Wearing socks with sandals is the unisex fashion trend you will either love or hate. Once dubbed as the fashion for old men, it's a trend that will see you through summer and into autumn, says Emma Harrowing.

It's a fashion trend that has been bubbling along since 2009 when style icon Fearne Cotton was spotted outside the Radio One studios wearing ankle socks with high-heeled sandals. And yet it was always a look that fell short of the mainstream fashion radar.

Now wearing socks with sandals has become a summer trend for men and women and it's a look that has divided the Life Matters team.

We used to scoff, in fact scorn those men that wore socks with their sandals; after all you only wear sandals when it's hot so why put on socks?

But it looks like we have to eat our words as our fashion spies have spotted some of you wearing socks with sandals in the city centre.

And you have your finger right on the fashion pulse. Designers such as Balenciaga, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent showcased the look for men and women on the spring and summer catwalks, and judging by the autumn and winter collections from the high street socks with shoes and short dresses is going to be a big trend.

In fact socks are the must-have accessory for this and next season and to get the look you must show them off. For autumn and winter if you are a woman the trend is to wear ankle or knee-high socks with 1960s style mini dresses or skirts or with trousers rolled up at the bottom to show off your socks, and with any type of shoe from brogues and flats to high heel courts.

For men the autumn/winter look follows on from this season's trend for mankles – wearing your trousers rolled up just above your ankle to reveal a bit of flesh, only for autumn bare skin will be covered up with a statement sock.

For those that want to embrace the sock trend now, socks with open or closed toe sandals is a must whether you are wearing shorts, trousers or dresses. Style savvy celebrities such as Alexa Chung and, of course, Fearne Cotton are already embracing the trend.

Whatever camp you are in you might as well pitch up your tent and live with the fact that socks with sandals, high heels and flats is a look that will stay in fashion until winter.