At Cannes in May, Kendall Jenner sent cameras flashing when she arrived on the red carpet wearing nude ankle socks with her Jimmy Choo open-toe sandals. It was a marked departure from the formal evening attire traditionally found at the film festival (see the no flats on the red carpet rule). The styling trick, while surprisingly simple, added a major dose of whimsy to Jenner’s custom Giambattista Valli couture. It’s an unconventional look that Rihanna has been wearing for years. She put her official stamp on the trend with her Stance Sock collaboration, which featured pinup-inspired campaign images of herself in abbreviated hose with metallic T-straps.
The latest to take a step in that stylistic direction is Chloë Sevigny. When the actress turned up in New York yesterday, she paired white ballet flats with cute little black socks that proved the accessory can elevate even the most casual attire. Sevigny harnessed her signature good-girl-gone-bad aesthetic in a kicky pleated skirt with side stripes, like those found on a track pant—a detail that kept the boarding school statement from reading too literal. A muscle tee added edge, and she added ladylike contrast elsewhere: A top-handle bag with stitching tied into the color combination of her footwear, while classic wayfarer sunglasses gave the ultimate geek chic finish. See this week’s best dressed celebrities:
