When temperatures finally rise after countless dreary winter days, it’s high time for perfectly pedicured toes to make a long-awaited appearance. That’s right: it’s sandal season.
Sandals are the go-to footwear of the warmer months, ripe with versatility for all summery occasions. Sandals, after all, are footwear shapeshifters.
While there are sandals elevated enough to dazzle on red carpets, there are also sandal styles that will be your choice poolside picks. From the most casual summer fun to a grand warm weather affair, sandals are your dependable summer shoe.
When taking inventory of your summer shoe wardrobe, you should be sure you have a few pairs of sandals fitting your lifestyle in the mix. If you’re in the market for sandals to round out your collection, you’ll soon discover that simply searching for “sandals” online isn’t specific enough to find what you are actually looking for. After all, the broad category of “sandals” includes a healthy mix of silhouettes and styles that can vary greatly from each other.
To find exactly what you are looking for when sandal shopping, it’s important to know some basic terminology, including the main sandal categories. To up your sandal-related knowledge, check out this complete guide to different types of sandals. Your little piggies will thank you for the breather.
But First, What Are Some Different Types of Sandals?
Simply put, a sandal is a summer shoe featuring a mostly-open upper attached by a single strap or straps to the sole of the shoe. These straps can be thin or thick in width and may be intricately intertwined or minimal in appearance.
Sandals come in a variety of heel heights, from flats to 4-inch heels to platforms. Depending on the material, construction and overall silhouette, sandals can be worn to everything from a barbecue or a black-tie affair.
As the quintessential summer shoe, sandals are incredibly versatile — but you can see how all of the possibilities can make finding the perfect sandal a bit of a challenge.
Popular Types of Sandals
To put your best foot forward while shopping for sandals, knowing basic terminology related to the shoe style is a must. Though the styles featured below cover the main types of sandals you’ll encounter while shopping, some footwear designers pull from two or more of these categories to create unique sandal hybrids, like stiletto mule sandals or platform slides.
Regardless, knowing these different types of sandals will help you in finding what you are looking for when completing your shoe wardrobe.
T-strap sandals
A particularly popular sandal style, T-strap sandals feature a T-shaped piece of material extending up the foot with the top of the “T” wrapping around the ankle. This ankle strap often fastens with an adjustable clasp for a secure fit.
This sandal style can either feature a piece of material between the first and second toes as an anchor, or the shoe can simply be secured by several horizontal straps running across the toes in an open or closed-toe construction.
Also known as a T-bar sandal, this sandal silhouette commonly features a flat sole for more casual wear, though it can accommodate any heel height. Heeled T-strap sandals, for instance, were common in the 1930s flapper era.
Flip-Flops
Flip-flops, also known as thong sandals, are casual shoes marked by a Y-shaped upper. The base of the “Y” upper rests between the first and second toes, acting as a source of security for the entire front of the shoe. The back portion of a flip-flop is free from any straps, which can lead to a “flopping” or snapping sound as one walks, hence the name.
Footwear styles similar to flip-flops have been worn for centuries in some regions around the world. The shoe style, however, was first popularized in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s after soldiers brought back similar sandals from Japan after World War II.
Stiletto Sandals
A red carpet staple during warmer months, stiletto sandals most often feature a simple strap across the toes and a fastener strap around the ankle, creating a barely-there construction. To be considered a true stiletto, this sandal silhouette often features a heel that is 4 inches or above, adding some height to elongate the legs.
This elegant shoe style is mostly reserved for dressy looks and evening wear, looking sometimes out-of-place with casual summer pieces. Cemented as a classic footwear selection, a stiletto sandal never really goes out of style.
Strappy Sandals
Strappy sandals predictably feature several thin straps or long ties to secure the sole of the shoe to the foot. Often, these straps lace up the ankle or above, providing adjustable security via a clasp or an ankle (or leg) tie. This sandal style is often worn for formal events, yet it can read as more casual than stiletto sandals.
Strappy sandals can feature a variety of heel heights, but commonly have a heel of at least a few inches so the leg doesn’t appear truncated by the laced-up look. A staple of warm-weather formalwear, strappy sandals are a popular choice with shorter dresses and other leg-baring outfits.
