What exactly is plush, anyway? How did we determine which designs have this type of lining and which don’t fall into this category?

Well, the sorting wasn’t easy. For the purpose of this guide, we rounded up all the products which have a soft, thick lining that is cozy and fluffy to the touch, but which isn’t fur, either genuine or faux. The result is, as you saw for yourself, a number of different material options that can all fall under the category of plush.

First and foremost, there are synthetic materials. You will find these in most of the designs from the list, like in the Pleaser Delight, the Bogs Amanda, the Crocs options and others. Synthetics are a good choice because they are inexpensive, and yet no less comfortable to wear than natural materials. In the case of the Sorel Glacy Explorer, its fleece lining - which is, contrary to popular belief, almost entirely made out of synthetic fibers - has all the benefits of wool, but is infinitely more lightweight.

The downside to synthetics, however, is that they lack breathability, and moisture-wicking, which means that sometimes your feet can get sweaty and maybe even develop bad odors if you’re wearing footwear with synthetic lining.

A good alternative to synthetics are natural materials, such as wool. We see this in the Ugg Chaney, the only design in this guide which utilizes a non-synthetic material as its lining.

Wool is a material which has amazing insulating properties - it keeps you cool when it’s hot outside, and it keeps you warm when the temperatures drop. More than that, wool is a moisture-wicking material, which means that it drives moisture away from your feet, keeping them sweat- and odor-free.

When it comes to the type of plush in your footwear, you shouldn’t worry about it too much. What matters is that the material is comfortable to you and that it gives you that cozy feeling associated with fluff, which is all we’re really looking for in this type of footwear.

It’s hard to imagine a fuzzy lined design which isn’t comfortable, isn’t it? The coziness is practically guaranteed.

And yet, it’s not always the case. Even this type of footwear can be uncomfortable because there are many different factors which go into determining the level of comfort in a design. They can all come together and work perfectly for you, or perhaps one of them, or more, can be wrong, and you’ll be left with a design which you can’t wear anywhere because it’s an absolute killer for your feet.

To avoid that problem, we have a practical list of things you should pay attention to when picking out a comfortable pair of shoes.

• Materials
  We spoke about the type of materials which make up the plush portion of a design, but now let’s talk about the ones which are a significant factor in a design’s comfort. You want your shoe to be able to take the form of your foot, to hug it gently and be both supportive and not too constricting.
  The ideal option for this are natural materials, such as leather and suede. You can find these in the Sorel Glacy Explorer and the Ugg Chaney. Another choice are lightweight materials which provide a sock-like fit, like in the Toms Classic and the Bobs Skechers Slip-On. What also works is a special type of material that is unique only to one brand, and that is Croslite, which belongs to Crocs. While Croslite is synthetic, it was developed specifically with the satisfaction of the customer in mind, and thus is one of the most comfortable material types in this guide.
  Try to avoid synthetic materials which are hard and unyielding, and have the potential of digging into your skin as you walk.
• Footbed
  One of the most important things in terms of comfort is having a cushioned footbed. Whether it is made of memory foam or some other type of material, padding in the footbed provides impact absorption, meaning that there is less pressure on your heel and joints as you walk. As a consequence, there is a reduced risk of developing medical conditions such as plantar fasciitis.
  A footbed can also be molded, or contoured to fit the shape of your sole. This is also a good choice if the contours in the footbed fit the forms of your foot. If not, they can cause discomfort and may prevent you from covering long distances in your footwear. However, if the footbed is the right shape for you, this type of support will reduce foot fatigue, and if it comes with good arch support as well, it can also prevent a condition called flatfoot, or pes planus.
• Heel
  Finally, because we have one design with quite a bit of a heel to it, we feel the need to address the effect heels have on overall comfort levels.
  If you’re looking for a heeled design, then look for two things: heels which are three inches or lower in height, and those which are thick, blocky in shape. A lower heel will ease the strain off of the ball of your foot, minimizing pain in the process, and a chunky shape will provide you with stability and a solid foundation for your steps.
  Now, we realize that the Pleaser Delight falls into neither of these categories, but it does have a type of a heel which is more comfortable than the rest - a platform heel. A platform means that there is an added height under the front of the foot, which widens the angle between your heel and your toes and makes you feel as though you are wearing heels that are lower than they actually are. It’s a pretty neat trick to use when you’re dead-set on wowing your surroundings in sky-high stilettos.

