studios, somewhere between the reformer and the mirror selfies—but now, it’s officially everywhere. Pilates socks, those toe-less, heel-baring hybrids that once lived strictly in the realm of sweaty stretches, have been hijacked by fashion’s cool girls and turned into something entirely new.
Technically, they’re still socks. But when your “sock” no longer covers a heel or a toe, does the word even apply anymore? Welcome to fashion’s latest identity crisis: the era of the open-toe sock. Part leg warmer, part stirrup, part athletic fever dream—it’s giving chic existentialism for your ankles.
The aesthetic fits right into fashion’s current fixation with soft sport energy. Think balletcore’s gentle rebellion, yoga-core’s mindfulness chic, and now Pilates-core’s “studio-to-street” crossover. The formula is simple: delicate layers, wrap tops, mini skirts, and a toe peeking out where you least expect it. Pair it with heels, sneakers, or just vibes—because this trend doesn’t need rules, it’s writing new ones.
But don’t let the Pilates marketing fool you; this is also a nod to baseball uniforms of the past. Those stirrup socks with open arches? Fashion saw that and said, “Let’s make it weird.” Designers caught on early—remember Miu Miu’s SS25 show? Those gray stirrup socks styled with strappy sandals and midi skirts were the blueprint. Fast forward to indie labels like Fruity Booty and Peachy Den, who have since turned the concept into a full-blown aesthetic. Even Iris Law has been spotted styling them into her “eccentric cool” outfits, proving once again that the strangest trends are usually the most photogenic.
The evolution didn’t stop there. Paloma Wool added mesh stirrups to its SS26 lineup in Paris, and Paralía (yes, the actual Pilates sock brand) went full fashion girlie, pairing them with crochet dresses and heels—because who said reformer socks can’t walk a runway?
Christian Cowan X Paralia Pilates
Zoom out, and it all makes sense. Between the Y2K nostalgia wave, our obsession with bare-minimal footwear, and fashion’s current love affair with function-as-fashion, the Pilates sock is the logical next step. It’s the missing link between the flip-flop and the ballet flat—something you can wear while pretending you’re off to Pilates when you’re actually off to brunch.
Call it recession-core, nostalgia-core, or Addison Rae-core—whatever the name, it’s proof that the tiniest details (and in this case, toes) can still start a full-blown movement.