Gladiator sandals
The ever-infamous gladiator sandal combines elements of T-strap sandals and strappy sandals into one commanding sandal style. Gladiator sandals are open-toed casual sandals featuring straps running across the foot and up the ankle — sometimes all the way up the calf. As the name suggests, Roman gladiators are often depicted in — and actually did wear — similar sandals.
Gladiator sandals were at peak popularity in the early 2000s, most often crafted in metallic, brown and black hues. The sandal style also came back for the 2015 summer festival season and the 2021 summer season, given the resurgence of noughties fashion trends by Gen Z. Gladiator sandals are perhaps the most polarizing sandal style out there, rotating in and out of fashion quite often.
Slides
Slides feature a flat sole and an open back with one or two securing straps across the top of the foot. As the name suggests, this construction allows the wearer to “slide” their foot in and out with ease. The effortless shoe is especially popular poolside or with casual summer looks, though slides can be dressed up when designed with an elegant construction and elevated materials.
Classic casual slides, however, are designed to be lightweight, made of durable plastic or foam.
Open-toe mules
Open-toe mules feature a thick band of material over the top of the foot, leaving the heel free and showing the toes. This classic sandal style often features a block heel or a wedged heel, echoing the chunky look of the singular wide-width strap. There are, however, casual mule slides that fit the definition of this sandal silhouette.
Mules can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. Mules, both as an open-toed and closed-toed shoe style, were first introduced to the U.S. in the 1950s, though they are considered a very modern and trendy sandal style today.
Sports sandals
This sandal sub-category refers less to a style of sandal and more to a specific function. Sports sandals are made for outdoor physical activities, most often hiking. Sports sandals often feature rugged soles to enhance traction and durable strap materials to withstand the elements.
This type of sandal often features a velcro closure and several straps across the top of the foot for security. Sports sandals often have a medial strap running along the length of the foot for additional support, as well as a secure ankle strap.
Notably, the shoe style prioritizes function over fashion, earning them the title of an “ugly” shoe. Recent footwear trends, however, have embraced the “ugly” look along with athleisure styles, meaning sports sandals are actually surprisingly “in.”
Platform sandals
A ’90s essential, platform sandals have recently come back in style, thanks to the resurgence of fashion from the beloved decade. Platform sandals feature a chunky sole that elevates the entire footbed of the shoe by several inches. Platform sandals don’t feature a heel, however, so they are incredibly easy to walk in given the solid, flat base.
Though the upper portion of the sandal can feature any configuration of straps, platform slide sandals are most synonymous with ’90s fashion, especially the classic black Steven Madden slides (a.k.a. The Slinky) from the era.
Woven sandals
Woven sandals aren’t defined by a certain shoe silhouette but rather a common design element. This sandal style features braided straps as an identifying feature, yet woven sandals can be constructed in any number of sandal silhouettes, including slides, mules, T-straps and more.
Often made of leather or leather-like material, woven sandals can be either closed or opened-toed and may feature any heel height. The most common woven sandals, however, are open-toed casual sandals with a flat sole.
Huarache sandals
A type of woven sandal, huarache sandals are shoes made of hand-braided leather featuring a flat sole for comfort. The casual shoe style can feature an open or closed toe, though the style is most often associated with a closed-toe silhouette.
Originally associated with Mexican farmers and field workers, huarache sandals first came to the U.S. in the ’60s as a result of immigration. The shoe remains an important piece of footwear in Mexican culture today.
Jelly sandals
Another ’90s gem, jelly sandals are defined by their material rather than the shoe’s silhouette. The shoes are made of molded soft plastic, which is often translucent, colored and sometimes includes embedded sparkles. Classic ’90s jelly shoes feature a closed-toed T-strap design with several additional straps running across the top of the foot.
This style is most often secured around the ankle with an adjustable clasped strap. Though this sandal style was most popular amongst children in the ’90s, the recent resurgence of ’90s fashion trends prompted the creation of adult versions of jelly shoes.
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