Annie Southam
Time to show off those pedicures! Sandals are generally the most used and abused footwear in our closets. A good solid shoe should be able to take quite a beating. That means a comfortable sole and room to breathe! Here are our comfiest choices that will work with a myriad of outfits and occasions. It would be fair to say we’ve got more than one pair in our shopping carts. Move over, winter boots and white tennies!
Slide, Sandals, Slide
We went gaga for maxi skirts this Spring, and nothing pairs better with a maxi than slides. Sandals with a minimal heel are the next best thing to going barefoot. Madewell has Caren Slides in suede on sale right now, we love the Midnight Spruce color. They look super comfy and you can’t beat the price! Slides keep your look lean and less clunky, which is preferred for long skirts. If you jumped on our culotte bandwagon and got yourself a slender pair, slides are a great match as well.
Strap Two On
The easiest sandals to come by are of course the strappy variety. There are countless thousands of strappy styles in the world today. Give the boring brown straps a rest and upgrade your look in metallic shades of silver and gold. The painted leather is still surprisingly natural looking and shows off a tan remarkably. Nordstrom has some cute Kate Spade strappys in gold for $138. The tassle on the ankle strap makes them a great wedding sandal. Strappy sandals are especially cute with rompers and short dresses – anything that is showing some leg.
Trendiest Sandals on the MKT
If you’re a total trendsetter looking to pack some heavy-weight punch into your wardrobe, you’ve got to go for a block heel. Mod 60’s sandals in bright colors are eye-catching and full of funk! Rebecca Minkoff’s Ingrid Sandal in Cherry is just what we’re talking about. Add some pop to all white attire or perk up some denim skinnies. The block heel is super sturdy and fun to walk about in. They are on the style cast for Fall, so go for yellow and orange colors if you can.
Athleisure Slides
We’ve been on an Adidas kick since the Netflix documentary, Hip-Hop Evolution came out. Learn alllll about it in our Hip-Hop Fashion article and find some genuine 90’s inspiration! Athletic slides are relaxing into leisure style with fur tops, studs, gems – you name it! They work great with track pants, cropped jeans, and cutoff shorts. Did you catch our graphic tee and all white outfit articles? Combine those looks and add an athlesiure slide for the most-likely-to-wear-successive-days-in-a-row hit of the summer!
Ye Olde Birkenstocks
Tap into your inner hippie chic and own at least one pair of Birkenstocks in your life. Birkenstock sandals have cork soles that mold to your foot over time. This gives them a custom fit and the most comfortable feel, too. Birkis look great with floral summer dresses, wide linen pants, chinos, and cropped skinnies. Free People is going Birkenstock crazy right now. We love the tried-and-true Arizona style in natural Taupe Suede. The wide straps compliment any foot and the sole is surprisingly light. Make sure this is the sandal you pack for trips that will include lots of sightseeing.
Straight-Up Clogs
Taking the thickness of the sole up a notch, try on a pair of clogs for Euro-charm and sensibility. Clogs are the perfect sandals for year-round wear. We highly recommend pairing them with socks in the Fall and Winter – check out our Socks with Sandals article for ideas! Our friends over at Honey of California swear by Lotta From Stockholm clogs. They are genuine handmade from Sweden, so you can’t beat the originality or quality there. And all of the color choices! Clogs look equally well with summer dresses and boyfriend jeans. Super comfy and total surfer girl coolness. Do it.
Espadrilles Are No-Brainers
How many pairs for espadrilles can one girl have? The versatility of these summer sandals makes it hard to choose just one style. Also, they go with just about anything and look effortlessly natural. We love Soludos’ incredible selection of espadrilles. They are having a July sale of 40% off select styles, so be sure to use promo code JULY30 with your order when applicable. Espadrilles can be super casual and neat, or laced up and girly – whatever the day call for. We especially love rope styles in bright colors!
Which To Choose?
Now you see why our carts are on overload! With all of the family events, weddings, new babies, and festivals going on, we need sandals that can carry us through. If you can afford a couple pairs, pick one casual wear-everyday style and one bright style that will really stand out. A great pair of feet will take you through all of the trips and events with success.