Hailee Steinfeld's sheer black Fendi ensemble drew attention at the Los Angeles premiere of Disney's Hexed on 12 November 2026, but it was the footwear that became a particular talking point. The actor wore black cotton socks with slingback heels, preserving a combination seen in the fashion house's autumn 2026 runway presentation.
I’m already enjoying being able to post tweets with 20 pics of Hailee Steinfeld 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gTRjaHsdQB
— 13❤️⭐️ (@ladysteinfeld) November 13, 2026
'Socks With Strapped Sandals?!' Draws Reactions
The unusual pairing prompted discussion among fashion followers on r/whatthefrockk, with some questioning whether the socks distracted from the dress. A comment previously cited in an online discussion read: 'At first I thought she was wearing boots, but no. Socks with strapped sandals?! Oh, Hailee.'
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by u/mod_whatthefrockk from discussion
in whatthefrockk
Other reactions focused on the contrast between the delicate construction of the outfit and the comparatively everyday appearance of the socks. Some viewers considered the combination awkward, while others argued that it was a deliberate runway styling choice rather than an accidental mismatch.
Fendi Runway Styling Takes Centre Stage
Steinfeld wore a black macramé leather dress featuring lace-like sections, a plunging neckline, and a semi-sheer finish. The elaborate construction gave the outfit a textured appearance, with patterned sections standing out against the darker fabric. She paired it with Fendi Very Colibrí slingbacks and black socks, echoing the footwear used in the collection's runway styling.
The actor completed the ensemble with diamond drop earrings and wore her hair straight with a centre part. Stylists Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn were credited with the red-carpet look. Full-length photographs highlighted the relationship between the dress, the socks, and the heels, making the footwear difficult to overlook.
Fashion Discussion Focuses on the Shoes
The choice also raised a broader styling question: should a red-carpet appearance reproduce a runway look exactly, or adapt its more unconventional elements for a premiere? Supporters of the original combination viewed the socks as part of the designer's visual concept. Critics preferred a cleaner finish and suggested that the shoes would have worked better without them.
Many believe that the contrast is central to the outfit, as the dress features intricate leatherwork and sheer panels, while the plain socks introduce a more casual element. That tension helped distinguish Steinfeld's appearance from conventional evening wear and explains why a comparatively small accessory attracted so much attention.
Unlike a conventional shoe-only styling choice, wearing socks with open-backed heels changes how the entire lower half of an outfit reads in photographs. It can make formal footwear look deliberately offbeat and bring attention to the silhouette below the hem.
Premiere Appearance Puts the Look in Focus
Steinfeld attended the Los Angeles event in a look that closely followed Fendi's runway presentation. Although online reactions differed, the socks were not an unrelated addition made solely for the premiere. Their inclusion reflected the original styling of the collection.
The resulting discussion illustrated how a single accessory can become the defining detail of a red-carpet outfit. In this case, the black socks and slingback heels drew almost as much attention as the sheer leather dress itself, dividing opinion online over whether the styling was bold or distracting.
