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The death of the naked mankle

It has been perhaps the most controversial – and maligned – men’s styling trend of the twenty-teens. Simply a few centimetres of skin on show between hemline and shoe, the mankle has come to signify membership of a certain tribe (fashion aware, possibly a fan of Wes Anderson). To the wider world, the mankle has often been a source of derision, a signal of affectation – a sign the wearer is making too much of effort, rather than simply getting dressed.

TV presenter Stevie Kelly in a pair of Grenson boots outside the London Collections: Men
Photograph: Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images

But at the latest round of menswear catwalk shows – London Collections: Men, currently taking place in the capital – something is afoot. Mankle flesh is nowhere to be seen. On the runways of streetwear designers and Savile Row traditionalists alike – though trousers are often cropped, the ankles underneath have so far been clothed, by ankle boots or statement socks.

A model in Cat boots at Christopher Shannon
Photograph: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

Christopher Shannon showed bouncy Caterpillar boots with cropped shiny jogging bottoms. Lou Dalton’s models wore smart Grenson ankle boots with socks and ankle-swinging slacks. Astrid Andersen’s cropped trousers, meanwhile, showed off black socks and high-top Nikes. At Fashion East’s salon show by Shaun Samson, it was Timberland boots with knee-high socks. Margaret Howell’s ankle-swingers were paired with socks in tasteful colours (mustard, russet and grey) and smart lace-up ankle boots. Over at James Long, models showed off socks in similar hues. In the crowd at Topman Design, Utopia actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett wore ankle boots with cropped jeans, making those in the front row who still had their mankles out look rather unneccessarily chilly.

Timberlands at Shaun Samson
Photograph: John Phillips/Getty Images

Fashion’s current fascination with function is playing a big part in the mankle’s demise. With designers at LC:M this weekend citing ocean survivalists and Sir Edmund Hillary (see Hardy Amies) as their inspirations, hiking-inspired ankle boots – or shoes paired with thick, useful-looking socks rather than anything silky and suave – are the only logical choice. After all, who would choose to climb a mountain sock-free?

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