Footwear with fuzzy lining is a very broad category. As a result, the styles you can find in our guide are also quite diverse. There are options you can wear both indoors and outdoors, such as the Crocs Freesail, there are classic winter boots like the Cior Snow Boot, the Bogs Amanda, and the Sam Edelman Tilden, and there are also some casual, everyday options for mild weather, such as the Toms Classic and the Bobs Skechers Slip-On. What is probably the most surprising is a heel with a fluffy lining, such as the Pleaser Delight.

Boots are definitely in the lead here, as they are the type of footwear which gives us the most benefits when lined with plush. After all, boots have the purpose of keeping us warm in cold weather, and a great way to do that is to have a wool, a shearling or a fleece interior to keep us cozy and toasty.

The two types of boots we have in our list are the typical, bulky winter options (the Sorel Glacy Explorer, the Crocs AllCast Luxe), and styles which are less chunky and more fashionable, like the Sam Edelman Tilden (though a thing could be said about its chunkiness as well), and the Ugg Chaney.

When it comes casual footwear, not reserved for extreme conditions, then the Toms Classic and the Bobs Skechers Slip-On are the right way to go. These actually sport the exact same style, by the name of Alpargata, and represent a great option to wear when you want something lightweight and cute. These Alpargatas are so easy to wear and lately, they have been all the rage, if fashion blogs are anything to go by.

Finally, if you wish to be the life of the party, there is the Pleaser Delight. It is a heel like no other, and while it is not suitable for all occasions, you won’t regret taking it out to a club or a dance party with your friends. Its extremely high heel makes it a bit difficult to walk in, but it also elongates your figure and adds undeniable sex appeal to your look.

Whether or not you should buy a specific style of footwear depends entirely on your personal taste. What is your own style? How does this design fit in with what you have in your wardrobe? Will it look good on you, and will you feel confident in it? Answer these questions, and there is no reason why you won’t love the choice you make.

As we are known to say on this website, we love a design which can serve multiple purposes. An option you can wear to work or school, to a cocktail party, perhaps even to a casual stroll through the city is a great one, because it saves you the effort of choosing what else to wear, of going home to change your footwear, or to come up with a new design to buy for that specific event.

Versatility is necessary for this modern era when the time is precious and we can’t afford to lose it on something as trivial as stressing over what shoes to pick.

This is why we have also ranked the designs in this guide according to their versatility.

At the top, we obviously have those which can be worn on most occasions - with jeans, shorts, even dresses - like the alpargata designs. These are casual, that’s true, but they are suitable for almost any situation you find yourself in if the weather is nice.

If the weather is not so nice, then a good alternative is the Ugg Chaney, because it is a boot which also goes well with any outfit combination. You can wear it practically every day as long as it’s not too hot outside.

Other designs are a bit more specific in style and are great either for only snowy/rainy conditions or for very special outings or parties. That is not to say that anything is wrong with these choices - only that, if you’re looking for something you can wear day in and day out, maybe they’re not the best option.

However, one particular design bears mentioning, and that is the Crocs Freesail. While it isn’t necessarily stylish, it is the only item in this guide which can be worn both indoors and outdoors. This is a perfect solution if you are looking for those cozy house slippers that you can also take with you outside, without fear of getting cold or uncomfortable on the streets.

At the very end of our criteria section, we talk about durability, or how long a design can last. This aspect is influenced by many factors, such as what materials the shoe is made of, how it is constructed, how often you wear it, and how hard you are on your footwear in general.

In terms of materials, natural ones are always more durable than synthetics (unless the synthetic is rubber). Leather, suede, wool, and rubber are extremely durable and with the right treatment and conditioning (in the case of leathers), they will hold up well over time. These types of designs might even last you decades.

In contrast, canvas and entirely plush materials are not as long lasting. These materials are thin, getting easily frayed, and showing signs of wear and tear after only a year, or maybe even several months, of regular wear.

There is also a material that is unique in its characteristics that we’ve mentioned many times before - the Crocs Croslite. It is not a rubber material, nor it is plastic, but the one design made of this, the Crocs Freesail, is one of the most durable items in this guide, second only to the Bogs Amanda.

While it is nice to know how long you can expect a shoe to last, this is not something you should worry too much about. After all, footwear is meant to be worn, not kept in the closet, and sooner or later, it will reach the end of its lifespan. You may tweak this a little, by choosing a design made from genuine natural materials - which costs more, but is also more durable - or you may choose to go the less expensive route and switch your footwear every couple of seasons or so. It is really all up to you and how important the life of a design is to your decision-making process.