Stylish Shower Shoes For the Gym, the Dorm and Beyond

Because, yes, you should be wearing them

By D’Loraine Miranda

Date September 2, 2019

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Sure, summer may be coming to an end but you may want to hold off on stowing away your pool slides. In light of back-to-school, we’ve rounded up the cutest and most stylish shower shoes on the market, perfect for the dorm, gym and more.

Now, you’re probably wondering whether you actually need to be wearing slippers in public showers. Short answer: Yes. According to Toronto-based chiropodist Jonathan Tomines, of The Toe Bro fame, moist and wet environments in public spaces such as gyms, dance studios and showers are breeding grounds for fungal and wart infections. “Being barefoot can increase your chances of catching these infections due to direct contact with the floor,” he explains, adding that heel cracks, dry skin and eczema further ups the likelihood of catching something since your skin’s effectiveness as a barrier decreases.

Waterloo, Ont.-based chiropodist, Matthew Doyle—who runs The Barking Dogs YouTube channel from his practice—agrees. “A cut on your foot or toe makes you more susceptible to pathogens, because they now have a portal of entry to your system,” he says. Even if you don’t have a visible nick on your foot, Doyle explains that once skin is submerged in water it becomes macerated (“Think of how your fingers get prune-y after soaking in the tub for too long.”), which allows for germs to penetrate through the skin easier.

So does wearing slippers in public showers guarantee you won’t contract a gnarly foot condition? According to Tomines, no, but wearing them will definitely decrease your chances of contracting something. “Some practitioners go as far as telling patients to avoid public showers all together,” Doyle says. “But slippers and flip-flops can provide protection from germs and pathogens in a pinch.”

In conclusion, if you 100 per cent MUST shower in a public space (because you live in a dorm or need to head straight into work after a sweaty early morning spin class) then shower shoes are your BFF. Swipe through the gallery below for some stylish shower slide inspiration.