Hermes Oran Sandal Women Shearling Nior

Black shearling looks like nothing else: the nap swallows light, so the H cut-out reads as a cut in darkness rather than a contrast, and the sandal becomes almost monochrome sculpture. It is the most understated of the fleece-lined Orans, and my favourite for winter mornings. It goes with everything in a winter wardrobe, which is the appeal.

Heel height is one centimetre, with half a centimetre of difference to the front sole, so it stands nearly flat. Available across 36 to 41, and made in Italy. It is the pair I put on after a shower, on a cold floor, and it changes the morning. The fleece warms quickly and stays warm through a long morning.

I wear mine indoors from October, and outdoors with black trousers on dry days. Because the colour is dark, marks are less obvious than on paler shearling, which makes this the practical choice if you plan to wear them hard. In a suitcase they lie flat and take almost no space. I have taken a pair on a winter train journey and worn them the whole way. The flat footbed means posture is unchanged from an ordinary slipper.

The trade-off is the same for any shearling sandal: it is warm and it is not waterproof, and once the fleece is damp it stays flat until it dries and is brushed. Save them for the dry cold — that is where they earn their keep. For deep marks on the fleece, a specialist cleaner is better than home remedies.