For years, wearing socks with sandals was considered a serious fashion mistake. In Korea this summer, young people are turning that rule upside down.

Open-toe socks designed specifically for flip-flops are becoming trendy, covering the top of the foot while leaving the toes exposed. They originally had a practical purpose: preventing flip-flop straps from rubbing against bare skin. Now they come in cotton, knit and even lace versions and are being worn as a deliberate fashion statement.

The trend also fits Korea’s talent for taking something once considered 촌스럽다 (chonseu-reopda — unfashionable or old-fashioned) and suddenly making it 힙하다 (hiphada — hip or trendy).

Yesterday’s fashion disaster? Apparently, today’s Seoul street style.

Vocabulary

• chonseureopda (촌스럽다) — unfashionable, tacky, old-fashioned
• yangmal (양말) — socks
• jjori (쪼리) — flip-flops
• paesyeon (패션) — fashion
• yuhang (유행) — trend, fashion
• hiphada (힙하다) — to be hip or trendy